January 24, (THEWILL) – Nigeria national team coach José Peseiro, has addressed misinformation surrounding his future, after leading the Super Eagles to the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations. Speaking in an interview, Peseiro also highlighted the “many specifics” of the competition that make progress difficult.
At the start of AFCON, Peseiro singled out Senegal, Morocco and Ivory Coast as favourites, also noting Cameroon and Egypt as contenders along with his Nigeria side. Cape Verde and Angola earned praised from the Portuguese for strong group stage performances. “Only those who know the competition understand the difficulty,” Peseiro noted.
The coach dismissed “misleading information” in Nigeria that he would leave his post. Peseiro claimed that the purported official who predicted his exit turned out to be someone he has never met. He then turned the blame on “crazy” local media for spreading false claims about his future.
The 63-year-old clarified that he has a contract until the end of AFCON, after which he has been offered an extension. However, no decision has yet been made over whether he will lead the Super Eagles beyond this championship as he was yet to accept that offer.
Nigeria finished second in Group A behind surprise package Equatorial Guinea. An opening 1-1 draw against the group leaders was followed by two 1-0 wins against hosts Ivory Coast and Guinea Bisaau. They will next play Cameroon by 9pm on Saturday in the Round of 16.
About the Author
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.
