Former coach of Super Eagles, Jose Peseiro, has said that Bayer Leverkusen forward, Victor Boniface would have made the difference at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON.
The 23-year-old was ruled out of the tournament and had to return to his club following an injury he sustained in the team’s training camp in Abu Dhabi.
Peseiro, who left the Super Eagles last month took Nigeria to the final of the 2023 AFCON where Nigeria lost to the host nation, Cote d’Ivoire.
The Portuguese tactician believes that the AFCON trophy would have been won by Nigeria if not for Boniface’s unavailability due to the injury.
According to AfricafootUnited, he said in an interview in Portugal; “I will say that Boniface would have made the difference without injury. He was very confident and can play comfortably in our two-man attacking style.
“He can also play on both sides of the strikers and that would have made him our invisible arc in the tournament. Our options to refine our style were limited in his absence.”
Meanwhile, in another news…
CorrectNG recalls that former head coach of South Africa’s national team, Pitso Mosimane earlier said if he is presented with the chance to manage the Super Eagles he would gladly accept the offer.
Mosimane, who is also a former South Africa international, is a free agent after leaving Saudi club, Al Wahda in November.
KickOff quoted him as saying the Nigerian team has talented players like Chukwueze and Osimhen, but noted that it was not enough to win games.
The ex-Bafana Bafana manager believes he has what it takes to develop the Super Eagles if the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is interested in hiring an African.
Mosimane said; “They have a lot of talent – the likes of Samuel Chukwueze and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen. But talent alone is not enough, because if it were only about talent, they would have beaten Lesotho 7-0, but they drew with them. And pound for pound, they would have also beaten Zimbabwe.
“So, the job of the coach is to bring confidence, stability, leadership, winning mentality, and teamwork within the group. The Nigeria job is one I would consider, but it would also depend on whether they want the team to be led by an African. Because the only African coach they had was Stephen Keshi.”
