There are growing indications that the Super Eagles of Nigeria’s head coach, Jose Peseiro, may be compelled to take a significant reduction in his monthly salary to stay with the team.
Coach Peseiro’s current contract with the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, will run out at the end of June with no official statement coming from the Glass House on the possible renewal of the deal.
The Portuguese is reportedly earning $70,000, representing about 48 million naira, with the current exchange rate standing at ₦690 to one US dollar. The huge amount, according to ESPN, has become a heavy burden on the NFF.
Collin Udo of ESPN noted that “It is so bad that his Nigeria assistants, including former internationals Finidi George and Ike Shorunmu, were asked to alternate games, so only one would need to be paid. Worse, Peseiro has been limited to calling up just 19 players based abroad per squad.”
It is unknown whether the NFF will keep the Portuguese tactician but reports indicated that he may be asked to take a big pay cut in order to remain as the Super Eagles coach.
If he is fired, the NFF would hunt for local alternatives, with Emmanuel Amunike and Finidi leading the pack.
Jose Peseiro led the Super Eagles to a 3-2 win over Sierra Leone over the weekend.
The win helped the former continental champions to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast in January.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles led the table of group C with 13 points in six matches. The team won fourth matches, drew one and suffered a defeat in just one outing.