Yusuf or Peseiro? NFF scribe reveals coach to take charge of Super Eagles for Portugal friendly

There have been speculations that the Portuguese head coach is at loggerheads with the football body

Nigeria Football Federation’s General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, has confirmed that Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro will take charge of the team when they trade tackles with the Portugal national team in about two weeks.

Nigeria will take on the former European champions at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon on November 17.

A week before that match, the Super Eagles will lock horns with Central American nation Costa Rica in San Jose, the United States.

Reports in the local media suggest that Olympic Eagles handler Salisu Yusuf will lead the Super Eagles B to face the CONCACAF representatives. And as assistant Super Eagles coach, Yusuf would also be the man to take charge of the main team for the Portugal friendly should there be a breakdown in the relationship between the NFF and the head coach.

Speculations of a rift between Peseiro and the NFF gained momentum after it emerged that the NFF owes Jose Peseiro six-month wages, having not paid him since he was engaged earlier in the year.

But the NFF has moved to squash the rumours, with the body’s scribe, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, insisting that the former Sporting Lisbon manager will guide the Eagles against Portugal.

“We have a friendly match against Portugal coming up in Lisbon on Thursday, 17th November,” Sanusi told the official website of the NFF.

“Mr. Peseiro has compiled a provisional list and is only waiting for this weekend’s matches to submit his list of 23 players.”

Dr. Sanusi stressed that there was no truth in the report that coach Jose Peseiro had reported the NFF to FIFA regarding his wages.

While making it clear there was no problem between the Portuguese manager and the NFF, the General Secretary admitted that the body owed him several months’ wages.

However, Dr. Sanusi revealed that the NFF and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development are working to settle the head coach’s wages shortly.