Jose Peseiro, the Super Eagles head coach, has revealed that his players pushed him to accept a pay cut from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The Portuguese agreed a reduction to his salary this summer so that he could remain in charge of the Super Eagles.
The 63-year-old will lead the West Africans to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire in January.
The former Saudi Arabia and Venezuela gaffer claimed his players begged him to stay so they can win the tournament.
“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.”
The Super Eagles are drawn in Group A with hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.