‘Insult To Our Local Coaches,’ Nigerians React To Eric Chelle’s Appointment As Super Eagles Coach
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has named former Lens defender Eric Sekou Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.
The announcement, made on Tuesday, marks the beginning of what is hoped to be a transformative chapter for Nigeria’s national football team ahead of a challenging World Cup qualifiers.
Chelle, 47, comes with a wealth of experience, having played in French football and managed the Malian national team.
His tactical acumen and international exposure are expected to bolster the Super Eagles as they prepare for a crucial phase in their campaign.
The immediate task ahead for Eric Chelle will be Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with key matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe slated for March.
However, his appointment has been met with mixed reactions from fans and football analysts.
While some see his arrival as an opportunity for fresh ideas, others have criticised the timing and selection process.
On X (formerly Twitter), a chunk of Nigerian football enthusiasts expressed their dissatisfaction, citing concerns about the suitability of Chelle for the role.
Many, on the other hand, remain cautiously optimistic about his potential to deliver results.
@ikechiviroo wrote: “In the history of a Nigerian football ,Nigerian has never hired an African coach to coach the super eagles what happened to amunike or even leave eguavon there even Samson siasia has a better profile than this guy , this @thenff is the worst set ever.”
@oluwaremedies asked: “@thenff Are you people serious? Is it a must to hire a foreigner? So, no Nigerian is better than this man? Or una don put am under unasefs to collect discount from him? Nah. Eagles will respect any ex-Eagles or a Naija coach than this recordless coach.”
@SopuruEgbodo said: “This is an insult to the thousands of qualified Nigerian coaches we have at home.
Let’s see how this their experiment goes. You’re paying a Mali coach €50,000 but can’t pay home based coaches up to ₦30million.”
@iamt_hansom charged the new coach, saying, “We have great squad to dominate African football and do amazing things at the world stage. Welcome Eric, no excuse, go and smash it otherwise you will be shown the exit door Asapu.”
@ajiboyjoe stated: “To hire a good foreign Coach is money. This is what NFF can afford. You guys needs to understand this. Do you know if they’re still owning our current coaches.”
