The head coach of the Nigerian national football team, Super Eagles, Jose Peseiro, has indicated that he will stick with his tried and trusted players for the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Sao Tome and Principe.
The Super Eagles secured their spot in the prestigious competition in Cote d’Ivoire with a hard-fought 3-2 victory against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone on Sunday night.
Despite suggestions to freshen up the squad with new faces for the seemingly inconsequential match against Sao Tome and Principe, Peseiro remained adamant that introducing new players would disrupt the team’s cohesion and organization.
“We have one national team, and there is time for us to work on improving the team. If I keep changing the squad all the time, we will never be able to enhance our organization,” Peseiro commented after the game against Sierra Leone.
Peseiro emphasized the need to develop better dynamics and organization for the upcoming AFCON tournament and explained that introducing new players would hinder this process. However, he did leave the door open for other players to join the Super Eagles in the future.
“Against Sao Tome, we need to focus on building stronger dynamics and organization. If I were to make changes now, how can we improve and prepare for AFCON? Nevertheless, the door of the Super Eagles is open to everyone,” Peseiro added.