December 07, (THEWILL) – The head coach of the Nigerian men’s national football team, Jose Peseiro, has full authority in selecting players for the squad, according to Augustine Eguavoen, the Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). This statement comes amidst reports that the NFF’s technical committee has been questioning some of Peseiro’s player choices.
Eguavoen noted that while there may be discussions within the NFF about squad selections, “He [Peseiro] has the final say on who he wants to play at the senior team level.” The Technical Director emphasised that this setup, where the national team coach makes the final player decisions, is consistent with protocols in other Football Associations globally.
The authority granted to Peseiro has come under scrutiny recently after veteran Nigerian player Ahmed Musa commented on the lack of home-based players on the current national team roster. Since taking over as coach, Peseiro has scarcely fielded any home-based players in a starting lineup. This contrasts with the system adopted by previous coaches and players like Musa himself, who transitioned directly from Nigerian club football to representing the Super Eagles.
With the Africa Cup of Nations coming up in 2023, many Nigerian fans have concerns about Peseiro’s effectiveness as coach so far. Despite having a decent record in recent matches, questions linger over his player selections and whether he can lead Nigeria to a successful tournament.
Eguavoen, while wanting the team to perform well, has urged local media and fans to allow Peseiro to focus fully on coaching duties in the build-up to the continental championships. “We should just allow him [to do his job],” he said, warning against undue scrutiny, which could impact the coach’s preparations adversely.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
