Newly appointed Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle is targeting a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the team.
The Super Eagles are winless in Group C of the African zone of the qualifiers after four matches.
The three-time African champions occupy fifth position in the group with three points.
Chelle, who was unveiled in Abuja on Monday vowed to do his best to ensure the Super Eagles earn a spot at the mundial.
“I want to thank my agent, the NFF, the NSC and indeed all Nigerians for this big opportunity. Coaching the Super Eagles of Nigeria is an amazing job; I do not take this appointment for granted. I am elated and will do my utmost best,” the former Mali international was quoted by thenff.com.
“Football is about scoring goals, so I favour an attacking style. I know the expectations of Nigerians and I will settle down and work diligently with my assistants towards the goal of qualifying the Super Eagles to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
The West Africans will be up against Rwanda and Zimbabwe when the qualifiers resume in March.
By Adeboye Amosu
Got what it Takes?
Predict and Win Millions Now
7 Comments
God will see you through.We are solidly behind you
## MY ADVICE FOR ERIC CHELLE ##
@** Work hand to hand with your Technical crews
@** Let the invitation of players base on merit
@** Don’t allow anybody FORCE/IMPOSE any players on you. Instead SCOUT for players & test them in Friendly matches
@** Invite local players that is ready to give foreign professional players a stiff competition(not the one to add to the number/surplus to requirements).
@** Always maintain your stand
@** Don’t allow anybody to be pushing you up and down.
@** Don’t be carried away with the club performance of players ONLY but base on PRESENT FORM & POTENTIAL
@** Do not tolerate INDISCIPLINE in to your team.
#** Do not invite players in order to pacify/please somebody (like local Coach Equavoen)
@** Encourage your players to be STRONG & MORE PHYSICAL when it comes to Africa football
@** Try to take advantage of newly introduced format: FIVE-SUBSTITUTION in a match(approved by CAF & FIFA) as an opportunity to test-run other players and MORE TECHNICAL in it.
@** Emphasize more on WING PLAY pattern for Super eagle.
@** Don’t be DECEIVED with the word EXPERIENCE, Instead make a RISK and search for a player like AMUNEKE(1994), AGHAHOWA & UDEZE(2000), YOBO & AIYEGBENI(2001), ENYEAMA(2002), IZOHO(2017), M.OKOYE(2019), NWABALI(2024), All these players mentioned make a breakthrough into Super eagle team as a result of RISK their coach made.
What most commenters here are glossing over is that many so-called top-class European coaches will turn this job down because of Nigeria’s current precarious WC situation.
Granted that cost was one of the determining factors for the NFF, but the overriding push was Chelle’s pure tactical acumen. Some consider it debasing and infra-dig for a Malian to coach Nigerian (He’s actually French Malian), but didn’t Nigerian scout Chelle from Algeria?
How many Malians or even Nigerians have coached a prestigious Algerian club like MC Oran? How many blacks have coached in that region – asides another great like South African Mosimane at Al-Ahly? We all know the standards of those Maghrebian countries – close to European standards. You can’t coach there except you’re good, so good. They have the money to pay and easily poach coaches from Europe without stress.
When we look beyond the book’s cover (Malian nationality), we’ll see this is about a man’s gift (regardless of his background) making a way for him among kings (top brands like SE).
Haba, almost 70% win ratio (15 wins, 3 losses, 5 draws) – are you not impressed? Mind you, almost all of the 3 losses were fluke wins coming in the last seconds of the match (CIV and Ghana matches).
Besides. he easily trounced Broos South Africa’s 3 -1, whereas out former coach Paseiro huffed and puffed to beat this same South Africa. Finidi nearly lost to Broos at home, and to conform his tactical superiority, Chelle beat Finidi with Mali 2 – 0.
I am convinced that with Chelle in the dugout, Nigeria will beat SA at home. Let’s see the magic unfold with the CHAN Eagles in 2 weeks’ time in February.
Spot on just as it’s difficult for black players to get signed by these North Africans that’s how difficult it is for West African coaches. I pray this goes well so that it will pose a strong challenge to our corrupt Nigerian coaches to sit up.
My brother Dr Drey, it’s been long we heard from you. I hope all is well.
Eric Chelle, give them hell!
I agree with your points, Kel.
Watching Mali play under Chelle’s tutelage was a pleasure. I remember wishing several times that we had a coach of his calibre. Now it has come to pass. The biggest challenge Chelle must overcome now is the enemy within, NFF ONIGBESE.
For Chelle to have the best chance at success, NFF must play their part by ensuring that:
1) His salary and those of his assistants must be paid without interruption. If he’s not paid, I don’t think he will accept that. Unlike Rohr and Peseiro, Chelle will not work without pay.
2) There must be no interference in player selection. Give Chelle a free hand to select his players.
If these 2 conditions are met, then we can now observe his performance and credit him for success or blame him for failure.
If the 2 conditions are not met, NFF will have to carry the blame for failure, since they failed to provide the environment Chelle needs to do his part.
And in my opinion, the immediate result of failure should be the instantaneous sacking of the NFF president, the technical director, and the entire NFF board.
So as it is, their jobs are in Chelle’s hands. We wish them all the best.
I understand he plays 4-3-2-1 with high intensity and pressing, the question is will he select the right players without the undue influence of NFF? If he is playing 4 at the back then Ekong and Ajayi has to go and the midfield will also need to be rejigged. They need to be replaced with midfielders with legs and technique. That means Iwobi, Ndidi might not make the cut.
That might see the introduction of Uche Chrisantus, Akinsamiro, Orban , Onyedika and Iwuala. If he gets the balance right, we might just steam roll our way to the world cup. One positive thing I have learned about him is that he is no respecter of big names and will go for players that will fit his philosophy. Young enterprising defenders like Vincent Osuji , Igoh Ogbu and Gabriel Osho should get more playing time.