AFCON
After missing trophies in playing and coaching career, Peseiro says AFCON 2023 is his chance!
Nigeria’s coach, Jose Peseiro has narrated his dream of creating a new golden generation of the Super Eagles.
If his dream at the Africa Cup of Nations in January is to be realised, Peseiro may outdo the semi-final target given him by his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
In offering him a short-term contract renewal after the earlier one lapsed, the NFF expected the Portuguese to take the Super Eagles to the semi-finals, a position they had reached in 15 of their last 19 appearances in 33 editions.
Peseiro had a lengthy interview with Sky Sports, speaking on sundry issues including the Napoli treatment of Victor Osimhen and his own coaching career.
Peseiro remarked that he knew there would be challenges when he took over the Super Eagles – national team of a football-obsessed nation of over 200 million people.
He spoke about challenges of the job. “The structure and organisation is not like in Europe.” Peseiro has agreed a reduction to his salary so that he could stay on for a tournament originally scheduled for this summer. “The players pushed me to stay because they believe we can win.”
The 63 year old coach has travelled wide, but major silverware has eluded him. This, he thinks, is the big opportunity. His Nigeria team will play in the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
“The main goal is to win the AFCON,” he says. “We will need to be at our maximum because we know that there is good opposition. There is Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana and Ivory Coast. But we believe we can do it. I believe. And the players believe.”
According to the report, Peseiro is trying to build something but was forced to select a number of domestic-based players for friendlies against Mexico and Ecuador last year, a frustration as he tries to foster a sense of togetherness. Not easy when players are coming together from around the world.
“I tried to explain that if you do not come for the friendly matches we cannot improve. Never will you create that connection, not only on the pitch but off it, because the spirit is important. If you meet up more often, you can create that spirit that you need.”
Osimhen has joined up with the squad in this international window, setting the example. But he is not alone. Nigeria’s depth is a point of difference with the other nations in Africa. “It is not easy for me to choose the strikers or the wingers,” laughs Peseiro.
Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi and Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho are in the squad. From Serie A, there is Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze and Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman. Victor Boniface is the leading scorer at Bayer Leverkusen, top of the Bundesliga.
But it is clear who is the star.
“When Osimhen goes to Nigeria, everybody wants to touch him or speak with him or wants a picture with him,” says Peseiro. “And not just in Nigeria. Everywhere.” In qualification for AFCON, he scored 10 goals – twice as many as anyone else for any other country.
“The only reason he did not score more was because he allowed his team-mates to take two penalties. My advice would be to take them! Other players would not allow that but if someone asks him to let them take a penalty, he allows it. He is a good guy.
“He is a strong guy, a smart guy and an amazing player, defensively and offensively. He can do everything. He pressures the centre-backs, he pressures the line by running in behind. He can attack the ball in the air and on the ground. He is motivated, quick and strong.”
It is why Nigeria are dreaming of that first AFCON success in over a decade. “We can win it,” adds Peseiro. “The players know it. They come with the same energy, the same belief, to fight for the Super Eagles.” With Victor Osimhen around, anything is possible.
And there is no chance of his national team manager forgetting it.
Peseiro also narrated his career path. A former second-tier striker in his native Portugal – “I did not play at a high level” – his coaching career took a turn after promotion to the top flight with Nacional. A job offer set him on a different trajectory.
‘I called Jose Mourinho’
“I was in Brazil scouting players when my old teacher Carlos Queiroz called me. He told me he was going to Real Madrid and wanted me as his assistant.” This was 2003, the summer that David Beckham joined the garlanded group that became known as Galacticos.
“I did not decide immediately, I called Jose Mourinho because he was my friend. Remember that he had been an assistant at Barcelona. I asked him what he thought because I was already a head coach. He told me, ‘Go. Because you can learn a lot there’.”
Suddenly, Peseiro was taking sessions with Raul, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo, with Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo. “Until then, I was afraid. Never before had I shared a dressing room with big players. But it was not difficult because they are so smart. It was fantastic.”
The experience lasted only one season. “We had 11 good players and then the others.” The experiment of blending superstars with academy prospects – and selling the unheralded Claude Makelele – became an example of why great teams beats great individuals.
Peseiro has taken those learnings into a varied career that has seen him lead Sporting to the UEFA Cup final in 2005 before working in Greece and Romania. He has been in charge at Porto and head coach of the Venezuela national team. “You have to adapt,” he says.
“The Ajax team of the 1970s are still my main reference, their mobility in attack, their control of the ball. From this, I created my model. But the game has changed a lot. Arrigo Sacchi reduced the pitch to 40 or 50 metres and it reduced the space.
“The challenge is to find that space so players can show their skills, that is what people want to see. But the modern game is a game of transition. That is what decides the best teams because it is easier to train attacking and defensive organisation than the transitions.
The Confederation of African Football has announced a major overhaul of its flagship competition, with the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to expand from 24 to 28 teams.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe disclosed the decision on Sunday following an executive committee meeting, describing it as part of the body’s commitment to elevating African football to global standards.
Motsepe said the expansion would create more opportunities for countries across the continent while ensuring that top African players worldwide return home to compete at the highest level.
“This is about our commitment to world-class football, bringing together the best African players from across the globe to compete on the continent,” he stated.
However, the CAF boss did not provide details on how the new 28-team format would be structured or when the expansion would take effect, leaving questions over qualification pathways and tournament scheduling.
Continuity for 2027, New Cycle from 2028
Motsepe confirmed that the 2027 AFCON will proceed as planned with co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, maintaining the current 24-team format for that edition.
In a significant shift, CAF also announced that another AFCON tournament will be staged in 2028, after which the competition will move to a four-year cycle—aligning more closely with other major international tournaments.
CAF Nations League Introduced
In addition to AFCON reforms, CAF revealed plans to introduce an African Nations League starting from 2029. The new competition will be held annually, with a 16-team final tournament staged every two years.
The initiative is aimed at improving the competitiveness, structure and commercial value of the African national team football.
“We have to stop this situation where African fixtures are not predictable, consistent and reliable,” Motsepe said. “We must also focus on developing football in regions like East Africa, which has enormous potential.”
A New Era for African Football
The proposed changes mark one of the most ambitious restructurings of African football competitions in recent years, with CAF seeking to expand participation, enhance organisation and create a more predictable football calendar.
While details are still emerging, the decisions are expected to have far-reaching implications for national teams, qualification formats and the overall growth of the game across the continent.
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The Confederation of African Football said it would implement changes and improvements to its statutes and regulations that would ensure that the farcical scenes at January’s Africa Cup of Nations final do not happen again.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the changes would strengthen trust and confidence in its referees, VAR operators and judicial bodies, but did not give concrete details.
The announcement followed a meeting of CAF’s executive committee in Cairo on Sunday and came on a tumultuous day for the organisation as its general secretary resigned.
African football’s governing body has been battling a crisis of confidence after its Appeal Board stripped Senegal of the Cup of Nations title in a decision that has been met with widespread derision.
Senegal were ruled to have forfeited the final in Rabat on January 18 after walking off the pitch in protest at a potentially decisive penalty awarded to Morocco. They returned and scored a goal in extra time to win the game 1-0.
The decision is being challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and if Senegal win back their title it will be a further blow to CAF’s credibility.
“CAF has taken extensive legal advice from top African and international football lawyers and experts, to ensure that the CAF statutes and regulations adhere to and implement global football best practices, on and off the field,” Motsepe said in a statement on Sunday.
“This is important for the respect, integrity and credibility of African referees, VAR operators and the CAF Disciplinary Board and Appeal Board.
“CAF is working with FIFA for the ongoing training of African referees, VAR operators and match commissioners so that they are as good as the best in the world… CAF has made significant progress over the past five years in implementing governance, ethics, transparency and managerial best practices,” the CAF president added.
More precise details on the changes and how they would avoid a repeat of the Cup of Nations final controversy were not given by Motsepe, who earlier this month admitted his organisation was struggling with perceptions about its integrity.
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja
The Confederation of African Football may be considering possible disciplinary measures against Senegal following reports that the country’s national team has continued to parade the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy despite being stripped of the title.
The development has triggered fresh debate within African football circles, with CAF understood to be treating the matter as a potential breach of its statutes and disciplinary code.
Sources close to the continental body indicate that Senegal’s actions could be interpreted as defiance of an official ruling, raising concerns about respect for regulatory authority and the precedent such conduct may set for other member associations.
CAF is believed to be weighing a range of sanctions, which could include financial penalties, formal reprimands, or restrictions on the country’s participation in certain CAF programmes and competitions.
While no final decision has been announced, insiders suggest that the governing body is keen to send a strong message on compliance and institutional discipline.
There are also indications that CAF’s disciplinary committee may be tasked with reviewing the circumstances surrounding the continued public display of the trophy, including whether the act constitutes misconduct under its regulations.
The issue is seen as more than a symbolic dispute over silverware. Analysts argue that how CAF handles the situation will reflect its ability to enforce decisions and maintain order among its 54 member associations.
“CAF cannot afford to appear weak on matters of discipline,” a source familiar with the situation said. “If a federation openly disregards a ruling, it undermines the entire governance structure.”
CAF is expected to provide clarity on the issue during an upcoming press engagement, where its president may outline the organisation’s position and any disciplinary steps to be taken.
For Senegal, the situation presents a delicate balancing act between national pride and compliance with continental football authority. For CAF, it represents a critical test of leadership and regulatory enforcement at a time when the credibility of African football governance remains under close watch.
The coming days are likely to determine whether the matter escalates into a full disciplinary case or is resolved through diplomatic engagement behind the scenes.
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