Portuguese tactician Jose Peseiro has warned anybody aiming to be the head coach of the Super Eagles to be ready for the most difficult job of their lives, Soccernet.ng reports.
Peseiro would know better as he was until February 29th, the head coach of the Nigerian national team.
The former Sporting Lisbon manager was in charge of the Super Eagles for 22 months, during which time he led Nigeria to ten wins, five draws, and seven defeats in 22 games.
The biggest highlight of his spell with the team was guiding Nigeria to reach the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
However, he faced severe criticisms throughout his time as boss of the Super Eagles, particularly after seeing the team lose four games in a row between September 2022 and March 2023, including the disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Guinea-Bissau.
On the eve of the 2024 AFCON, Peseiro was close to losing his job following the Super Eagles’ uninspiring draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe in the opening rounds of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
Peseiro’s Super Eagles also failed to impress many at the AFCON as they reached the final, relying more on the team’s defensive solidity than attacking brilliance.
The 63-year-old coach as often praised his experience and mental fortitude for the resilience he had against his critics.
And the former Real Madrid assistant coach has warned other coaches jostling to be named the Super Eagles next boss to be aware of the unpleasant ingredients that come with the job.
“It’s not a job for everybody,” Peseiro said, as per Owngoal.
“You really don’t know what to expect at the job. One minute, you are doing well, and in a flash, another person is questioning how well you are doing.
“We had our best AFCON performance in 11 years, but we still have people not happy about how we got there.
“The fans want to win everything and in style. It is a very difficult job.”
Former Barcelona winger Emmanuel Amunike, ex-Ajax star George Finidi, and United States U-19 national team coach Michael Nsien are among the coaches looking to be the new Super Eagles head coach.
Several foreigners, including former Cameroon national team head coach Antonio Conceicao, are also reportedly interested in coaching the three-time AFCON winners.
N.B: Do you think Jose Peseiro is right that the Super Eagles head coach job is a difficult position for anyone? Leave your comments below.
The PR engagement of a National coach is vital in Nigeria. The only source of UNITY is Sports, especially football. A coach need to appreciate this as well. Peceiro was far from the Press, People and Results. He tried to correct during AFCON because the result was coming. He got help from his foreign assistants to work on defense at the expense of attack. He wasn’t comprehensive in technicality and tactics enough.
if paseiro had won all home gain and had had same results in afcon. i m sure his salary would be up to 80000 not the 50 we are afraid of even paying him now . .. paseiro thought he can win all games with his attack minded formation hence he did 10 zero and surddenly or small countries counter him and he lost even at home .then the mistrust started . the suspicion came in and the local man on the street can even tell stories of how nigeria eagles win at away.which is opposite den .. reason y he left.
I guess Pesseiro said it all. However, I guess there’s something else Pesseiro is hiding about NFF.
From his body language, he wasn’t happy while in Nigeria at the back heels of his shoddy performances before the AFCON coupled with the fact of the negative criticism he had all the time.
It is of utmost importance that this might be Pesseiro’s first outing to Africa and particularly to Nigeria where every Dick and Hafsatu is a Coach and follows football fervently.
I end by telling any foreign Coach coming to Nigeria, “If you are in Rome, understand and follow the Romans”. If he was having problems with the Fans, then how did he manage those corrupt bosses in the Glass house? Cheers.
He does have a point. We are ALL football critics and damn good ones at that, simply because we say it as it is, as seen in the field of play and if you don’t like the heat the do please get out of the kitchen.
It is said that we are one of the happiest people on the planet and that comes with seeking what makes us a happy lot. Football apart from our women, drinks, parties etc happen to make us that way and NO Nigerian likes anything or anyone that seems to have a propensity to come between us and that joy. So yes we are guilty of sticking our noses into something that brings joy into our existence. So Mr Peseiro is correct the pressures are immense and justified.
I don’t understand what he is talking about, even those agreeing with him, I don’t understand,is this not the same thing football officials suffer across the globe,oga, every single fan all over the world is a coach, don’t they have eyes and brain, you as a car owner, when you visit the mechanic, don’t you contribute tit bits of advice here and there, are you a mechanic?,no, but you can see what he is doing, above all, you have brain, the bitter truth is, this present super eagles,in the last afcon,does not have any reason to lose that final, there’s a way a team will play everyone will agree it was bad luck, this pasiero,no be coach, the same tactics from first match to last, weather e work or not, just play on, Osimeh had no helper in that competition, with the few minutes Murphy had against South Africa,he was bulldozing everybody, I had thought this man will pair him with Osimeh in the finals, with the instruction to fight from the middle upfront, with ademola lukmon, continuing his free role upfront, Alex iwobi and his pair instructed to stay put at the middle of the Park,no pushing too much forward, allow Murphy to do that job,he has the energy, what Osimeh needed in that competition was a troublesome player like him in that attack, and you will see trouble, Murphy has that,if you cast your mind back in the day, Rasheed yekini was scoring so well because of the troublesome twins in Daniel Amorkachi and Emanuel Amunike, pasiero no be coach,me, I no be coach, but, can do better