The Nigeria national team are on the lookout for a new coach after Jose Peseiro opted to leave his role following last month’s TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations final defeat.
The Portuguese coach guided the Super Eagles to the final in his first major tournament in charge, where they were beaten by hosts Cote d’Ivoire.
But despite reaching the target set by the Nigeria Football Federation of a semi-final spot, the 63-year-old has decided to step down.
In a social media post on Friday March 1st, Peseiro said it had been “Yesterday, we concluded our contract with the NFF. It was a pride and honor to coach the Super Eagles. It has been 22 months of immense dedication, sacrifice, emotion, and enormous enthusiasm.
“We would like to express our gratitude to Sir Amaju Pinnick (the president who signed us), President Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, Secretary Dayo Enebi, the NFF, all the Staff, and especially all the PLAYERS, with whom leading has been a great pleasure.
“We feel a sense of fulfillment,” he added. “It has been a privilege to be part of this family.”
Peseiro was a surprise appointment by the NFF in May 2022 and had to overcome initial scepticism surrounding his suitability.
After missing out of the 2022 World Cup qualification Peseiro took charge of the Super Eagles and implemented a pragmatic style along the way.
Despite commendable performances, including a semi-final win over South Africa in a penalty shootout, Nigeria fell short in the final against Cote d’Ivoire, prompting Peseiro’s departure.
The search for Nigeria’s next manager begins as they aim to build on their recent successes and continue their pursuit of footballing excellence on the international stage.
Peseiro leaves big shoes to fill, with calls growing for Nigeria to turn to a world class coach as they begin the search for a successor.
