Julius OkorieAfter arriving Nigeria on Sunday as earlier hinted by Primebusiness.africa, new Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle, is set to be unveiled by the Nigeria Football Federation today at the MKO Abiola National Stadium Abuja.
The event, holding at the Media Conference Room of the stadium is billed for 11 a.m. Top shots of the NFF including its President, Ibrahim Gusau, are expected to grace the occasion.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelChelle’s unveiling follows his recent appointment as the Super Eagles’ Head Coach, a decision made by the NFF less than a week ago.
The unveiling will also serve as an opportunity to introduce Chelle’s coaching assistants.
The Franco-Malian tactician, 47, has faced some skepticism regarding his ability to lead the team. However, NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau, has expressed confidence in Chelle’s potential.
“We understand the passion Nigerians have for football, which has led to mixed reactions about the appointment of Coach Chelle,” Gusau stated in a message shared on the NFF’s website.
“Nonetheless, we urge Nigerians to support him. We believe he possesses the qualities needed to succeed with the Super Eagles, and the NFF will provide him with the necessary backing.”
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Chelle’s immediate assignment will be to join in leading Super Eagles B squad in next month’s African Nations Championship (CHAN), a tournament which Nigeria is yet to win. Should Nigeria win the tournament jointly being hosted by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, he would have scored a first for himself.
Following this, Chelle’s attention will shift to revitalising the Super Eagles’ 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.
The team currently sits fifth in their group, four points behind the leaders, but will look to bounce back in March with a match against Rwanda, followed by a home game against Zimbabwe.
Chelle previously coached Mali’s national team, guiding them to the quarter-finals of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where they narrowly lost to the eventual champions.
A former defender, Chelle earned five caps for Mali and has coached clubs such as GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne, and MC Oran.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
