Enyimba coach Finidi George has advised footballers to take advantage of their active days and earn enough funds within their short playing career, for example, Stanley Nwabali.
The ex-international, who won the Africa Cup of Nations title with Nigeria in 1994 and also helped qualify Nigeria for their first World Cup in the same year, had a successful stint in his playing days with club sides in the local league and in Europe.
George, who is currently serving as an assistant coach at the Super Eagles, was part of the success story in Ivory Coast, where the team finished second behind the hosts after seeing his side lose 2-1 in the final.
The success of the Nigerian team has put some spotlight on Nigerian players, with the goalkeeper Nwabali getting loads of accolades and has been touted to make a big move away from the South African PSL later this summer.
The former Sharks of Port Harcourt attacker in a recent chat with Brila Media advised that footballers have limited playing careers and it'd be best for Nwabali to go for the best deal now.
“I think he has to go somewhere else. If there is that opportunity for him, definitely he has to because you know, the career of a footballer is very short. 10 years, 12 years at most if there are no injuries,” said the former Ajax attacker.
“So you have to make the best out of it because life after football is so long that if you don't get the best out of it when you are active, some players will struggle.
“So the best you can get now is to be better for the future. If there's an offer somewhere else in Europe, Asia where he would be paid better, I think he has to go for it.”
Finidi won the league with Enyimba last season in the Nigeria Premier Football League and has since been mentioned as one of the permanent replacements for Jose Peseiro in the Super Eagles if the Portuguese doesn't get his contract extended by the Nigeria Football Federation.
Nwabali in no rush to transfer
Following his exploits with the Nigerian team at the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations, where he kept four clean sheets across seven games, Nwabali's stock has risen in the transfer scene with offers from PSL teams, Asia and European teams jostling for his signature away from Chippa United.
The 27-year-old also played down threats of returning to South Africa to continue his playing career after his heroics against Bafana Bafana ensured that Nigeria went through to the final of the competition.
Fears about getting reprisal attacks when Nwanbali goes back to feature for his side were quelled.
He has since been given national and state honours for his outstanding display at the AFCON and has insisted that ‘he is in no rush' to make a move away from the Premier Soccer League.
“I really appreciate that, but to be honest, one thing about me is that I always feel comfortable even if I’m in a small place; I don’t like to rush,” Nwabali reiterated.
