Former Kwara United coach, Samson Unuanel has insisted that the Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro is not doing enough to help Nigeria’s quest of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He made this known on the backdrop of Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe on Sunday in the qualifying series.
In a chat with Completesports.com, Unuanel stated that Peseiro’s inability to bring out the best from the players may affect Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup.
Read Also: 2026 WCQ: Super Eagles Arrive Nigeria After Disappointing Draw With Zimbabwe
“The quality of players in the Super Eagles have not reflected in their style of play in the two matches the team has played so far.
“I am really worried because the coach (Peseiro) has not been able to bring out the best from the abundance talents at his disposal.
“I just hope and pray the Super Eagles will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Super Eagles have now amassed two points from two games.
Jose Peseiro’s side will host the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in their next game in the qualifiers, in June 2024.
By Augustine Akhilomen
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COMMENTS
We don’t have the money to pay Paseio off… says an NFF Official.
The truth is , at this point, scouting or campaigning for new players for Eagles is not the solution.
We once hated Rohr for not inviting Bassey, he’s here and the team still looks the same, we wanted Torunarigha, he was there , we conceded two goals against Mozambique, call Onyedika, Algeria Team B drew us while he was on the pitch, Call Tella, he’ll be better than Chukwueze, Tella played yesterday o!, Boniface is the next thing to Osimhen, now the song is “we missed Osimhen yesterday “ , Adeleye is better than Uzoho and Okoye, well, I still remembered that small mistake he made against Algeria B, I sensed people didn’t really noticed it.Cyriel Dessers or nothing, Osimhen played just one game after Mexico and Honduras or so friendlies and took his position back from him .. wether we like, let’s invite Akpom, Jones, Olise, Orban, Yusuff, Rasheed, Atubolu , even Ronaldo delima, everything still depends on the coach.
One positive, we scored six goals against São Tomé, 3 goals against Mozambique, 2 goals against Saudi with the presence of Indidi, Osimhen, Chukwueze (don’t worry about the one we conceded, he can be fixed but to score goals is our main issue).
Though we see better coach with better ideas as the solution but I wish I see the complete team under Paseiro once again. Allow him to play what he qualified us for (AFCON). If he’s really bad, he’ll sack himself.
Good Manager with discipline and good style of play is what we need. I doubt Paseiro can really give us what we want. He’s too predictable. But Keshi was once written off before he won 2013.
I said give me 11 senior secondary student I wil tell Dem how to frustrate the Engles for 65minutes on the field.anf score a with a counter . because dey are not prepared.. all teams in their group wil do this .. eagles will gather 10points in this group that is 1 point per game .
That is simple, ensure that when the ball is swung to the wings you have two defenders ready to mark the Nigerian winger. Also, crowd the midfield with players because the Nigerian midfield is always undermanned. Ideal formation against Nigeria is 4-5-1
Tristan,
My problem is that I don’t think Peseiro is savvy enough with his own 4-2-4 in-game formation. With the same 4-2-4 another shrewd coach will find their way around your 4-5-1. Please remember, every formation has weaknesses including your 4-5-1.
I guess with your 4-5-1, I will still play 4-2-4 but with more emphasis on counter attacking and long balls to bypass your heavily loaded midfield. If we succeed in bypassing your midfield then we can overload your defence with 4 strikers who will interplay themselves into the 18 yard box rather than overrely on crosses.
Peseiro wants to eat his cake and have it. With his 4-4-2 /4-2-4, possession football is not the key. Since the midfield is near-non existent, long balls/route one are the way to go. If the long balls fail to find attackers, then everyone falls back after ceding possession only to try and hit on the break.
The way I see it, Peseiro is neither maximising the possibilities inherent in his formation neither is he attending to its shortcomings.
That formation will not work with over reliance on crosses. Efforts must be made to beef up the midfield. The goalkeeper has to be razor sharp whilst the defenders have to be constantly dialled in. These variables are true for any formation but when you have 0 defensive midfield apparatus and wingers stretched wide across the pitch and 2 midfielders performing offensive, central and defensive roles, then you need far. more intelligent movements to bring your plans to bear.
If not, then just play safe with 5-3-2 formation which instantly provides ample defensive cover, 2 defensive midfielders, 1 attacking midfielder and a support striker behind the centre forward. This arrangement alone plugs many gaps across the pitch unlike 4-2-4 where there is no identifiable defensive midfielder, no identifiable attacking midfielder, only 2 centre backs when fullbacks overlap, 2 far too wide wingers and 2 stranded centre forwards who are starved of quality service. That 4-4-2 /4-2-4 formation requires high level of intelligence and unpredictable movements to bring its potentials to bear.
Peseiro might just be asking too much of his players and himself!
Rohr was not stupid. When he felt our players didn’t have the intelligence (in international football owing) to institute movements that will unlock potents in a more modern and risky 4-2-3-1 formation, he reverts to 5-3-2. In 5-3-2, the arrangements already caters for set positions on the pitch which makes implementation of strategy and movements easier for a coach to impart in international football.
In 4-2-3-1, you have to decide whether your wingers are wingers or attacking midfielders. If the centre attacking midfielder falls too deep it leaves the centre forward slightly isolated plus there is not centre midfield apparatus.
But 5-3-2 is just too wonderful. You have 2 defensive midfielders and 1 attacking midfielder in a sort of triangle. The wingbacks perform offensive and defensive roles and 3 centre backs proving more than adequate cover. Your 2 strikers benefit from service from the DMs, AM and WBs and the whole system seems to leave minimal gaps to exploit more so when parking the bus or playing counter attacks. It is for a team of players not overly intelligent enough to plug into formations that require greater intelligent movements.
We Nigeria fans overhype our players. They are good in club football but in recent times many of them have proven inadequate in translating tactical requirements and overcoming structural shortcomings in international football. Which is why the likes of Awoniyi, Boniface, Lookman and at times Osimhen look ordinary in Super Eagles colours.
To mitigate this, I think Rohr just reverted to a formation that already provides a template for them to operate within rather than expecting some superior manoeuvres or telepathic movements.
“We Nigeria fans overhype our players. They are good in club football but in recent times many of them have proven inadequate in translating tactical requirements and overcoming structural shortcomings in international football.”
I disagree, everyone of our 23-man squad except our goalkeepers would enter the squad for higher-ranked Japan and USA. A third of them would make the squad for teams like Croatia, Mexico, and Denmark. For instance, Folarin Balogun who has a starting shirt for the US would not make the SE squad.
The problem as I see it is amalgamating football styles. The Nigerian style has for years been slow build-up, move the ball around to affect the concentration of the opposition then use skilful players like Okocha and Kanu in midfield to exploit the lack of concentration of their opponents.
This style worked when the overwhelming majority of our players were developed at home. The hot temperatures in Nigeria mean that our home-grown footballers rely on guile and skill to beat their markers rather than pace and the fast movement of Europe.
Today, a significant number of SE players have been football developed in Europe. Here also the temperature has a converse effect. If you play any sport in the European winter, you have to run around a lot because you’re constantly trying to raise your body temperature against the freezing weather.
Footballers developed in such climes emphasize speed, acceleration and the quick movement of the ball. It means that the likes of Lookman, Tella, Iwobi, Bassey, Ajayi require accelerated football maneuvres to thrive. They use pace and quick exchanges to beat their markers.
The slow pace football of tropical climes does not help them as they have not developed the footballing skills and skilful footwork to beat their markers. Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Ejuke are Nigerian raised at can cope with the slow tropical pace. Whereas Nigerian-bred players are tactically instinctive, Europe-bred players require tactical instructions and practised tactical rehearsal.
Unless, we’re prepared to quicken the pace at which we attack at transitions (when possession changes) a lot of players bred in Europe cannot play effectively for the SE. This is a tactical deficiency that any coach should be able to solve. Unfortunately, Peseiro is yet to be aware.
Funny enough Tristan you sort of agree with my assertion. By international football I meant playing for the Super Eagles often against the immediate opponents on the continent.
You seem to suggest that some of our European based players struggle to adapt to the pace of the game at home which I captured as “structural shortcomings”. You have to agree that there are a number of internal and external structural shortcomings playing for the Super Eagles which aren’t present playing for Japan, USA, England and Croatia.
In the past we had players who rise above these limitations to produce excellence. But nowadays we see players good in clubs but bad im the Super Eagles. Not because they aren’t good but because they may just be not built for the Nigerian system.
” Not because they aren’t good but because they may just be not built for the Nigerian system.”
I agree, and either we change the Nigerian system to suit them or we stop inviting them to play for the SE.
@Tristan mumu so Zimbabwe and Lesotho are playing Nigerian system okwa ya.. abeg Jare go and sit down..a country that has been meddling in team selection for years only a few months ago started selecting the best legs. With Injuries up and down. When we were crying select the best legs and allow them time to gel or you think Team Chemistry and cohesion is built in 2montns. My friend go and sit down you and your mumu NFF cronies. So now we will go back to NpFL abi then What the cycle will continue?.
Look Bros these players need to gel. And they will as games go by as long as they are not loosing
You Impatient bunch of Nigerians.
Pay Oseuro his salary. Stop complaining about anything else. Nigeria is a disgrace.
In the hands of a better coached team 4-2-4 can be deployed to overcome my 4-5-1. However, because the SE do not take proper advantage of transitions or move the ball forward quickly, I doubt that Peseiro’s 4-2-4 will overcome my 4-5-1.
Since the SE love possession football, I’m prepared to advice my team to sit back and allow them to pass the ball back and forth to little effect. Even when my team loses possession I would advice my midfielders to crowd around Iwobi as he’s the fulcrum to any attack. This will force Iwobi to retreat towards the back four, as he doesn’t have the skill to hold the ball in midfield or beat/dribble his marker.
The rest of the midfielders say, Aribo and Onyeka are pedestrian.
I would advice my team that the wings are where attention should be focussed, eliminating SE wingers by double marking them.
Then I’ll practice set-pieces for corners and freekicks. I’ll also instruct my team to seek freekicks near the i8 yard box. Uzoho will do the rest for us!
Thanks Tristan.
Yes, I don’t think Peseiro and our players (within the context of international football) have the intelligence to make a 4-2-4 gamble work.
You’ve said it all: cut off the wings, crowd out the midfield and force our goalkeeper into error then you defeat Peseiro’s Super Eagles.
I would have a Kelechi Nwakali in that midfield to retrieve possession and pick out long passes. And also my runners (and wingers) will tend to run from deep and will combine inverted and diagonal runs. This formation asks a lot of the players to be honest and I don’t think our players can maintain the level of concentration and discipline needed to pull it off.
There are far too many gaps that will definitely be exploited and indeed have been exploited by the likes of Guinea Bissau, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
@Deo; @Tristan.
Like I have always stated; it’s all about personnel. You play around your players. You create a formation according to the players at your disposal. Especially at the national team which you have no opportunity of ‘buying and selling players’.
The other way is to coach your players to suit your formation and that takes time which international football doesn’t provide unless when competitions come around.
Currently Peseiro’s Eagles is like Ten Hag’s Manchester United. They both have the idea of how they want to play but simply don’t have the personnel to achieve such. And the players available are too ‘timid’ to apply such or even self- initiate in game. But atleast Ten Hag can go into the market and a little bit flexible. Peseiro’s flexibility still in doubt.
The resolution is to manage accordingly.
Most teams playing against Nigeria would definitely play the low block defensive- counter attacking style. Call it 4-5-1,5-4-1, 5-3-2 etc. Whatever. They always come with a defensive shape ,hoping to catch us on a break or through set pieces. It is well known. So why can’t we be proactive and play around this.
My bane is that Peseiro appears too rigid to learn and his in game management is minimal at best or simply non- existent. He just make substitutions and hope the players saves the day.
The downturn is that most of the players simply don’t have the wherewithal to do such. Atleast ceasing the day personally like an Iroha, Oliseh, Kanu, Aghaowa, Mikel, Moses, Musa, and even an Mba had done in recent memory.
I just hope they get brave enough as experience sets in, especially for the new comers like Boniface ,Tella ,Onyedika etc. We can’t just rely on Osimhen and Ndidi. Ajayi
Iheanacho and Iwobi do their best but inconsistently and they aren’t spring chickens.
We remain optimistic
Haaaa from we can win afcon next year to about to loose world cup ticket. Hmmmm dropping four good points haba. What was the players thinking. Did they even know their own value too is at stake.
My suggestion is that once we fumble at afcon then miss out on world cup again, government should disband nff, if fifa like let them supend eagle we will use that period to strategize very well.