CAN 2024: Nigeria coach José Peseiro, from exit door to title reach
Having twice come close to dismissal, Nigeria coach José Peseiro recovered during CAN 2024 despite criticism and threats of dismissal. He has already won his bet by leading the Super Eagles to the last four. But there’s no question of stopping there.
Nigeria coach José Peseiro congratulates his player Ola Aina after the Super Eagles qualified against Angola. February 2, 2024. AP - Sunday Alamba
By: Ndiasse Sambe Follow
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From our special correspondent in Bouaké,
We don't know what wood José Peseiro is made of, at 63 years old, but certainly not the kind that cracks at the slightest gust of wind. This coach has tough skin, strong leather, and he is capable of weathering the storms unleashed by the Nigerian Football Federation, escaping dismissal several times and finding himself in the semi-final, two matches away from winning the
CAN
. The story of the Portuguese technician and Nigeria is a series with twists and turns that could even make Nollywood scriptwriters jealous.
Read alsoCAN 2024: Nigeria-South Africa, Ivory Coast-DRC... what you need to know about the semi-finals
First there is his surprise and surprising appointment in May 2022. How can an almost unknown coach, who only has on his CV a short-lived position as assistant coach at Real Madrid with Carlos Queiroz and a Cup final UEFA lost with Sporting (2005), found himself at the head of one of the most successful teams on the African continent? How do you go from coach of Venezuela to coach of
Nigeria
, three times African champion?
Only Amaju Melvin Pinnick, former president of the Nigerian Football Federation, could answer these questions. One thing is certain, his successor Ibrahim Musa Gusau was never delighted to have inherited Peseiro. A year after the arrival of the Portuguese coach, who has a first record of 4 victories and 5 defeats in 9 matches at the head of the Super Eagles, Ibrahim Musa Gusau in fact made the lunar proposal to have Nigerian supporters vote on maintaining or not from Peseiro. The latter takes it without batting an eyelid.
No money to sack him…
Four months later, his contract ends, but Peseiro agrees to be renewed in the short term with a... lower salary. “
The players asked me to stay because they believe we can win (the CAN). We can win it
,” he confides to justify his desire to remain at the head of Nigeria. But the sword of Damocles is still above his head.
Because barely a month later, and after two disappointing draws against Lesotho (1-1) and Zimbabwe (1-1) in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, the Federation expressed its desire to dismiss Peseiro. But she does not have the means to achieve her “
ambition
”. “
If we had the money (to pay his compensation), we would be ready to dismiss him from his functions, we are not happy
,” Nse Essien, member of the Federation's executive committee, told the press. “
Everyone is calling for the head coach to be fired. (…) It’s regrettable, but we are in a very precarious situation
.”
Nigeria is therefore obliged to keep its coach and José Peseiro continues to swallow snakes less than two months before the CAN.
Read alsoCalendar, results and rankings of CAN 2024 matches
It is this man who is today in the semi-final of the CAN, two matches away from a coronation which would be incredible when reading his trajectory in recent months. He does not want to talk about revenge (for the moment), he continues his path with a group that he has managed to shape and which he leads by alternating the carrot and the stick. Like this ban on cell phones at a certain time for its players. “
I am a democratic coach,”
he defends himself.
It's true, it's me who decides, but I like to discuss with the players, to get their feelings about the match, about them. I can get upset if the rules aren't followed, but I talk a lot with my players
. »
Ola Aina, the defender present with him at the press conference on February 6, confirms. “
He is a coach who is “balanced” in his way of managing the group. He knows when to hit the table and when to let go of the players. It suits us as management.
»
A winning management which could lead to a coronation on February 11, provided first of all to dismiss South Africa in the semi-final. A big piece, but José Peseiro has seen others…
The semi-finalist selectors
►
Sébastien Desabre, the “mister plus” of the DRC
►
New Ivory Coast coach, Emerse Faé, on duty
►
Hugo Broos on a mission for South African football
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