Super Eagles’ head coach, Jose Peseiro, provided insights into the meticulous process that led to the selection of the 25 players chosen to represent Nigeria in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) during an interview yesterday.
The 2024 AFCON is scheduled to take place in Cote d’Ivoire from January 13 to February 11, 2024.
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Coach Peseiro explained that the national team’s technical crew spent several weeks evaluating players before finalizing the squad.
The decision to go with 25 players, instead of the maximum of 27 allowed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was a strategic one made by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Peseiro emphasized that the selection process involved a combination of factors, including players’ performance for their clubs and the national team, current form, fighting ability, and off-field relationships.
“We also considered their performance in their clubs and for the national team. Some players play well for their clubs and fail to produce the same result for the national team, while some play well for the national team but do not do well in their clubs. So, we chose those that play well for us,” stated Peseiro.
The Super Eagles, along with their coaching staff, are expected to arrive in Abu Dhabi, UAE, today for a six-day training camp.
During this camp, the team will play two friendly matches against Burkina Faso and DR Congo to fine-tune their strategies for the AFCON.
Peseiro shed light on the inclusion of Stanley Nwabili, a debutant in the team, mentioning that the goalkeeper’s selection was based on extensive analysis of his performances for his club.
He highlighted the efforts made, including a visit to South Africa, where Nwabili plays, to gather information and observe the player’s qualities closely.
The coach discussed the challenging task of narrowing down the squad from 72 players to 42 before finalizing the 25-man list.
He mentioned that information about new players, like Nwabili, was received from NFF scouts, and their performance was closely monitored through videos and direct interactions with their coaches.
Regarding the team’s trip to Abu Dhabi, Peseiro emphasized the importance of the six-day camp in perfecting strategies for the AFCON and gaining valuable insights from the friendly matches.
He acknowledged the flexibility to make changes to the squad until January 10, citing the team doctors’ examination of players’ fitness levels during the camp.
Expressing confidence in Nigeria’s capabilities, Peseiro stated, “Winning the AFCON is my goal, my objective, but it is not going to be easy to do that.
Our group is not easy.” He acknowledged the competitive nature of the group, including strong teams like Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea Bissau, but expressed readiness to enjoy the competition and strive for the championship.
