“Any moment from now, I am sure they would be announcing a coach, an enterprising coach at that.” Former president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, made the above statement during a television interview on Channels TV on the 3rd of January, 2025.
The statement pertained to who the next coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria would be; many would have expected a young, highly rated, and one of the new apostles of modern football.
Four days after that statement, the NFF announced Eric Sekou Chelle as the new coach of the Super Eagles. He was tasked with qualifying Nigeria for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico (He failed in that, though).
Born in Côte d’Ivoire to Malian parents and holding dual Malian and French citizenship, Chelle became the first African non-Nigerian coach to be appointed as the Super Eagles head. His appointment came with a bit of scepticism among Nigerian football fans and journalists (this writer included).
A year after his appointment, the Super Eagles are in the semi-final of the Africa Cup of Nations, thanks to a near-perfect performance and result from his team. Only the host, Morocco, stands between Nigeria and a back-to-back AFCON final.
Here are the major reasons why Eric Chelle deserves a new contract to continue on the job, whether he wins the AFCON or not.
AFCON MOMENTUM
There is a phrase in football where some teams are called “tournament teams,” and in the African continent, no country exhibits those traits more than the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
This is the 21st AFCON appearance for Nigeria, and the country’s outstanding records stand out among its peers. No team has played more AFCON semi-finals (17), no team has lost more AFCON finals (5), and the country boasts the most bronze medals (8).
Eric Chelle leading the team to another semi-final outing is nothing new, but the manner in which the Super Eagles have gone about their business is the catchy thing. The team has scored 14 goals so far, the most ever at any AFCON edition. They have won five games in a row and are one more win away from getting Nigeria’s most wins at an AFCON edition.
It is no surprise that former Super Eagles captain and coach, Sunday Oliseh, had this to say about Chelle’s team: ”The way this Super Eagles have played the last three games is the best I have seen Super Eagles play in 20 years since 2006. You can say Sunday said this. Ask anybody worth his salt as a football analyst to watch our team, and they will tell you.”
I might add, this is the best Nigeria has played in this millennium, and Chelle deserves a new contract.
BACKING OF PLAYERS
One of the traits of being a good leader is for your followers to believe in your abilities, direction, and target. Erstwhile Super Eagles coach, Finidi George, was a manager some Nigerians will never forgive for his handling of the team in his only two games in charge, with rumours of dissent among the big boys.
In Eric Chelle, the team has had no rumours of friction, and for a man who came in with an idea of how he wants his team to play, the players seem to have bought into his idea and are replicating it on the football pitch.
Alex Iwobi has had his best spell playing for the National team, and even his greatest critics have come around. Osimhen is a known warrior on the football pitch, and his promotion to assistant captain has brought about a sense of more responsibilities, while players like Akor Adams, Frank Onyeka, Osayi Samuel, and Bruno Onyemaechi have reached another level under him.
WHY ERIC CHELLE DESERVES A NEW CONTRACT: CONTINUITY SAKE.
Chelle is the fourth man to have handled the Super Eagles after the sacking of Gernot Rohr in 2021. Austin Eguavoen, Jose Peseiro, and Finidi George are the other managers to have managed the team.
Due to CAF’s adjustment of AFCON timing, there will be an AFCON edition in 2027 (Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya) and another edition in 2028 (awaiting host announcement). It is paramount to keep the manager to continue the team’s development under Chelle.
In one year of Chelle’s tenure, he has, with time, learn and made mistakes on the job while trying to imprint his philosophy on the team. Giving the job to a new coach with just a year to a new edition could be a disaster waiting to happen.
I will recommend giving Eric Chelle a two-year contract with an option for another two years, provided the country wins an AFCON title between now and the 2028 edition.