Coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Jose Peseiro has said he hopes to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) so that Ahmed Musa can lift the trophy.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Peseiro said this on Saturday at the final press conference of the 2023 AFCON.
“Ahmed for us is much more than a player. He has helped us so much. He has advised me, suggested, and informed me a lot about AFCON.
“I ask him a lot about many things, he knows better than me on some things, he is the captain, and he knows a lot about the players.
“I want to win that cup tomorrow so Ahmed Musa can lift it. He is a very very special player,” Peseiro said.
On not playing regularly for the national team, Musa said: “I am a patient man, I have been playing a lot for my teammates, and if my teammates are now playing for me to win, there’s no problem with that”.
Super Eagles have capacity to win 4th AFCON title – Jalla
Meanwhile, Harrison Jalla, the Chairman of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), on Saturday said that the current Super Eagles players have the team leadership to win their fourth AFCON title.
Jalla, who spoke in Lagos, also said that the grit, resilience, determination, courage and spirit to achieve was back in the team.
“Team leadership is the most essential ingredient in building a winning team and it started in the Nigerian National team from the days of Christian Chukwu as Captain to Segun Odegbami, Stephen Keshi, Uche Okechukwu, Sunday Oliseh and Mikel Obi,” Jalla said.
According to Jalla, if the team leadership synergy is right, there will be a team on and off the field; but that not all team captains are leaders in true sense of the word.
“A team leader is the master motivator, and when performance level drops his energy, motivation and drive can always be the turning point.
“Chairman Christian Chukwu, Stephen Keshi of blessed memory and Sunday Oliseh were exceptional and played perfect roles as team leaders in the past.
“The present set of Super Eagles have found the perfect leadership in William Troost-Ekong and Victor Osimhen; this right leadership chord makes the job of the technical crew easier.
“It also gives the team an edge over any other opponent, I say Kudos to the entire Super Eagles team the Technical crew,” Jalla said.
He also said that special thanks must also go to the President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Owan-Enoh, for the timely provision of funds to clear the backlog of outstanding and current match bonus and allowances.
“This moment in Nigeria football must be sustained; the very reason why the entire Nigeria football administrative structure must go through urgent reforms.
“There should be an amendment of the current NFF statute for proportional and equal representation while a constituency should be created for private sector participation.
“Nigeria’s 4th AFCON title is already in the Bag. Congratulations Nigeria, Congratulations Super Eagles.
“May the Souls of the departed patriots who died following the match between Nigeria and South Africa find eternal peace and rest;” he added.
AFCON: Play with confidence, defeat host country, Fuludu charges Eagles
Similarly, Edema Fuludu, ex-Nigerian International has charged the Super Eagles to play with confidence in the AFCON 2023 final match against the host country, to win the trophy.
Fuludu, who said this in an interview on Saturday, in Lagos, stressed that confident play and tactical skills would earn the Eagles victory in the encounter.
Fuludu said that though the Super Eagles had beaten the Elephants of Ivory Coast in the group stage, the team needed more strength, hard work and dedication to defeat the host country again.
”The match is going to be tough, no doubt about that, but the Super Eagles need to put in more confidence and play hard to beat them again on their own soil.
”Strength and tactical skills are needed, together with team spirit, to enable them to defeat the host country,” he said.
The ex-international advised the team to hearken to Coach Jose Peseiro’s instructions and focus on getting victory on the field of play.
”I am hoping for the best; I am sure with hard work and confident play, victory is sure for the eagles,” he said.
Fuludu had played club football for New Nigerian Bank, BCC Lions and Julius Berger in Nigeria, Altay in Turkey and for the Nigerian national team.
He was part of Nigeria’s squad in the 1994 African Cup of Nations and had served as head coach of Warri Wolves.