You cannot have excitement and Jose Peseiro in the same statement because there is hardly anything the Super Eagles Portuguese coach does that sparks off any such positive vibes.
No other way to say it but to say it as it is.
— 🇳🇬CYBEREAGLES 🇳🇬 (@Cybereagles) June 9, 2023
You keep inviting bald tyres and wonder why your vehicle is not operating as it should. Sierra Leone should have been the ideal team to introduce Gift and Victor Boniface. But, No! They rather invite the same ol tired wornout tyres.
His appointment to lead the Eagles was not greeted with excitement and for good reason too.
His record with the national team has extended his lack of achievements at international level.
After a season in which several Nigeria stars shone in Europe, one would have expected Peseiro to bring the much-needed zest to his team by calling up some of these deserving players.
Instead of inviting the likes of Gift Orban, Victor Boniface and Alhassan Yusuf, the man they alleged was recommended by Jose Mourinho has again settled for the likes of Ahmed Musa, Joe Aribo, Frank Onyeka and Kenneth Omeruo who do not merit their latest call-ups.
At 30, skipper Ahmed Musa is well past his best.
He has yet to score a goal this season, or provide an assist and only managed 316 playing minutes (3 starts, 14 sub appearances) for a struggling Turkish club where fellow Nigeria striker Leke James has scored three goals and clocked 605 minutes despite his injury problems.
Ahmed Musa is already the most capped Nigeria player (106 caps), but it appears there is a lot more we don’t know about his continued frolicking with the Eagles.
Aribo struggled to be fit and did not establish himself at now relegated Southampton only to be rewarded with yet another Eagles invitation.
Yet, Peseiro, like the politician he has come to be, has promised he will win the next AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire without any basis.
He is also being politically correct with his invitation of four players from the Nigeria Premier League (NPL).
Those home boys will again be “training materials”, the call-ups will boost their CVs and that’s it.
Shouldn’t Flying Eagles dependable central defender Benjamin Frederick have been considered ahead of the likes of Kenneth Omeruo after he showed at the AFCON and then the World Cup in Argentina?
His contract ought to be up about this time, but the rumours are that he will still be sticking around for some time to come.
As perplexing as it appears, Peseiro is already the stoutest defender of the NFF over their failure to pay him his monthly salary of $70,000 as and when it is due.
How has he paid his bills?
At a time the new NFF administration is still looking forward to its first major trophy after several misses, Peseiro and the Super Eagles have again failed to get the country excited of better tidings ahead.
The Eagles will do enough to qualify for the AFCON in January next year, but thereafter it will be another season of excuses when they fail to fly in Cote d’Ivoire, as widely expected.
The full squad:
Goalkeepers: Adebayo Adeleye (Hapoel Jerusalem/ISR), Victor Sochima (Rivers United), Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC)
Defenders: William Ekong (Watford/ENG), Calvin Bassey (Ajax Amsterdam/NED), Kevin Akpoguma (TSG Hoffenheim/GER), Chidiebube Duru (Rivers United); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion/ENG), Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes/SPA), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto/POR), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC/TUR)
Midfielders: Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton/ENG), Alex Iwobi (Everton/ENG), Divine Nwachukwu (Bendel Insurance), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City/ENG), Frank Onyeka (Brentford/ENG)
Forwards: Moses Simon (FC Nantes/FRA), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal CF/SPA), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/ITA), Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli/ITA), Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest/ENG), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City/ENG), Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor/TUR)
