"I just had to leave" — Jose Peseiro on Nigeria

Former Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro, has opened up about his shocking decision to step down after leading Nigeria’s national team for 22 months, despite guiding the squad to a second-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.

In an unexpected twist, the 64-year-old coach admitted that it wasn’t the team’s performance that made him leave, but the sheer pressure and stress of the job.

Jose Peseiro, who departed after his contract expired in February, confessed that even a potential AFCON victory wouldn’t have been enough to keep him in the role.

“I decided that when I finish the AFCON, I will leave. The job was too much stress,” he told SABC Sport, highlighting the toll it took on him despite the support from his family, players, and the Nigerian Football Federation.

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While he cherished his time coaching Nigeria’s star-studded squad, Peseiro made it clear that managing the Super Eagles came with unique challenges. “Nigeria was an amazing job, with good players. We played very well in the AFCON,” he reflected, emphasizing that Nigeria was one of the strongest teams in the tournament before falling to Côte d’Ivoire.

Since leaving, Jose Peseiro remains jobless, turning down several offers, including potential roles in South Africa, Europe, and Brazil. The former Venezuela coach is patiently waiting for the right project, revealing he even received a call about the highly-coveted Mamelodi Sundowns job but hasn’t found anything “special” enough to commit to yet.

So, why did Peseiro really walk away from one of Africa’s most prestigious football roles? For the seasoned coach, no amount of success could outweigh the personal cost of enduring relentless pressure.