Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro is opened to lowering his wages in order for him to keep his job as the coach of the team, OGN can exclusively reveal.
Peseiro’s $70,000 a month deal will expire in June and in the wake of reports linking the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) with coaches to take over his role , the Portuguese isn’t willing to walk away.
The NFF under Ibrahim Musa Gusau is currently battling to meet up with paying his salaries which was agreed by the former board of the NFF led by Amaju Pinnick. It was said that the wages will be handled by the presidency.
Outgoing minister for youths and sports Sunday Dare made it known back then but that hasn’t been the case and the coach is owed six months of unpaid salaries, making the decision not to offer him a new contract a bit dicey for the football house.
We gathered that if he is to stay on as coach, the NFF will seek for a reduction in his present wage and that will also be the premises for any one who will potentially replace him as coach. The idea is to negotiate a salary that they can conveniently afford.
Sources close to the coach said he is open to the idea as it will keep alive his dream of leading the team to the AFCON and possibly win it. Something he has repeatedly said he can do and even agreed for it to be in his deal that is about to expire.
For now he has the support of the senior players in the team and they are making a case for him to be retained as coach for another year. Their stand has been communicated to the NFF and they will make a decision after the final rounds of AFCON qualifiers in June.
Osas Mahawi
