Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro sets target for 2023 AFCON tournament

At the most recent AFCON competition, the Super Eagles were handed an early departure, and they were stripped of their World Cup tickets for Qatar in 2022.

The Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, has declared his goals for the AFCON competition in 2023.

After a string of disappointing performances, including an early departure from the Africa Cup of Nations and the loss of their World Cup ticket to Ghana, the Portuguese succeeded Austin Eguavoen in May of last year.

Since taking charge in the Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign, the 62-year-old has guided Nigeria’s men’s national team to two wins against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe.

However, the 2013 AFCON champions have lost five more games against Mexico, Ecuador, Algeria, Costa Rica, and Portugal, raising doubts about his ability to lead the Super Eagles to victory.

However, the 2023 AFCON event is scheduled to take place in the Ivory Coast, and the former Venezuelan coach has revealed that his ambition as the coach of the Super Eagles

The ex-Sporting CP coach tells the Mirror that “Our ambitions when I signed the contract with Nigeria, the big goal and main goal is we want to win the next AFCON,”

Peseiro, who has started burning his midnight oil to understand his players, revealed how convinced he is with the quality of players he has to win the AFCON tournament.

“Of course, we know the power of the national teams who played in the World Cup, like Senegal, Cameroon, Morocco, who had a fantastic tournament. But we know that the quality and capacity of the national teams that didn’t play in the World Cup, like Egypt, Algeria, and others.

“I think I’ve convinced myself when I watch our national team. I know which players can play for us, and I have put it in my mind that we can win the next AFCON.” he added.

However, the former SC Braga coach outlined his team’s strategy for the next African tournament.

“To do that, I’m trying to shape our players and join them in the right way to build a good model to play at a high level. If you want to reach the top in Africa, you need to create a top level.

“For that, I try to see the players, see everybody and improve our organization, improve our facilities, improve our training, improve everything we can.

“We played against Mexico, against Portugal, against Algeria away, to check the possibility to play offensive football, high pressure, because that’s our way. I think we have the capacity and the players for that, but we need to check our development and the way we play.” he said.

The coach would be in action for the international friendlies and qualifications, even though there may not be many international competitions in 2023.