“I doubt how they are selected” – Nigeria’s Afcon hero knocks Jose Peseiro’s Super Eagles

The three-time African champions have won only two matches since the Portuguese manager took charge in May

2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner Sunday Mba has taken a huge swipe at the present crop of Super Eagles under the guidance of former Sporting Lisbon manager Jose Peseiro.

Sunday Mba is not pleased with the Eagles’ poor performances and results in recent games, highlighting the lackadaisical attitude shown by several players in competitive and friendly games.

And Mba has questioned the quality and passion of the players that manager Jose Peseiro has invited to the national team in recent times.

In a chat on Brila FM’s No Holds Barred with former Super Eagles left-back, Ifeanyi Udeze, Mba lamented that the national team is lacking the dedication and unity of purpose that characterised the side under former head coach Stephen Keshi.

“There was unity in the camp,” Mba volunteered. “We were together as a family and the result started coming.

“I wasn’t the only home-based player, but I was the only one that broke into the team.
“The foreign-based players treated us well. There was no discrimination and the late Stephen Keshi made sure of that.

“Our Super Eagles are not making us happy, this team is playing like they don’t care about the national team. Some of them do not merit to come to the team, and some do not merit to play.

“I sometimes doubt how they are selected, they are not even playing entertaining or captivating football and you will be disappointed when you watch them.”

Peseiro Eagles’ poor friendly return

Manager Jose Peseiro was appointed as the Super Eagles’ manager after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The former Sporting Lisbon manager has a 100 per cent record in competitive matches, having led the Super Eagles to wins over Sierra Leone and Sao Tome & Principe in the Afcon qualifying series.

But the Portuguese tactician’s record in friendly matches has been poor. The Super Eagles have suffered defeats in the hands of Ecuador, Mexico, Algeria, and most recently Portugal under Peseiro’s watch.