The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has hinted at the possible dismissal of Jose Peseiro, the head coach of Nigeria’s senior national football team, if they suffer another setback against Zimbabwe.
Following a lackluster 1-1 draw with Lesotho in their quest for a spot in the 2026 World Cup, securing a victory against Zimbabwe has become imperative for the team’s aspirations.
Questions loom over Peseiro’s future, with a concerning statistic of a 60% loss rate in the games under his leadership during the past year. Despite a contract extension until the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations, the coach must reach at least the tournament’s final to secure a further two-year extension.
However, the stakes are higher than ever, as a senior NFF figure, speaking exclusively to OwnGoalNigeria before the team’s departure for Rwanda, said;
“We will not wait for the Africa Cup of Nations. If Zimbabwe secures a win against us, we will not hesitate to part ways with him. We cannot risk missing out on another World Cup, and a defeat to Zimbabwe would undoubtedly complicate our qualification journey.”
”We will sack him if Zimbabwe get a win against us. There is nothing that says we must wait for the Africa Cup of Nations.”
“We understand it didn’t work out well when Gernot Rohr was sacked close to the AFCON but this is entirely different. We will sack him to avoid missing out on another world cup and defeat to Zimbabwe will no doubt make it tough for us to qualify”, he added.