Peseiro had no idea what his best role would be: his agent explains why the midfielder did not shine with the Super Eagles

Joe Aribo’s supporting role for the Super Eagles at the African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast has come down to a lack of ideas from former team coach Jose Peseiro. GolNigeria.com ownreports.

Aribo began his international career with goals for Nigeria against Ukraine and Brazil respectively in his first two games in Nigeria’s senior national team colours.

He has not scored in 32 matches after that and at the last AFCON he lost his place to the duo of Alhassan Yusuf and Frank Onyeka moving him up the pecking order of the team that made it all the way to the final.

Preparing to return to the English Premier League after a year with Southampton in the English Premier League, the 28-year-old’s representative explained the reason behind his lack of playing time, throughout Jose Peseiro’s time in charge, including at the AFCON.

“I think he (Peseiro) had no idea how to make (Aribo) play as well as he is doing at Southampton. It was all about their ultra-defensive set-up, which means that an attacking player like Joe, who likes to move into the box, is forced to play very deep and away from goal. Peseiro did not specify his exact role in the team and that did not help him at the African Cup of Nations in particular,” he said in a chat with a member of the editorial team of Own goal Nigeria.com.

Mohamed Mowiz Suleiman