AFCON Sports

Jose Peseiro not going anywhere anytime soon – NFF

"We will give the coach all the necessary support needed for us to ensure that our team is fit for the next round of qualifier"

Samuel AkpanFebruary 13, 20242 Mins read22.2k

With uncertainty surrounding Jose Peseiro’s job after the AFCON second-place finish, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that Peseiro will still be in charge of the Super Eagles and will be giving all the support needed ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in June.

Ibrahim Gusau made this known on Tuesday, shortly after President Bola Tinubu hosted the team and conferred the team and officials with the prestigious Member of the Order of Niger (MON) for their outstanding performance at the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

He said: “This is a great day for all of us. You can see how the President received the team, and we are highly elated to say that we have been honored with MON; it’s our entire team, including myself and my general secretary.

“That is a great thing that has happened to this country. That shows that Nigerians are really happy, especially the president. We thank God for the support given to this team, and by the grace of God, we will continue to do our best to ensure that we make Nigerians happy through football.”

“Ahead of the World Cup qualifiers, and the next qualifier for the World Cup in June, we have a FIFA window that we are trying to organize high-quality matches for the team for them to prepare for the match in June.

“We will give the coach all the necessary support needed for us to ensure that our team is fit for the next round of qualifiers,” Persecondnews quotes Gusau as saying.

See also Victor Boniface Jokes About Hanging Up Boots After Underwhelming Performance "The 24-year-old Super Eagles forward made the announcement after Nigeria's 1-1 draw against Russia in an international friendly match in Moscow on Friday" By Samuel Akpan Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface took to social media to announce his retirement from international football, only to delete the post minutes later and share a meme hinting it was all a joke. The 24-year-old Super Eagles forward made the announcement after Nigeria's 1-1 draw against Russia in an international friendly match in Moscow on Friday. In his Instagram post, Boniface expressed gratitude for the opportunity to play for his country, saying, "Proud to play for my country and a dream for me also. Really enjoyed every moment, the good and the bad. Thanks a lot. "Thank you all. I don hang boot." However, fans were not convinced, given his history of social media jokes and lighthearted antics. The international friendly match between Russia and Nigeria ended in a 1-1 draw. Russia took the lead in the 27th minute when Semi Ajayi scored an own goal, deflecting a cross from Danil Krugovoy into the net. Despite dominating the game, Nigeria struggled to find the back of the net until Tolu Arokodare, who replaced Boniface in the 61st minute, scored the equalizer in the 71st minute. Arokodare's goal was a testament to his impact on the game, and it salvaged a draw for the Super Eagles. Nigeria's goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, also made crucial saves to prevent Russia from scoring further. The draw maintained Eric Chelle's unbeaten record as Super Eagles coach, with three wins and two draws so far. Boniface's performance against Russia was another underwhelming display, sparking criticism from fans and pundits. He failed to score or create significant chances, leading to his substitution in favour of Arokodare. Persecondnews notes that the striker has yet to score for the Super Eagles, despite playing 13 games for the national team.

The Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, reiterated the need for Nigerians to show more love instead of hate towards Fulham star Alex Iwobi.

Musa said the team has shifted focus to ‘the World Cup qualifiers’, which is more important since we missed out on the last mundial in Qatar.

He said: “We know that we are very disappointed with the result, but there’s nothing we can do about this. That’s what happens in football. So now we have to go back and work ahead for the next AFCON, and we have a couple more games for the World Cup qualifiers, so that is more important.

“For our colleagues, I don’t think he deserves what he is getting now because I think we have done our nation proud. So we think everyone has to be proud of each and every one of us. But with what we saw on social media, if you want to attack, just attack all the team, not individual players.”

African footballer of the year Victor Osimhen, in solidarity with his teammates, called on Nigerians to “look at his mental health because there are some of us that can take this to heart and then keep on grinding. And there are some of us who think these things will get to their heads, and they will lose focus and form.

“So I think we are rallying around him; we have spoken to him individually and collectively. So I think he’s a strong dude and is ready to continue to give his all for his nation.”

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President Tinubu, who received the national football team, expressed pride in the team, acknowledging their role in fostering unity within the country through their remarkable performance.

Despite finishing second, he encouraged them to hold their heads high and maintain their team spirit.