In a recent interview on Kennis FM, Ibrahim Gusau, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has announced that the contractual matters concerning the coaches of the Nigerian national football teams will be resolved in September.
The coaches in question are Jose Peseiro, who leads the Super Eagles, and Randy Waldrum, in charge of the Super Falcons.
Uncertainty Surrounding Coaches’ Contracts
The future of both coaches has been surrounded by uncertainty, particularly with regard to the completion of their contracts with the NFF.
This ambiguity has persisted even as the teams continue their work on behalf of Nigeria.
Randy Waldrum’s situation is notable, as he recently guided the Super Falcons to the round of 16 in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, a tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
NFF President’s Statement
Ibrahim Gusau addressed the ongoing speculation during the interview, emphasizing that the NFF is scheduled to make decisions on the contracts of Peseiro and Waldrum in the coming month.
Peseiro, who took up his role as the Super Eagles coach in May 2022, is set to see his contract expire after the team’s participation in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.
This tournament is slated to begin in January 2024.
Upcoming AFCON Qualifier and Contract Talks
As the AFCON qualifiers approach, Gusau noted, “We (Eagles) have the last match of the AFCON qualifiers against Sao Tome next month, so before then, everything will be concluded.”
He went on to provide insights into the contract issues.
Peseiro’s contract should have originally ended in July, aligning with the original timing of the AFCON, which was scheduled for June to July 2023 before being postponed to 2024.
The shifting of the tournament to January due to circumstances beyond their control has complicated matters.
Contractual Expectations and Conclusion
Gusau explained that the contract negotiations center on certain expectations, particularly Peseiro’s role in qualifying the team for the Nations Cup and leading them to the final.
However, the tournament’s rescheduling has created challenges that the NFF is actively addressing.
Gusau expressed confidence that the negotiations would be resolved soon, offering assurance that Nigerians would receive updates on the coaches’ situations in due course.