Rivers United technical manager Finidi George says the club will push for a more ruthless domestic showing next season after falling just short of the Nigeria Premier Football League crown to Rangers International. Despite coming close to retaining the title, Rivers United were edged out in the final reckoning, and Finidi has pointed to the need for a sharper run across the full campaign.
Rivers United wrapped up their league programme in second place on 67 points, finishing only one point behind their title rivals. Looking back at the season, Finidi argued that the decisive setbacks came earlier rather than being caused by late twists, insisting that missed opportunities in the opening stages ultimately prevented them from defending the championship.
“It is quite unfortunate; we gave our all,” Finidi said. “Winning the league title did not depend solely on our last game. We had some bad results that made us rely on outside help.”
With the league season concluded, the former Enyimba manager confirmed that Rivers United’s immediate attention has turned to the President Federation Cup. The club will take on Rangers in a tense Round of 32 tie in Uyo on June 1, and Finidi has made it clear that the squad will be strengthened through disciplined recruitment. He also linked the club’s upcoming planning to both domestic ambitions and their goals in the CAF Champions League.
