Eric Chelle Gets Endorsement From Super Eagles Star To Succeed As Head Coach
- Umar Sadiq has strongly backed Eric Chelle to succeed as head coach of the Super Eagles following his appointment
- The Malian has been given the mandate to qualify Nigeria for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a poor start in the qualifiers
- Chelle has signed a two-year contract with the Nigeria Football Federation, with an option for a one-year extension
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Super Eagles forward Umar Sadiq has expressed his firm belief in the success of newly appointed head coach, Eric Chelle.
The 47-year-old tactician was appointed by the Nigerian Football Federation to rescue Nigeria’s World Cup hopes after a sluggish start in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
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According to ESPN, Chelle made history as the first non-Nigerian African to coach the Super Eagles after taking up the role from Austine Eguavoen who was in temporary charge of the team.
The Malian’s appointment has been met with much criticism as some Nigerians complained he lacked the experience to handle a team as vast and successful as the Super Eagles.
His coaching experience included stints at GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne, and MC Oran. He was appointed Mali's head coach in 2022, and he led the team to within a minute of reaching the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals.
Umar Sadiq backs Chelle for success
Sadiq is confident that Chelle’s appointment marks the beginning of a successful journey for the Super Eagles whose hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup hangs in the balance.
The former Real Sociedad forward claimed the 47-year-old former Malu head coach has a wealth of skills to bring to the Super Eagles.
Sadiq also believes that Chelle’s leadership and strategic approach will help mould the Super Eagles into a team capable of achieving major success.
“You can see what he did in the last AFCON. Everyone was thinking that Mali were also among the favourites,” Sadiq was quoted by Daily Post.
“You can see how they played. They were so good but they got knocked out in the quarterfinals because sometimes it is not the best that wins.
“But I can tell you, I watched a lot of games of Mali because I have a teammate there. And you can see how they play. You can see the coach (Chelle) has a lot of things.”
Chelle’s first official game in charge of the Super Eagles will be the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying game against Rwanda in March.
Chelle’s selection plan for Super Eagles
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a source close to the new Super Eagles manager, Eric Chelle, has shared that the player selection process for the forthcoming international window would be extensively scrutinised and completely merit-based.
The insider emphasised that the 47-year-old tactician is dedicated to keeping the highest professional standards while picking players to represent Nigeria.
While Chelle has boldly stated why he believes he is the best candidate to head the Super Eagles, sceptics and doubters have been equally vocal in their concerns.
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Source: Legit.ng
