30 days to AFCON: Pitso over Peseiro: Should NFF jump now?

It is 30 days to the 2023 Nations kick-off in Cote d’Ivoire, but not many Nigerian football fans are giving the Jose Peseiro-led Super Eagles any chance to win a fourth title despite the Nigeria Football Federation’s ‘Let’s do it again’ campaign.

“One thing I would say is that I want to win a Cup of Nations or go to a World Cup with a team,” Pitso Mosimane revealed recently in an interview. That ambition is the exact brief set for Super Eagles coach Peseiro by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Two uninspiring draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe have cast doubts (if they were not already there) about Peseiro’s ability to meet up with this.

Before we make any assertions, we must responsibly take stock of the challenges that face the Super Eagles and almost all the other Nigerian national football teams. Can we say we have an ego problem that clouds our reality? Are we wrong to assume that talented players inadvertently mean a winning team? Where exactly is Peseiro failing? Or is he failing?

Assuming all factors remain constant, the typical Nigerian football enthusiast continues to express dissatisfaction with the current state of football affairs. The local football league remains uninspiring, and despite glimpses of improvement, there is a considerable distance to cover.

Given the disillusionment of many Nigerian football fans with the Super Eagles’ performances under Peseiro, there is a growing chorus calling for his removal and the hiring of a coach such as South Africa’s Mosimane.

Adeyemi Adesanya said, “This is pretty straightforward; Pitso my far, every day, on Sundays, and even on public holidays.

“Pitso’s track record speaks volumes, and he has been successful everywhere he has been. You can see a defined playing style, philosophy, and approach with him.

“[But] we can’t afford him plainly, and our pride won’t make us go down this route of appointing a South African to lead the Super Eagles.”

Former Super Eagles captain Austin Okocha also wants Mosimane. “Pitso is, without any doubt, one of the best African coaches,” Okocha told TimesLIVE.

“His track record is there for everyone to see. If we [Nigeria] can get a coach like that, it would add great value to our football.

“I don’t know how true that is [Pitso to Nigeria], but a coach like that is valuable.”

Uninspiring and impotent, Peseiro’s Eagles have lost their wings, and the absolute next NFF steps

If the typical Nigerian football enthusiast hesitates to tune in to watch the senior men’s national football team, the Super Eagles, then it may be time to discard the “Super” tag from the team’s name, much like an ageing eagle sheds its old feathers.

Jose Peseiro has been in charge of the Eagles since 15 May 2022. In that time, he has managed 15 games, and his record reads: won seven, drawn three, and lost five. The inference from these results says Peseiro has not led the Eagles to a victory over any country with a better FIFA ranking. It also shows that the Eagles have recorded victories over countries in the below-100 FIFA ranking. Sierra Leone (122), Sao Tome (186), Guinea-Bissau (110), and Mozambique (113).

29/05/22 FRI Mexico 2 – 1 Nigeria

03/06/22 FRI Ecuador 1 – 0 Nigeria

09/06/22 ACO Nigeria 2 – 1 Sierra Leone

13/06/22 ACO São Tomé 0 – 10 Nigeria

27/09/22 FRI Algeria 2 – 1 Nigeria

10/11/22 FRI Costa Rica 2 – 0 Nigeria

17/11/22 FRI Portugal 4 – 0 Nigeria

24/03/23 ACO Nigeria 0 – 1 Guinea-Bissau

27/03/23 ACO Guinea-Bissau 0 – 1 Nigeria

18/06/23 ACO Sierra Leone 2 – 3 Nigeria

10/09/23 ACO Nigeria 6 – 0 São Tomé

13/10/23 FRI Saudi Arabia 2 – 2 Nigeria

16/10/23 FRI Mozambique 2 – 3 Nigeria

16/11/23 CWC Nigeria 1 – 1 Lesotho

19/11/23 CWC Zimbabwe 1 – 1 Nigeria

During Peseiro’s 18-month tenure, the Eagles have contrived to suffer defeats at home against Guinea-Bissau, a disgraceful 4-0 loss to Portugal, as well as setbacks against Mexico, Ecuador, Algeria, and Costa Rica.

Reactions after disappointing draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe

“We have to respect Jose Peseiro’s contract. If we had the money to give to him (pay him off), we were going to relieve him. We are not happy, said Hon. Nse Essien, an NFF board member, speaking after the shocking 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe in Rwanda.

Calvin Onwuka, ACL Sports CEO, said on X, “This draw today is actually doing my head in. I wish I had not watched the match. Nah, there are many of those players who should never wear our hallowed Super Eagles shirt again. Cringeworthy display.”

Latifat Adebayo-Ohio said, “Super Eagles of Nigeria have managed to pick only 2 points from its first 2 matches of the @FIFAWorldCup qualifiers. Against Lesotho, 1-1. Against Zimbabwe, 1-1, I knew we would have many bumps. I just never factored in Lesotho and Zimbabwe in that equation. Is it too early to bring out our traditional calculators?

Colin Udoh wrote, “Still a long way to go in qualifiers, but a bad start is a bad start. Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but two points from six is the Super Eagles’ worst start to World Cup qualifying ever. Need to beat South Africa and then Benin next June to get back on track. Otherwise, sayonara!”

Temisan Okomi wrote, “The Super Eagles have, perhaps, the worst coach in African football. I use the word “Perhaps” because the football coach in my son’s school, Mr. Fatoki, can be awful with his selection. If Mr. Fatoki gets his selection right, Jose Peseiro will be the undoubted worst in Africa.”

Mario Leo, founder of Result Sports, wrote, “Shocking @NGSuperEagles. Possession of 90% or whatever… No pace in the final third to play the strength of the outstanding strikers… No creativity in this possession-style match plan. Terrible to watch, to be honest! You need to lure the opponent [to] come to you, then enable the quick strikers to outpace the defence.”

NFF in a precarious situation

BBC journalist Oluwashina Okeleji states that Peseiro agreed a pay cut to stay on as coach, extending his reign until [the] end of AFCON. He earns a monthly salary of $50,000 after the NFF said it could no longer afford his previous salary of $70,000. Before Sept extension, he only received three months’ salary since the May 2022 appointment.

Tobi Adepoju was in Uyo for the match against Lesotho and followed the team to Rwanda for the match against Zimbabwe. He wrote, “It will be difficult for the NFF to sack Jose Peseiro, but they might likely discuss with him and ask him to make changes to his squad. The NFF can’t afford the financial implications of sacking Peseiro. The NFF will meet soon and reach a decision.”

In the post-match press conference, after another below-par performance, Peseiro made the excuse that the turnaround time between the match against Lesotho in Uyo and the match against Zimbabwe was too short, which led to the Eagles’ insipid display against Zimbabwe.

“It was a tough, difficult trip from Nigeria in the flight, many hours. The players didn’t rest enough for quick play at the same level. First half, very bad, second half, much better.”

The Portuguese had said before the World Cup qualifying campaign kicked off against Lesotho that the Eagles are the most under-pressure football team in Africa. “In Africa, the team with more pressure and stress is Nigeria because there are more people who want satisfaction and I have spoken with my players to be focused, which if that is done, they will get the first three points in the qualifiers.“

Also, in the news have been reports that Peseiro applied for the job at an Egyptian club, Zamalek.

So what are the next realistic steps for the NFF 30 days before the 2023 AFCON tournament kicks off? They need answers to the questions posed by the ineffectual leadership from Peseiro despite the campaign, ‘Let’s Do It Again’.

Mark Ogden, writing for ESPN, says “It is the coach who picks the team, devises the tactics, works with players on the training ground, and supposedly motivates and cajoles them.” He added, “So for all of the mitigating factors, a team is usually only as effective as the coach who is charged with making it win.”

Many Nigerians can’t see the Eagles winning a fourth AFCON title in Cote d’Ivoire in 2024, though it would be nice to be surprised again.