Football - Nigeria: Eric Chelle is most wanted

A new dimension in the air
When he was coach of Mali, the principles of Eric Chelle’s game already appealed to more than one. At the head of the Eagles, the Malian coach advocated a football based on possession through a recycling of passes to exhaust the opponent, forced to run behind the ball. Against the playing teams, Mali were also able to raise their level of intensity to stifle the opponent in their first restart. But for his first experience in the African Nations Cup, his casting mistakes cost him dearly in the quarter-finals against Côte d'Ivoire, future African champions, while Mali was just one step away from the final four.

Two years later, Eric Chelle bounced back in a very good way with Nigeria and proved his tactical maturity by adapting to every situation. In the quarter-finals against Algeria (2-0), he put his knowledge of Algerian football to use thanks to his three months at the head of MC Oran, to tactically thwart Vladimir Petkovic’s plans. 

Permanent adaptability

"I had the chance to coach six months in Algeria (three months actually, editor’s note). So, I discovered even more Algerian football. The Algerian footballer, I know he is a technical player. He is a player who wants to do all his exercises with the ball. Algerian fans, they get their kicks when their team keeps the ball. So I know that I will have a team in front, technically, if I let them play, we will take the lightning. So, I take part in putting a sick intensity on them," 

revealed Eric Chelle on Monday evening on RMC.

In the semi-final, Chelle also readjusted against a Morocco with more technical assets than his Nigeria. Even if they did not succeed in making the defense of the Atlas Lions who had conceded only one goal until the last quarter-finals (against Mali), Nigeria also did not conceded, thus confirming their defensive solidity acquired from the eighth final (4-0 against Mozambique) while the Super Eagles were always conceding at least one goal per match, especially from the hour of play when they decreased in intensity.

Eric Chelle has grown in maturity over the competition and his team was one of the best at the AFCON 2025 that the Super Eagles finished in third position, beating Egypt (4-2) in the classification match.

Eric Chelle is a big dreamer
If he dreams of coaching Real Madrid, it is because he is aware of the concern he receives on the market. After a successful African Cup of Nations at the head of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle naturally arouses the envy of several countries. Tunisia was one of the first countries to which the name of the 48-year-old technician was associated. Finally, the FTF opted for a former international in the person of Sabri Lamouchi. 

Then, there was Gabon and Angola. The Panthers need a coach with founding principles to relaunch a team that is experiencing generational renewal and wants to approach its transition with a seasoned tactician on the continent, young and able to lead the new generation after the departure of Thierry Mouyouma. 

Arrived on the bench of Nigeria in January 2025, Eric Chelle signed a two-year contract (until January 2027) and has a satisfactory record of 12 wins, 5 draws and 2 defeats in 19 games with 36 goals scored for 15 conceded. At the AFCON 2025, the Malian also fulfilled his contract. 

"We achieved a very good performance, both on and off the field. My contract set the semi-finals as a goal, and I believe we achieved it. But honestly, the players and I wanted to win this cup,"

 he said on RMC’s airwaves.

Chelle federated the locker room and brilliantly managed to manage the wars of ego like that between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman in the eighth final against Mozambique, by refusing to speak publicly about it. Eric Chelle protected his dressing room and won the hearts of his executives like Wilfred Ndidi who publicly called for his continuity at the head of the national team. 

“To ensure continuity, I think the NFF should keep the coach, because he is an excellent manager. The only thing we need now is continuity, and not trying to change things now because we haven’t reached the final,"

 said the midfielder of Besiktas in the ESPN columns last January.

Adding that « We need to focus on the upcoming competitions, there are so many games to play, and on the team right now. I am proud of this group of players. Everything has been going wonderfully for a long time, and it’s thanks to the coach and the future leaders of the team. I am very proud of the work accomplished by this team; we have achieved great things in this competition.

A position shared by former Super Eagles who no longer want to see the national team fall back into chronic post- 2023 AFCON instability with a round trip from the favorite Swiss knife of the NFF, Augustine Eguavoen and a lightning passage from George Finidi, ex-deputy of José Peseiro. And the NFF visibly listened to their cries.

According to the local media Vanguard News, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has validated the idea of an extension of Eric Chelle at the head of the Super Eagles. The Nigerian Federation (NFF) must now reach an agreement with the Malian to renew his lease. But in a very unstable Nigerian ecosystem, a departure is not to be excluded for him, especially since the Super Eagles will not go to the World Cup this summer.