By Godwin Bamigboye.

A few days from today January 8, 2024, the different venues of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d'Ivoire  will be busy. The stadia will be filled to capacity. The notable stars in various Leagues particularly in Europe will converge to display their football skills for their various Nations as they battle to take home the most valuable football trophy on the continent. The new prize money of Seven Million Dollars ($7m) will also be at stake for the winner. Can the Super Eagles come back home with the over Seven Billion Naira (N7b)? This question is for the reader to answer.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria is currently under the tutelage of Jose Peseiro. The Coach and the Team have been under serious criticisms over times obviously for not meeting the expectations of the Nigerian Football enthusiasts. The pains of Nigeria missing out in the last FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022 remains in the hearts of Football lovers. The "fumbling and wobbling" (thanks to Coach Fanny Amun) performances of the Super Eagles which has remained consistent even against lower football rated African Countries has left a mark of incompetence on the Team and its handlers.

You are aware that there are calls from some Nigerians that Jose Peseiro should be sacked as Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles but I think the Terms of Engagement has made it difficult for his sack especially when the African Cup of Nations was around the corner. It was difficult to agree to this option. This is where we are for now. Jose Peseiro is the Pilot of the Aircraft or the Captain of the Ship. I think, with no option, Nigerians will switch over to the prayer mode. Yes, Nigerians are very prayerful.

Lest I forget, I guess we have only one home based player (goalkeeper) in the Super Eagles squad. The rest players; 25 players or more are foreign based. These foreign based players have been heavily criticised also in view of their average performance and lack of much commitment to National assignments while at Club level, they are much more committed. At a point in time some people were making some insinuations which I will rather not mention in this write up. Whichever way we look at it, it is abundantly clear that with Peseiro or without, these foreign based professionals owe Nigeria and Nigerians the best of their performance and the AFCON trophy. I applaud the inclusion of Ahmed Musa in the Super Eagles squad which I believe will provide the needed leadership for the players. The ball is on the field for you our Super Eagles. Play it well with commitment. The players are the main beneficiaries of any success. Fame, Career progression, Economic benefits and other benefits get to them while Nigerians celebrate the success along with them possibly with no benefits attached. Just make them happy. 

I want to believe that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has done its part as the governing authority. I believe the players' welfare and other entitlements have been adequately provided for as recently reported that President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has granted approval of fund for the participation of the Super Eagles in AFCON 2024. I guess that the NFF is ready. I believe Ibrahim Musa Gusau knows the importance of AFCON to him. Let me stop here.

Back to the Pilot or Captain of the Aircraft or Ship as earlier mentioned, the man Jose Peseiro has this arduous task of arriving at the destination safely. He has been seen as incapable of handling this task successfully. Some people have lost hope in his ability to perform especially when he made it public that goalkeeper Francis Uzoho remains the best goalkeeper in Nigeria. No qualms. I want to see tactically and technically improved Jose Peseiro in AFCON. I also want to see goalkeeper Francis Uzoho on the podium for the golden gloves award.

On a final note, if the Portuguese Tactician, Jose Peseiro pilots or navigates the Super Eagles to the podium as winners of the African Cup of Nations 2024 in Cote d'Ivoire, what shall be the response of Nigerians. I want to hear from Nigerians.

I am Godwin Bamigboye.
The Spectator.