Nigerian Super Eagles head Coach, Jose Peseiro has backed Nigeria to grab a fourth Africa Cup of Nations, however, he conceded that it would be a real challenge when action gets under way in Ivory Coast later this month.
The last of Nigeria’s three continental titles came 10 years ago in South Africa.
“We will fight to win the Africa Cup even though it won’t be easy,” Peseiro said in an interview with NFF TV.
“Our group is not easy because we are up against the Ivory Coast, who have a good squad and are playing at home.
“Equatorial Guinea reached the quarter-final at the last AFCON, better than Nigeria, while Guinea Bissau beat us at home (in the qualifiers).
“We have to be at our best in our trainings and in our matches.”
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The Portuguese coach said that more than 70 players had been monitored as he whittled that number down for the final squad.
“It was not easy to choose the 25 players,” he said.
The Nigeria squad gathers in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for a training camp before flying out to Ivory Coast.
They open their campaign on January 14 against Equatorial Guinea in Abidjan.
Meanwhile, former captain, Vincent Enyeama is set to bring his expertise to bear and create a healthy competition in the Super Eagles goalkeeping department, as he would be drilling the trio of Francis Uzoho, Stanley Nwabili and Olorunleke Ojo at Nigeria’s pre-AFCON 2023 camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Uzoho, Nwabili and Ojo, were the three shot stoppers that made the 25-man list of Jose Peseiro for the African Cup of Nations 34th edition billed to kickoff on January 13 in Abidjan.
Enyeama, 41, who announced his retirement in 2015 after making over a 100 appearances, also confirmed the development on New Year’s day when he posted and shared a picture of himself in the Super Eagles shirt on his verified Instagram handle, with a post that read. “Let’s go. See you in camp. Time for business.”