- Peseiro was Saudi Arabia Coach for two years, a period which included their unsuccessful bid to reach FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010
José Vítor dos Santos Peseiro, the Portuguese football manager appointed as Head Coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles football team has a history of losing matches with national teams.
Perhaps, what is missing out from Jose Peseiro’s CV as released by his packagers is that the former player who played as a forward is currently the Manager of Venezuela’s national team who have played badly in the run-up to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying campaign.
The former Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Braga coach was named Venezuela’s Coach for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying campaign in February 2020.
The 61-year-old was a one-time assistant to Colombia Head Coach, Carlos Queiroz, at Real Madrid and managed Saudi Arabia for two years, a period which included their unsuccessful bid to reach South Africa 2010.
His very unimpressive record with Venezuela. His record shows that on October 10, 2020, under Nigeria’s new coach, Venezuela got a 3-0 drubbing from Colombia. On October 13, it lost 0-1 to Paraguay. On 14 October, 2020, it again lost 1-0, this time to Brazil. But on November 17, it recorded a 2-1 win against Chile. On June 3, 2021, it again lost 3-1 to Bolivia. On June 8, 2021, it recorded goalless draw with Uruguay.
Even after he left the Venezuelan national team in August over unpaid wages, they continued their non-winning ways. For example, on September 3, 2021, Nigeria’s new coach recorded 3-1 loss as Venezuela’s coach against Argentina. On September 6, 2021, his team lost 1-0 to Peru. Again, on October 8, Venezuela lost 3-1 to Brazil.
But it recorded a win in a 2-1 game against Ecuador. On October 15, it got a 3-0 drubbing from Chile. On November 11, 2021, Venezuela lost to Ecuador 1-0. Again, it lost 1-2 to Peru on November 16, 2021.
Venezuela have never qualified for a FIFA World Cup but made history in 2017 by reaching the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. And their unsuccessful bid to qualify for FIFA World Cup did not change with the arrival last year of Jose Peseiro.
He will take over the reins of the three-time African champions after Nigeria’s participation at the AFCON which commences on 9 January, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said with fanfare in a statement on Wednesday.
Interim Eagles boss Augustine Eguaveon will lead the team to Cameroon with Peseiro joining the team as an ‘observer’ before assuming control after the tournament with Eguaveon reverting to his Technical Director position, the NFF said.
Peseiro replaces Franco-German Gernot Rohr who was sacked last month after nearly six years in the role.
Peseiro has previous experience of working in Africa having coached Egyptian giants Al Ahly between October 2015 and January 2016, winning a league title.
He won the Taça da Liga with Braga in 2013 and achieved runner-up positions in the UEFA Cup with Sporting Lisbon in 2005 and the Taça de Portugal with FC Porto in 2016. He also won the Spanish Super Cup in 2002/2003 as assistant manager of Real Madrid under fellow Portuguese Carlos Queiroz.
Peseiro’s immediate priority will be to ensure Nigeria qualifies for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with the Super Eagles set to take on one of Ghana, Cameroon, Egypt, Mali or DR Congo in the play-offs next year.
The statement by the NFF read: “After careful consideration of a memo presented by Chairman of the Technical and Development Sub-Committee, the Executive Committee endorsed a proposal for the appointment of Mr Jose Peseiro as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles, following the end to the relationship with Mr Gernot Rohr.
“However, the Committee resolved that Mr Augustine Eguavoen, named the interim Head Coach, will lead the Super Eagles to the AFCON 2021 in Cameroon with Mr Peseiro only playing the role of Observer. It was unanimously agreed that the AFCON is a good avenue for Mr Peseiro to launch a working relationship with Mr Eguavoen, who will revert to his role as Technical Director (hence Mr Peseiro’s immediate boss) after the AFCON.”
“The Executive Committee also mandated the Technical and Development Committee as well as the NFF Secretariat to organise a friendly match for the Super Eagles when the team arrives in Garoua for the AFCON 2021, and also to arrange matches for the Super Eagles and the Super Falcons in the upcoming FIFA windows for international friendlies.”
