Former Super Eagles Star Warns Eric Chelle To Deliver 2026 World Cup Ticket or Face Sack
- Eric Chelle has been warned of his impending sack as Super Eagles coach on one condition
- The Malian tactician was recently appointed as Super Eagles coach by the Nigeria Football Federation
- Chelle has penned a two-year deal with the NFF and has been mandated to qualify Nigeria for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Eric Chelle’s appointment as Super Eagles coach is still raising concerns among former players of the national team as many are unconvinced of his pedigree to lead the Nigeria squad.
The 47-year-old Malian, who has been handed a two-year contract, was unveiled by the Nigeria Football Federation on Monday amid high expectations with a World Cup target attached to his deal.
Source: Twitter
According to the BBC, an NFF spokesperson disclosed that Chelle has been tasked with the responsibility of guiding the Super Eagles to earn a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
The three-time African champions are yet to win a game in the World Cup qualifiers, having drawn three of their first four Group C games.
The Super Eagles are four points behind group leaders Rwanda and will travel to Kigali to face the Wasps before facing bottom-place Zimbabwe in the next round of games in March.
Chelle warned of consequences of World Cup failure
Meanwhile, former Nigeria defender Sylvanus Okpala has warned Eric Chelle of what awaits him if he fails to qualify the Super Eagles for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in USA, Mexico, and Canada.
NFF President Ibrahim Gusau is confident in the newly appointed coach and disclosed during his unveiling in Abuja that the Malian is capable of salvaging Nigeria’s World Cup ambitions.
However, Okpala has warned Chelle he could face the sack if he fails to pick up the World Cup ticket for Nigeria as he claims the 47-year-old must bear full responsibility for the team’s failures.
“NFF has every right if that’s the coach they want, but he has to qualify us for the World Cup. If he doesn’t do that, he has failed. Okplala told Brila.net
“Nigeria cannot afford not to go to the World Cup for the second time. It will be very disastrous for Nigerian football. It’s becoming difficult, but it is not impossible, there is still room with six games left.
“So later, they shouldn’t come with the excuse that things had already gone wrong before his appointment because they would have waited until after the qualifiers to appoint him.”
Chelle’s deal with the NFF includes an option for a one-year contract extension if he secures the much-coveted World Cup ticket.
Key things Chelle must change in Super Eagles
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that despite the mounting pressure, Eric Chelle appears undeterred and seems to have a clear understanding of the task at hand as Super Eagles coach.
The Super Eagles' defence has historically been a weak point, with opposition sides frequently finding ways to expose Nigeria's backline, despite the level of players managed by numerous coaches.
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Amaju Pinnick explains why Nigeria must qualify for 2026 World Cup after Chelle's unveiling
Another area the new Super Eagles gaffer may need to focus on is the way they conduct their attacking play.
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Source: Legit.ng
