National Sports Commission Chairman Backs Eric Chelle for Super Eagles Role

The Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has defended the appointment of Eric Chelle as the new coach of the Super Eagles, emphasising his proven record with Mali. Dikko highlighted Chelle’s success with the Malian national team, where he led them to a notable victory over Nigeria in a friendly match.

Dikko stated that Chelle’s vast experience in African football, particularly with Mali, makes him an ideal candidate to take on the Super Eagles job. He also acknowledged the public outcry surrounding the decision, attributing it to Nigeria’s passionate football culture, with many fans expressing opinions on who should manage the national team.

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 “You see, first and foremost, I tell you, it’s normal. There was never a coach that has been appointed in Nigeria that people did not complain. So it’s normal because Nigerians are very passionate about it, and Nigerians always have their own ideas. In football, for example, and sport generally, everybody is a coach, everybody has his own idea. But the validation of getting this coach is that people have tried to take it off the radar for conversation. We have a workout qualifiers that are very dicey, that are very critical. We have three windows to play the qualifiers. There is no any window for friendly match. There is no any window to do any test match. And we are playing, for goodness sake, we are playing African countries. We are playing, I think, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, South Africa, Lesotho, and Benin. Those are core African countries. So the only person that can come at this moment, if you want to get somebody that can bring a fresh thinking to the team, and lead the team, is somebody with the experience of African football. And this coach, for example, is not only a league two veteran or whatever you can call him. No, you should judge him with the work he has done with the national team. Forget about the club. Club football is different, national team is different.”

The NSC chairman noted that Nigeria has a crucial World Cup qualifier ahead and there is no time for friendly matches or test runs. He further pointed out that even top-tier coaches like José Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson would need time to adapt to a new team, a luxury Nigeria cannot afford at this stage.

Dikko also praised Chelle’s record with Mali, having won 14 out of 22 matches, with a strong attacking and defensive record. He believes Chelle’s expertise will be key to guiding the Super Eagles through their upcoming challenges.