The Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, is said to have been vindicated by the display of technical and tactical naivety by Jose Peseiro, the current Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles.
It will be recalled that the Minister of Sports was vehemently opposed to the appointment of the Portuguese as Super Eagles coach as he wanted a well known and top grade football tactician to handle the senior national team.
Therefore, when the then leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) indicated interest in Peseiro after more reputable coaches like Laurent Blanc, Ernesto Valverde and Phillip Cocu had shown interest in coaching the Super Eagles, the Minister kicked against the move.
It is also said that to avoid open confrontation with the NFF, the MInister allowed the football federation to go ahead with its choice of Peseiro as the next coach of the Super Eagles.
- ‘Kebbi gov’ship election was not inconclusive, APC won’
- Ondo PDP crisis deepens as youths berate leaders
However, since he was appointed Nigeria’s national team coach on May 15, 2022, Peseiro has managed to win only two in eight matches which means he has lost six including the shocking 0-1 loss to Guinea Bissau last Friday in Abuja.
As Nigerians continue to react to the steady decline in the performances of the Super Eagles under the Portuguese coach, a football administrator who pleaded anonymity went down memory lane as he said the Minister of Sports has been vindicated.
In a chat with our reporter yesterday, the football stakeholder said Sunday Dare saw what is happening right now long ago but the former leadership of the NFF insisted on the ‘incompetent’ foreign coach due to personal interest.
“All I can say is that the Minister of Sports has been vindicated. He strongly opposed the appointment of this man but the NFF was adamant because of selfish interest. Now see what is happening to the Super Eagles.
“I think the NFF, especially the board that employed Peseiro should apologise to the Minister,” he said.