Former Nigeria international Finidi George has been officially presented as the new director of international football at his Spanish former club, Real Betis.

_{Finidi at Presentation©realbetisbalompie.es}

This is a major achievement for an African football star coming on the heels of Zinedine Zidane’s recent appointment at Real Madrid.

Finidi will work closely with first team coach Peter Mel in his new role

An elated Findi told SuperSport.com that he was pleasantly suprised when he got the call to join the staff of Real betis after leaving them ten years ago.

"It is very good," he said.

"I am very impressed. They made me an offer that I wasn't expecting.

Real Betis was home to me for four years and I am quite familiar with the people there."

“I am going to focus on football outside Spain like Africa, Europe and other places where there are good players who can come to Betis.

It is an opportunity that the club has given me and willing to work to bring good players. I know the coach very well and I actually played with the assistant coach Roberto Rios and the trainer Jesus. They have big plans for the future and believe I can add value with my profile and my global access," the former Super Eagles star told SuperSport.com on his way to the club's training on Thursday morning.

Finidi joined Real Betis in 1996 from Ajax in a deal worth $7.6 million scoring 38 goals in appearances before moving on to Real Mallorca, Ipswich in the English Premier League before ending his career at Real Mallorca.

He has been living in Spain and is very fluent in Spanish and Dutch

He began his career as a central midfielder with home team Sharks in Port Harcourt, joining his older brother Alari George and attracted the attention of national selectors.

He would spent two seasons with Calabar Rovers returning to Sharks in 1993. His younger brother Igeniwari also began with Sharks and after impressing as a junior Nigeria international was killed in bizare circumstances following an FA Cup game.

In Port Harcourt where he grew up and began his career, most revere him for his creativity in midfield but it was as a winger that he gained global recognition for the accuracy of his crossing even rated ahead of David Beckham and Luis Figo at his prime.

Dutchman Clemens Westerhof recognized this and Finidi 's crosses brought out the best in Rashidi Yekini making him Nigeria's all time top scorer.

His coach at Ajax, Luis Van Gaal had to convert Mark Overmars to the left wing and Finidi responded with memorable many assists that cemented his place as an Ajax legend.

He made a goal scoring international debut for Nigeria against Burkina Faso in a thrilling 7-1 defeat in which he set up 3 goals, scoring the last after coming on for Austin Eguavoen at half time. He also scored twice in the World Cup qualifiers inclding the key goal against Algeria in 1993 that secured Nigeria's first ever qualification for the USA 94 Fifa World Cup .

He transfered to Ajax from Sharks in time for the 1993/94 season at a fee of just $100 000. He literally walk into the first team and as winger provided the ammunition for Jari Litmanaen, Patrick Kluivert, Frank Rijkaard, Frank and Roland De Boer and compatriot Nwankwo Kanu as Ajax won three consecutive Dutch titles, the Uefa Champions League in 1995 and losing on penalties to Juventus in 1996 before his big transfer to Real Betis.

Finidi featured for Nigeria at the Senegal 92 (bronze), Tunisia 94 (gold and Cup,) Nigeria/Ghana 2000 (silver) and Mali 2002 (bronze).

He also represented Nigeria at the USA 1994 and France 98 World Cup and was vice-captain to Sunday Oliseh when the team qualified for the 2002 World Cup but both of them were controversially ommitted from the final squad.

His goal against Greece is best remebered for his "dog" celebration and is often replayed

1988-89 - Sharks,Port Harcourt
1990–1993-Calabar Rovers
1993- - Sharks,Port Harcourt
1993–1996-Ajax : 85 appearances(18 goals)
1996–2000-Real Bertis : 130 appearances(38 goals)
2000–2001-Real Mallorca : 31 Appearances(5 goals)
2001–2003-Ipswich : 35 Appearances(7 goals)
2003–2004 -Real Mallorca : 14 appearances(0 goals)
1991-2002-Nigeria 60 Caps (5 goals)