Nigerians Voice Concerns After NFF Names Eric Sekou Chelle As New Super Eagles Coach

Nigerians Voice Concerns After NFF Names Eric Sekou Chelle As New Super Eagles Coach

  • Nigerians are having mixed feelings over the appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle as the new Super Eagles coach
  • The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed Chelle’s appointment on Tuesday after months of searching for a new manager
  • The Super Eagles have been without a permanent manager since the resignation of Finidi George in June 2024

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.

Chelle, who was formerly coach of Mali, was confirmed as the successor to Finidi George on Tuesday, 7 January, and is expected to salvage Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup hopes after a poor start in the qualifiers.

NFF, Super Eagles, Nigeria, Mali, AFCON
The NFF has appointed former Mali coach Eric Sekou Chelle as the new Super Eagles coach. Photo by Sia Kambou
Source: Getty Images

According to ESPN, Finidi walked away from the Super Eagles job after only a month in charge of the national team after failing to earn a single competitive game during his spell as coach.

The 47-year-old manager, who won five caps for the Eagles of Mali, guided the team to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations before moving to Algeria to manage league side MC Oran.

Read also

Newly appointed Super Eagles coach to arrive Nigeria with three assistants

Chelle’s appointment is with immediate effect, and he has the responsibility of guiding the Super Eagles to earn a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, with the next round of matches taking place in March.

How Nigerians reacted to Chelle’s appointment

Chelle’s appointment as Super Eagles coach has been greeted with mixed feelings among Nigerians as some has questioned the rationale behind the NFF appointing the former Mali manager as Nigeria’s coach.

Some Nigerians took to social media to air their opinion about the appointment of the new coach with many expressing their concerns if he could possibly be the ideal manager for the Super Eagles.

@Sports_Doctor2 tweeted:

“What criteria does the NFF use when they're hiring a manager for the Super Eagles?
Do these guys look at the type of players we have and know we need a very good and experienced hand to handle such high calibre players”

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Kickbacks among 6 factors that could lead to Eric Chelle's failure as Super Eagles Coach

@PoojaMedia called for Nigerians to support the new coach:

“Time to support the new coach of the Super Eagles.”

@iSlimfit had a funny reaction to Chelle’s appointment.

“Incase you’re wondering who Eric Chelle, the new coach of the Super Eagles 🦅 🇳🇬is…”

@_AsiwajuLerry also saw the funny side to Chelle’s appointment as the Super Eagles coach.

“The man in this iconic meme from the last AFCON is the new Super Eagles Coach”

Chelle has a rich pedigree and his understanding of African football could be the main reason the NFF decided to appoint the former Mali coach to lead the Super Eagles.

Former Mali boss gets Super Eagles job

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the NFF has reportedly appointed Eric Sekou Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles, marking a significant step forward for the national team.

Read also

AFCON 2023 star becomes first Super Eagles player to react after Eric Chelle's appointment as coach

Before taking on the Super Eagles job, Chelle worked in the French lower divisions, honing his tactical and managerial skills.

In 2022, he was appointed head coach of Mali and led the team to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Chukwu Ikechukwu avatar

Chukwu Ikechukwu (Sports Editor) Chukwu Ikechukwu Godwin is a seasoned sports journalist with over a decade of experience across radio, TV, and online media. His career has seen him contribute his expertise to prominent media outlets such as Today FM, Wish FM, Silverbird Communications, and Sports Brief. Chukwu earned his Bachelor's degree in Agriculture from the University of Port Harcourt in 2016. Email: Chukwu.ikechukwu@corp.legit.ng