Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro has revealed that his players begged him to accept a pay cut to remain in charge of the Super Eagles following the expiration of his contract in June.

The 63-year-old signed a new short-term contract with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in the summer.

Peseiro, who accepted a reduction in his salary stated that his players asked him to accept the new pay, so that they could win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The players pushed me to stay because they believe we can win (the AFCON),” he told Sky Sports.

“We can win it. The players know it. They come with the same energy, the same belief, to fight for the Super Eagles.”

Peseiro has however warned his players they will need to be at their best to conquer the rest of the continent in Cote d’Ivoire next January.

The main goal is to win the AFCON,” he added.

“We will need to be at our maximum because we know that there is good opposition. There is Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana and Ivory Coast. But we believe we can do it. I believe. And the players believe.”

Peseiro took charge of the Super Eagles in May 2021.

Nigeria will lock horns with hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau in Group A of the 2023 AFCON.

The Super Eagles will take on Equatorial Guinea in their opening fixture at the Alhassan Quattara Stadium on Monday, January 14. And will face Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau on January 18 and January 22 respectively.