By our Reporter
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board member, Nse Essien, has said that the federation could not afford to pay the Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro, his compensatory fees if is sacked.
The Portuguese coach has been under fire lately after his team played out back-to-back draws against Lesotho on Thursday, November 16, and Zimbabwe on November 19, in their Group C, World Cup qualifiers a few days later.
Many Nigerian football fans thought the Super Eagles would almost cruise through the group, but in the games against the 151st and 125th-ranked teams, the Super Eagles struggled both in attack and in defence.
In a post-game interview, Essien explained that while he was aware of the requests for Peseiro’s dismissal, the NFF was constrained by financial resources.
He said: “If you check the internet almost everyone is asking for the sack of the head coach. It is unfortunate that out of six points, we have just two and we have found ourselves in a precarious situation.
“When you say NFF should sack the Head coach we didn’t employ him, this regime didn’t employ him when you come to look at it was the Sports Ministry that employed him,” he said after the draw against Zimbabwe.
In September, the 63-year-old had his stay on the job extended after a renegotiated pay of $50,000 contract from $70,000 was reached.
Essien also revealed that Peseiro had not been paid his salary and they have no other choice but to respect his contract.
He said: “Up till now, we were supposed to have paid their salaries, up till now they have not paid a dime.
“Who pays for compensation that is the situation we find ourselves in not a dime has been paid to this coach who earns about $70,000 every month.
“We have to respect Jose Peseiro’s contract. If we had the money to give to him (pay him off) we are going to relieve him. We are not happy.”