Sunday Oliseh voiced apprehension over the team’s future trajectory in the wake of Jose Peseiro’s departure.

Expressing concern, Oliseh highlighted the recurring pattern of setbacks faced by the national team, especially in the absence of stable leadership.

With the Nigeria Football Federation currently grappling to identify Peseiro’s successor, Oliseh emphasized the potential for a regression in performance.

Notably, Oliseh pointed to a historical tendency for the team to experience downward spirals following strong showings at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

“We are at a dangerous point as a football country. After my generation stopped, Nigeria stopped winning and became irrelevant. We started celebrating ‘golden bronze’. But (Stephen) Keshi was able to come up and make up a team that won the 2013 AFCON,” Oliseh told Channels TV.

Reflecting on the team’s commendable performance at the recent AFCON in Ivory Coast, Oliseh cautioned against a repetition of past pitfalls, underscoring the need for strategic planning and stability in coaching to sustain momentum and success.

“However, immediately after that, we did not qualify for the 2015 and 2017 AFCON. Even though in 2015, the coach, in my opinion, is still one of the top coaches that we’ve ever had. So, we had a nosedive then, which is something I am afraid that may happen again, and that is something we have to fight against.”

Post Peseiro’s era will start with friendly matches against Ghana and Mali later this month.