José Peseiro, the Portuguese head coach of the Nigerian national team, has raised concerns within the Super Eagles’ camp after refusing to renew his contract with the Nigerian Football Federation.
He emphasized his departure after the conclusion of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Reports in the media have cast doubt on Peseiro’s continued tenure with the Nigerian national team due to disputes with officials over his salary, coupled with public dissatisfaction regarding the team’s performance under his leadership.
Speaking to “SportTV+,” Peseiro stated, “There are many difficulties, but I will not disclose them. There is a lot of misleading information.”
He added, “The Nigerian press has published crazy things that the Portuguese newspapers picked up.”
Clarifying the situation, he said, “Will I continue to lead the Nigerian national team? I have a contract until the end of the Africa Cup of Nations, and they suggested a renewal, but my response was a refusal.”
According to reports in South Africa, Pitso Mosimane, the South African coach, is a potential candidate to take over the coaching duties for Nigeria in place of Peseiro.
In another context, Ademola Lookman, the star of the Nigerian national team, has captured attention in the current edition of the Africa Cup of Nations 2023.
He was awarded the Man of the Match against Cameroon after delivering an outstanding performance.
Lookman’s journey with the Nigerian team has been intriguing. Initially declining the call-up from the local federation, he opted to play for the England national team, becoming a controversial figure among Nigerian fans.
However, Lookman, in his debut at the Africa Cup of Nations, turned into a hero for Nigeria, scoring the two decisive goals against Cameroon in the classic African encounter.
This propelled the Super Eagles to victory and continued their quest for a fourth title in history.
Born in England, Lookman began his career with Charlton and later joined Everton, where he shone and scored a goal against Manchester City.
He has also played for English clubs Fulham and Leicester City, as well as the German side RB Leipzig, and currently plays for Italy’s Atalanta.
Lookman, 26 years old, received the Best Player award at Atalanta last season.
He holds the record as one of the youngest goal-scorers for Everton in the English Premier League, alongside Wayne Rooney, Ross Barkley, and Moise Kean, among others.
Having participated in 16 international matches with the Nigerian national team, Lookman made his debut in a crucial match against Ghana during the World Cup 2022 qualifiers.
He scored his first goal against São Tomé in Nigeria’s 10-0 victory, followed by another goal in the return match of the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 qualifiers, contributing to Nigeria’s 6-0 win.
Lookman further solidified his impact with two crucial goals against Cameroon in the recent encounter.
