Super Eagles to Observe First Training Under Eric Chelle Ahead of 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
- Eric Chelle has finalised plans for his first training session as head coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria
- The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has reportedly approved March 17 as the opening date for the camp, where foreign-based players will join the team.
- Nigeria are set to face Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, followed by a match against Zimbabwe’s Warriors in Uyo four days later
Eric Chelle has set plans in motion to organise his first training session in charge as Super Eagles coach.
The Nigeria Football Federation appointed the Malian on January 7 to take over from interim manager Augustine Eguavoen.
Nigerian players have been exceptional at their respective clubs, currently giving the 47-year-old coach a selection headache.
Source: Getty Images
Details of the training session
The Franco-Malian coach, appointed by the NFF, is tasked with leading Nigeria to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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According to CompleteSports, the first training session will take place in Kigali on March 17.
Super Eagles players are expected to arrive in Kigali from their respective clubs by March 18 latest. The assistant coaches are expected to arrive a day before the players per Completesports.
An NFF official said:
“Chelle’s foreign assistants are also flying directly to Kigali, while his Nigerian assistants and backroom staff, along with a home-based goalkeeper, will depart on March 16, ahead of the players.
We are optimistic that the players will respond positively by arriving early.
“We in the NFF are providing the coach and the team with all the necessary support to ensure we secure maximum points and avenge the AFCON 2025 qualifier loss to Rwanda in Uyo late last year.
Source: Getty Images
Chelle read riot act on Nigeria stars
Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has called on players to display high-level commitment ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.
The former Lens player hinted that only the best players in their respective clubs will be invited to the senior national team to prosecute the qualifying matches per Punch.
He expressed optimism that the Super Eagles will win their remaining matches in Group C.
Super Eagles currently occupy 5th position in Group C on three points from four matches with Rwanda topping with 7 points per ESPN.
Ahmed Musa is coming
Chelle attended the NPFL match between Kano Pillars and Enugu Rangers on Sunday.
The former FC Martigues manager was in the stands as Kano Pillars staged a 2-1 comeback to defeat defending champions Rangers per Dailypost.
The presence of the former CSKA Moscow player has helped Kano Pillars climb to fourth place on the NPFL table with 42 points from 27 games.
Musa is the most capped Nigerian footballer with 110 appearances and his presence in the squad will bring stability ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.
Familiarisation for Chelle
Nigeria journalist Olalekan Kilajolu said the first training exercise will serve as a familiarity session for Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle.
Speaking in an interview with Legit.ng, Kilajolu advised the Malian not to be carried away by the arrays of stars in the squad. He said:
"We expect a whole lot from Chelle during his first training session with the Super Eagles.
"The training is going to be like a familiarization one where the coach gets to have a feel of what the players can offer in a match. The coach should not be carried away by the array of stars in the team rather he should focus on the task ahead.
"We expect him to emphasise the need of how important these matches are to the entire nation. It's not just about the players and the coach now, but the over 200 million Nigerians who want to see their darling team qualify for the World Cup.
"So we expect a lot more from him during his first training".
Aribo and Onuachu are back
Legit.ng earlier reported that Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has stake steps to bring back the duo of Joe Aribo and Paul Onuachu.
Chelle recently travelled across Europe to meet with Nigerian players, discussing his strategies and expectations for the upcoming matches.
The manager assured them that they remain key figures in his plans and expressed confidence that their experience will be vital in securing maximum points in the upcoming fixtures.
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Source: Legit.ng
