TheCable

Nse Essien, a board member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), says Jose Peseiro, Super Eagles head coach, has not been sacked because the federation cannot afford the severance payment. 

Essien spoke with journalists after the Eagles’ 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe in their second game of the 2026 World Cup qualification campaign.

The result left Nigeria winless in the qualifiers, having previously drawn Lesotho at the Godswill Akpabio stadium last week.

The performances have generated a lot of criticism for Peseiro, while some social media users called for his sack.

Addressing the situation, Essien said the top brass at the NFF are also “not happy” with the Portuguese and his latest streak of results with the Eagles.

He claimed Peseiro was employed by the sports ministry and not the NFF, and “not paid a dime” have been paid to the Portuguese.

“If you check the internet, almost everyone is asking for the sack of the head coach. It is unfortunate that out of six points, we have just two, and we have found ourselves in a precarious situation,” the NFF board member said.

“When you say NFF should sack the head coach, we didn’t employ him. This regime didn’t employ him when you come to look at it; it was the Sports Ministry that employed him.

“Up till now, we were supposed to have paid their salaries, but up till now, they have not paid a dime.

“When you now sack him, who pays for compensation? That is the situation we find ourselves in. Not a dime has been paid to this coach, who earns about $70,000 every month.

“We have to respect his [Jose Peseiro’s] contract. If we had the money to give to him [pay him off], why wouldn’t we relieve him? We are not happy.”

Peseiro only renewed his contract as the Eagles head coach in September. TheCable understands that the Portuguese agreed to a pay cut for the new deal.