NFF Board member says federation will not sack Peseiro despite Super Eagles' disasters against Lesotho and Zimbabwe

After a thoroughly disappointing international window where Nigeria’s Super Eagles failed to pick up maximum points against either Lesotho or Zimbabwe in 2026 World Cup qualifying matches, there have been calls for the NFF to sack head coach Jose Peseiro. 

However, a member of the NFF’s board, Hon. Nse Essien, has rebuffed those calls, stating that such a move would be impossible at the moment, even though the national federation was unhappy about the Portuguese gaffer’s performances. 

Nigeria has managed to pick up only two points from their two opening World Cup qualifying matches, and Hon. Essien noted the frustration of fans of the Super Eagles. 

Speaking after the recent draw against Zimbabwe, the NFF board member told @OjbSports on X, “If you check the internet, almost everyone is asking for the sack of the head coach. It’s unfortunate that out of six points, we have only two, and we’ve found ourselves in a very precarious situation.”

Despite the growing disapproval for Peseiro, Hon. Essien, however, noted that the NFF had no plans to sack Peseiro soon, as they neither employed the Portuguese gaffer nor did they have enough money to pay him a severance for early termination of his contract. 

Hon. Essien added, “But when you say NFF should sack the head coach, we didn’t employ him. This regime didn’t employ him. It was the sports ministry that employed him and was supposed to have paid his salary, and up to now, they have not paid a dime, so if you sack the coach, who pays compensation? 

Instead, the NFF Board member stated that the Federation would have to respect Peseiro’s contract due to financial constraints; otherwise, they would have already done away with the manager.

“We have to respect Jose Peseiro’s contract. Essien said, concluding, If we had the money to give to him [as severance] why wouldn’t we relieve him? We are not happy.”

The statement from the NFF bigwig means that fans will have to endure the current Super Eagles hierarchy under Peseiro until at least the end of the 2023 AFCON when the Portuguese manager’s current short-term contract expires.