Rivers United coach, Yemi Olanrewaju, has praised his strong working relationship with the club’s technical manager, Finidi George, describing their partnership as the key to the team’s recent progress.
Speaking after a training session in Port Harcourt, Olanrewaju emphasized that the trust, understanding, and shared football philosophy between both men have created a positive environment within the squad as they prepare for their CAF Champions League group stage campaign.
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Rivers United, who will be competing in the group stage for the first time, were drawn alongside Pyramids SC of Egypt, RS Berkane of Morocco, and Zambia’s Power Dynamos — a group widely regarded as one of the toughest in the competition. Despite that, Olanrewaju expressed confidence that the team’s unity and preparation will make them competitive against Africa’s elite.
“I have a wonderful working relationship with Finidi George,” Olanrewaju said. “We both understand each other perfectly — our football ideologies align, and that makes our job much easier. There’s no conflict of ideas; we complement each other, and that’s why the team keeps improving.”
The assistant coach added that both he and Finidi share a passion for discipline and tactical intelligence, qualities that have defined Rivers United’s recent performances.
“We’ve been very deliberate in how we build this team,” he explained. “Every training session, every tactical drill — it’s all about achieving balance between creativity and structure. That’s something Finidi and I both value deeply.”
Olanrewaju also acknowledged that the CAF Champions League presents a new level of challenge but believes the club has matured enough to hold its own. “We’re not under any illusions — this is a tough group. But Rivers United have earned their place here. We respect every opponent, but we fear no one,” he said with confidence.
He concluded by expressing gratitude to the management and fans for their continued support, assuring them that the team is fully focused on making Nigeria proud. “We’re working hard behind the scenes. The atmosphere is good, the players are motivated, and we’ll be ready when the competition starts,” he promised
