To all Super Eagles fans, why not let's suspend these discussions on sacking Peseiro please until after Nigeria's performance at the Afcon?
I make that plea as someone not entirely expecting the Super Eagles to lift the Afcon trophy, even though nothing other than lifting it would make my day. But I guess I am trying to be realistic in managing my expectations.
For those Eternal Rohr fans, even the German tactician played a cautious brand of football, reticent of the capabilities of our players. He never placed our players on the same lofty pedestal as we fans do, which makes me wonder whether - within the context of international football - these Nigerian players are really as good as we think they are.
Peseiro appears to match fans assessment of Super Eagles players, so much so he would unleash them to bully opposition teams into submission. But so far, without being insulting, our players our proving to be pitiful paper Goliaths with many brave Guinea Bissau Davids on the continent bringing them back to earth severally.
Love Eguavoen or loath him, he was unshakeable in his belief that these same players would translate his formation and tactical instructions in a manner that would bring victory against Tunisia and Ghana. He was proved wrong on both occasions.
So, whether Rohr, Eguavoen or Peseiro, shouldn't we Nigeria fans just be humble in what we expect of these players regardless of which coach is in charge?
Even the NFF chieftain interviewed on X said this same Peseiro hasn't seen one Kobo of his wages for several months, yet we Nigeria fans want Peseiro to perform miracles and make the Super Eagles walk on water.
And when it comes to "performance", yes I have often criticised Peseiro but he hasn't been that bad and his Super Eagles haven't been awful.
Just like Eguavoen, his method is just missing one or two crucial components. If he can discover what is missing and then plugs it in place in his tactics, then performances will improve dramatically.
Let's start this way: there are no more minnows in world and continental football. North Macedonia knocked mighty Italy out of world cup qualification and Rwanda are topping a world cup qualification group which has more celebrated teams like Nigeria, Benin (yes Benin) and South Africa.
Yet in the current climate - and despite being owed very many wages - Peseiro qualfied us for Afcon with a game to spare and record number of goal scored (against São Tomé and Príncipe: Ghana scored 4 goals and conceded 1 against this same team whereas Peseiro's Nigeria scored 16 unreplied goals) and the Super Eagles are currently undefeated in the same world cup qualifiers that bitter rivals South Africa already lost a game.
In friendlies, outside the match against Portugal due to Emmanuel Dennis' petulance, Nigeria has only been defeated by our traditional 1 goal margin defeats.
So, has it really been that catastrophic under Peseiro, if we are to be honest with ourselves?
You read the reviews of very many fans on Facebook, X and this platform and you will think the Super Eagles are going through an apocalypse or are facing an existential threat under this Peseiro. Haba! my people, let's slow down.
I like what Peseiro is trying to do and the identity he is trying to slap on the team and how players are trying really hard to buy into his philosophy.
But questionable goalkeeping, poor player arrangements, profligacy on the part of Chukwueze, Awoniyi and a few others and midfield shortcomings have all contributed to thwart Peseiro's efforts.
Also, I worry that Peseiro doesn't seem to have a viable plan B and seems clueless in manufacturing corrective measures; even Eguavoen would revert to 4-1-4-1 if all else fails. But Peseiro seems to be one dimensional, having said that he has been remarkable with substitutions as Iheanacho, Simon and others have proven to be game changers.
Summary:
Left to me, Peseiro is decent enough to take us to the Afcon. The man is hungry for success with the Super Eagles and his players are fighting for their places and trying hard to buy into his philosophy.
That said, my Afcon expectations remain low because I am only hoping that he will be able to address shortcomings in his methods in a timely manner.
But he has earned it, after all he did qualify us for the tournament.
However, my trump card is this: we have a get-out-of-jail card with Peseiro. With the bar of expectations raised as high as Afcon semi-final qualification, why don't we just wait for him to fail in Afcon so that the NFF can trigger his termination clause without any adverse financial consequences?
After the Afcon, whichever way, we are sure to start from a clean slate: either with another coach for world cup qualifiers after Peseiro has been sacked or with a well rejuvenated Peseiro if he miraculously meets or even exceeds his Afcon target.
Patience guys, just a little patience!