Super Eagles: Is Peseiro building up or just lack tactical prowess to rejig the team?
Since taking over the Super eagles in May, Jose Peseiro team build up has not been too impressive considering his statistics.
The Portuguese has managed seven matches since arrival: 2 wins, 1 draw and 4 defeats.
Under Peseiro, the Super eagles has lost to Mexico (2-1), ecuador (1-0), algeria (2-1) and Portugal (4-0); all friendly matches.
Peseiro’s two victories came in the 2023 africa cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone (2-1) and Sao Tome and Principe (10-0).
going by his stats, Peseiro’s reign as Super eagles head coach can be adjudged to be fairly above average results. However, losing your first two matches in charge as a coach has a negative effect on fans’ rating.
Peseiro has won Nigeria’s AFCON qualifying matches against Sierra Leone, and Sao Tome & Principe putting the Super eagles on good footing ahead of the 2023 AFCON that has been moved to 2024 by the confederation of african Football (caf).
Based on this, Peseiro might not be fully responsible for the poor outing of the Super eagles. But, as the head coach of the team, he takes responsibilities of both the success and failure of the team.
it is no doubt that the Super eagles has not been impressive under the current coaching crew just as it was under the Francogerman before him, which according to sport analysts raised a moral question on the players and not just the coaching crew of the Super eagles.
according to analysts, the current crop of Super eagles players lack the bite and the fighting spirit to wear the green-white-green jersey of Nigeria.
Nigeria won its last AFCON under former international Stephen Keshi, with a blend of both foreign and local based players, with the local based players playing critical roles in the team’s progress.
However, since late Keshi left his role as head coach of the Super eagles the home based eagles have found it relatively hard to break into the Super eagles, which means that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) must consciously build a development programme that will naturally integrate home based players into the national team.
Peseiro only invited one home based player for the friendly against Portugal with little or no playing chances in the international friendly that saw Portugal thrash Nigeria 4-0 at the estadio Jose alvalade on Thursday night.
Portugal wrapped up their preparations for the Fifa World cup with a well-deserved win against the Super eagles.
The three-time african champions had hoped to finish the year on the high in preparation ahead of the 2023 africa cup of Nations qualifying fixtures.
emmanuel Dennis lost the only chance the Super eagles had at scoring through the spot kick after he was fouled by a Portuguese defender in the 18 yard box.
However, ifeanyi Udeze, Julius agahowa and Mutiu adepoju, all former Super eagles players in their
half-time match analysis said that the Super eagles players lack coordination between the midfield and attacks.
according to ifeanyi Udeze, the defenders lack understanding and were not helping the goalkeeper to start the game from the back each time Nigeria gained possession of the ball with calvin Bassey falling too deep into attack. “For me they give a lot of space between themselves. When we don’t have the ball; we must come together and close the space in between”.