On Jan. 7, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced Éric Chelle’s appointment as the new head coach of the Nigerian Super Eagles.
Chelle, a former Mali international, played for clubs like Lens, Valenciennes and Chamois Niortais in France before coaching several lower-division clubs.
In 2022, he was appointed head coach of the Malian national team and led them to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Chelle took over from Augustine Eguavoen, who served on an interim basis after the departure of Jose Peseiro.
However, football enthusiasts greeted his appointment with mixed reactions.
Those in support of his choice as Eagles’ head coach pointed to his accomplishment with the Malian national team, where he introduced an attacking style of play.
To pessimists, on the other hand, Chelle’s profile did not match the kind of head coach a star-studded Super Eagles team requires to succeed.
Nevertheless, after his unveiling and tour of players’ clubs in Europe, supporters and critics alike agreed to give the new Eagles handler a chance.
During his unveiling, Chelle vowed to introduce an attacking mentality to the team and emphasised the importance of scoring, but his primary task is to guide the team towards qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Before his appointment, the Eagles were languishing in fifth position with three points in Group C, which also comprises South Africa, Rwanda, Benin Republic, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.
In his first match in charge against Rwanda, which the Super Eagles won 2:0, football fans praised Chelle for his tactical ingenuity.
They said his impact reflected in his formation and the way his players performed individually and as a team.
Sports writer, Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele said, “Nigeria’s head coach Chelle set up his side in an aggressive 4-4-2 formation in the first half, encouraging his team to press high and suffocate Rwanda’s build-up play.
“The decision paid dividends, as Nigeria dominated possession and forced errors in dangerous areas — one of which led directly to Osimhen’s second goal.”
Unfortunately, the Super Eagles were forced to a disappointing 1-1 draw against the Warriors of Zimbabwe in the Matchday 6 World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
The result has compounded their situation and has all but dashed their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, to be jointly hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Here are lessons from Super Eagles’ two matches under Chelle:
Tactical contrasts between Rwanda and Zimbabwe games
Although he retained the same starting lineup for the match against Zimbabwe as the one he used against Rwanda, some enthusiasts said he should have switched tactics when the game was not going as planned.
Having managed to open scoring through Victor Osimhen’s well-placed header in the 73rd minute, questions were asked about his game management abilities and why he couldn’t see the game through.
Popular social media influencer, Japhet Omojuwa, faulted Chelle’s substitution choices.
“1-0 up, main striker going out in the 88th or 89th minute; must-win game, do you bring another striker or do you play to close shop?”
He noted that even before the forced substitution, Zimbabwe were exploiting spaces.
“Today’s game was a coaching issue – inclusive of other poor calls, but today isn’t the whole story,” he wrote.
Improved passion and team unity
Before Chelle’s appointment, there were obvious divisions within the ranks of the Super Eagles.
During Eguavoen’s caretaker stay, former Eagles player, Chikelue Iloenyosi, said that the team lacked character.
During pre-match conferences against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, the team captain, William Ekong, emphasised the importance of unity among players.
Also, photos and videos from the Eagles’ camps in Kigali and Uyo showed players and officials bonding – a sign, some football enthusiasts say, of a united group.
2026 World Cup kissed goodbye?
The Super Eagles are now fourth on the Group C table with seven points in six games; with four matches left, the maximum points they can garner is 18.
Mathematically, it is still possible for the team to clinch a ticket to the 2026 World Cup; however, the task is daunting, especially with the Matchday 8 away game against table-toppers South Africa.
Enthusiasts, who regret missed chances, said if Nigeria had won the game against Zimbabwe, the Eagles would have been second in the group, thereby bolstering their qualification chances.
“I thought we would score goals in the first half and win the match. We made some mistakes and Zimbabwe equalised.
“We had a lot of chances to score goals, but the chances were not utilised well,” Chelle admitted.
Nigerians are now hoping that FIFA and the Confederation of African Football will sanction South Africa for fielding Teboho Mokoena in their Matchday 5 encounter against Lesotho.
Focus on winning AFCON
There are football analysts who believe that Nigeria is in another football golden era, with the quality of players at the disposal of the coach.
Even Zimbabwe’s coach, Michael Nees, attested to it in his pre-match news conference.
“Nigeria in attack is definitely in the top five in the world.
“Top five in the world when you look at the players that they have at their disposal, it’s massive,” he said.
Some enthusiasts say, rather than chasing a “lost cause” 2026 World Cup, the coach should focus on winning the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be hosted by Morocco.
“For me, Nigeria are out of the World Cup qualification; it will take a miracle to make it; I want the coach to focus on AFCON, where we can go one better by lifting the trophy.
“We narrowly missed it the last time and with the crop of players we are parading; this is our time to win it,” a supporter said.
As the permutations and prayers heat up, some football aficionados are still upbeat that Super Eagles will grab a slot in the 2026 mundial.(NANFeatures)
