When the NFF announced that Eric Chelle had been appointed as Super Eagles Manager, it was greeted with mixed reactions. On one hand there were the Patriots/Xenophobes/Nationalists/idealists (take your pick) that opined that if we were to recruit an African, then it should have been a Nigerian. On the other hand there were those who suggested that he was a good compromise between cost, qualifications and will.
That the N.F.F months to make their mind up is another angle that fuelled the narrative “you took all this time, saw himin July 2024, also threw up names of managers in Germany, Portugal etc and this is who you came up with six months later”? A lesson in indecisiveness that only serves to lift and then dash the hopes of a football loving nation.
We now have Eric Sekou Chelle, but who is he? He is a football manager who recently managed the Malian National team, Born in the Ivory Coast on the 11th of November 1977 to a French father and Malian mother. He played professional football for various clubs in France, the most notable club being Lens in the French Ligue 1.
Eric also managed club football in France with club US Boulogne in the 3rd division being the last appointment before being tapped up to manage the Malian national team. He then went on to manage Oran FC in Algeria before the job with the Nigeria Football Association was handed to him.
What to expect from him. All reports state that he is an attack minded coach which plays to the strength of the Super Eagle who are seen as having a very potent attack force with back to back CAF players of the year in Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, supported by a stellar cast of options all playing in the top 5 leagues to a very good standard. He also favours a strong middfield, which also bodes well for one of the areas in need of improvement. The various Super Eagles managers over the years have had the backbone of the midfield: Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi supported by an ever revolving cast of players from across the leagues. If he can get this balance right it will only bode well for the team.
All in all, we have over the past few weeks seen positive moves by the coach, from watching the CHAN team in training, to visiting senior team members across Europe. Wholesale changes to the squad are not expected nor required and could indeed be counterproductive, upsetting the harmony in the squad, for this is a team that got to the final of AFCON losing to the hosts and only need one further step to become winners for the fourth time. The world cup qualification which is a more imminent priority, however, presents no margin for error. We need to pick up maximum points away against Rwanda on the 21st of March 2025 and at home against Zimbabwe on the 25th of March 2025, anything else is unthinkable, at the same time hope that our rivals for qualification (Rwanda, Benin Republic, South Africa and Lesotho – I know right??) also drop points.
All in all, what is required is just simple tweaks in the squad makeup, devoid of interference or “slots”, tweaks in the starting lineups and bench selection, based on merit, tactical discipline from the squad and players, utilising the right match strategy and game management. Just doing the simple things right, not trying to be too clever or smart and we should walk away with the six points required.
It is not rocket science and shouldn’t be made to look like it is
Nigeria Football 360 