Former Super Eagles head coach José Peseiro has opened up about the reasons why he remains without a job eight months after stepping down from his role with the Nigerian national team, Soccernet.ng reports.
Peseiro, who was at the helm for 22 months, guided Nigeria to a second-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, but his tenure ended in February 2024 after failing to reach a contract extension agreement with the Nigerian Football Federation.
Despite being linked to potential managerial positions in South Africa, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, the experienced Portuguese tactician has yet to return to coaching.
Peseiro recently disclosed that while he has received several offers to manage teams in Portugal, he is uninterested in returning to his homeland unless it’s for a prestigious role like Benfica.
In an interview with CNN Portugal as per Ojogo, Peseiro explained:
“I honestly don’t see myself coaching another team in Portugal, even though there are projects that I’m excited about.
“So far, it hasn’t happened. I’ve had offers to return to Portugal, once again, but I haven’t. It’s not because I don’t like the country or our football.”
Peseiro, who has managed Sporting, FC Porto, and Braga in the past, also acknowledged that although he came close to coaching Benfica in the past, he believes that opportunity may have passed.
“I coached Sporting, FC Porto, Braga, Vitória… In my head, the only thing left was to coach Benfica, but at the moment, it’s very difficult. It doesn’t mean it can’t happen, but it’s very difficult,” he added.
Meanwhile, Peseiro is also being considered as a candidate to take over Esteghlal Football Club in Iran, as per reports.
The Iranian club is searching for a new head coach after Javad Nekounam stepped down following a defeat in the AFC Champions League.