Nigeria Coach Jose Peseiro has revealed that doors are still open for new players in the current Super Eagles squad ahead of their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Guinea-Bissau in September.
The Super Eagles will continue their push to reach the finals set for Ivory Coast when they face Guinea Bissau twice in a span of seven days in Group A.
Nigeria will first host Guinea-Bissau at Abuja National Stadium for their matchday three fixture on September 19 before the two sides lock horns again on September 27 at a venue to be announced.
The 62-year-old Portuguese tactician has maintained he could stick with the same squad that did duty during their two opening matches against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe, but insist that any player, who will impress outside the squad, will only be given “little time” to show his capabilities.
“The players in the team at the moment are the best we have,” Peseiro said in an interview as quoted by Punch. “I have watched a lot of videos and what they need to understand is our ideas and philosophy.
“New players spring up every day in Nigeria but we have the best now. Okay, if I see a new player who is doing better than the player in his position. I will give him time little by little to help me understand our idea which is what we want to do more at the moment and not bring in new players.”
Some of the players who missed out on the last fixtures include Union Berlin striker Taiwo Awoniyi, Kelechi Iheanacho of Premier League side Leicester City, Henry Onyekuru of Olympiakos, and Peter Olayinka of Slavia Prague.
The Super Eagles kicked off their campaign with a 2-1 win against the Leone Stars at Abuja National Stadium before they hammered Sao Tome 10-0, their biggest win in history, at Stade Adrar in Morocco.
The two wins pushed Nigeria to the top of the group with six points, while Guinea-Bissau are second on four, Sierra Leone third on one, and Sao Tome last without a point.
