The UAE training camp is designed to assess Peseiro's capabilities, according to Chukwu and Okpala
Former Nigerian captains, Christian Chukwu and Sylvanus Okpala, assert that Coach Jose Peseiro's choice to bring the Super Eagles to Abu Dhabi, UAE, ahead of the upcoming African Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire will serve as a litmus test for the Portuguese manager's competence.
Similar to numerous other nations, Peseiro and his team will commence their preparations for the African Cup of Nations in the UAE, a country outside Africa. However, Ghana, initially planning to conduct their final training camp in South Africa, has abandoned that idea and will now train in Kumasi, in close proximity to Cote d’Ivoire.
Chukwu, who guided Nigeria to the same competition in Tunisia 2004, remarked that Peseiro's decision to camp the team in the UAE would have either a positive or negative impact on the Super Eagles' acclimatization for the championship starting on January 13, 2024.
“I cannot alter Peseiro's decision to camp the Eagles in the UAE for an African championship. As the head of the Eagles, the coach should determine if the players can adapt and acclimatize well in a country outside Africa.
“However, I question why Abu Dhabi is chosen for a pre-AFCON championship when there are other African countries close to Cote d’Ivoire that would aid the players in adjusting to the hosts’ climate.
“As I mentioned earlier, Peseiro is the head of the Eagles, and he knows what's best for the team. My concern at this point is his continuous neglect of home-based players and coaching the Nigeria team remotely without residing in Nigeria,” he stated.
On the other hand, Okpala, a winner of the competition as a player in 1980 and an assistant coach when the Eagles triumphed again in 2013, expressed that Peseiro's decision to camp the Eagles in Cote d'Ivoire should not be the focal point. He emphasized that the coach's credibility should be evaluated after the championship.
“People should not criticize Peseiro for camping the Eagles in the UAE. He is better positioned to assess whether the Eagles will acclimatize well enough in the UAE. If the coach fails to deliver at the AFCON, that is when he should be scrutinized for the decisions made during the championship.”
The Super Eagles' pre-AFCON training camp in the UAE is scheduled to commence on January 2. During their stay, they will engage in two friendly games against Burkina Faso and DR Congo.
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