Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro has revealed that he spent his own money to visit Nigeria players in Europe due to NFF’s financial situation.
The Portuguese tactician made the revelation while trying to defend the omission of the Gent striker Gift Orban and Union Saint-Gilloise star Victor Boniface in his selection for their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone on Sunday.
Orban and Boniface had a combined 26 goals in the Belgian First Division A in the just-concluded season.
After Monday’s training session at Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos, Peseiro said: “Orban and Boniface could come for the camp, even I spent my own money visiting them. I was in France, Belgium, Italy, Spain and England. I spent my own money.
“For that, I like to call them but if I call them I need to put some of these players out. I only called 19, I believe in the players but due to the financial situation I called only 19 foreign-based players. If I could invite more, of course, Orban, Boniface or others would have been called up.
“I understand the situation and have to help the Nigeria Football Federation, for that I called 19. If we have a decisive match, it’s better I call the players that I know better. Normally they work with me, these 19 players, all the time.”
A win for Nigeria against Sierra Leone on Sunday would secure their qualification for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast next year.
