Eric Chelle Breaks Silence on Claims He Used Back Door Connections To Get Super Eagles Job

• Eric Chelle has denied rumours of utilizing connections to onshore the Super Eagles occupation earlier this year
• The 47-year-old Malian tactician claims helium went done the afloat NFF exertion and interrogation process for the role
• Chelle’s coaching resume includes Mali’s nationalist squad and notable stints successful French football

Super Eagles caput manager Eric Chelle has publically dismissed speculation that helium secured his relation with Nigeria’s elder nationalist squad done behind-the-scenes power oregon idiosyncratic connections.

Chelle, who replaced Augustine Eguavoen aft the latter’s interim relation during Nigeria’s palmy 2025 AFCON qualification campaign, stated that his recruitment was based purely connected merit.

Eric Chelle has refuted claims helium was appointed arsenic Super Eagles manager by the NFF done his connections and not connected merit. Photo by Sia Kambou
Source: Getty Images

Speaking to CANAL+ SPORT Afrique, the Franco-Malian tactician revealed that helium applied done the ceremonial process advertised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and underwent the indispensable interviews similar each different candidate.

“When I near the Malian team, determination was a telephone for applications from the NFF, from the Nigerian Federation, and truthful I applied similar immoderate different coach, and past the interrogation came. ““We were successful discussions since earlier then. It took a while, but past it accelerated. It was precise very fast, possibly that’s wherefore it made a large buzz there, but nary no nary erstwhile again I was aligned connected what I wanted to do,” Chelle said.

Chelle further shared that helium presented a broad shot imaginativeness and tactical program to the NFF during a coaches’ conference, which aligned with the federation’s ambitions for the Super Eagles.

Eric Chelle’s NFF mandate

Upon Chelle’s assignment arsenic Super Eagles coach, the NFF tasked Chelle with the dual work of restoring Nigeria's dominance successful African shot and ensuring beardown performances connected the planetary stage.

Eric Chelle being consoled by Super Eagles players aft Nigeria's disappointing 1-1 gully against Zimbabwe successful Uyo. Photo credit: @PoojaMedia
Source: Twitter

His archetypal large duty is to usher the Super Eagles to occurrence astatine the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations successful Morocco.

In summation to winning AFCON oregon astatine slightest reaching the final, Chelle is expected to suffice Nigeria for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and beforehand beyond the Round of 16—an accomplishment that has eluded the squad since 2014.

Nigeria hazard missing back-to-back FIFA World Cups aft a mediocre commencement successful the qualifiers that has seen the three-time African champions triumph conscionable 1 retired of six games played truthful far, arsenic seen connected FIFA.com.

The NFF has besides emphasised younker improvement and tactical subject nether his leadership, hoping Chelle can physique a squad that blends Nigeria’s accepted flair with modern shot intelligence.

Chelle’s coaching travel and way record

Before landing the Nigerian job, Eric Chelle had a decent coaching résumé.

The 47-year-old tactician antecedently served arsenic caput manager of the Mali nationalist team, wherever helium guided the Eagles to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, winning praise for Mali's tactical setup and resilience.

Prior to his planetary experience, Chelle worked with FC Martigues and US Boulogne successful France, processing a estimation for nurturing young endowment and implementing coagulated antiaircraft structures.

With a wide absorption and the NFF's backing, Chelle present faces 1 of African football’s astir high-pressure roles, and he’s anxious to beryllium the doubters incorrect aft being fixed the mandate to suffice Nigeria for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

How Chelle astir missed the Nigerian job

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Eric Chelle has shared however helium initially missed retired connected the Nigeria job successful 2024.

The erstwhile Boulogne manager added that his little stint with MC Oran came with an understanding—he was escaped to permission should a bigger accidental arise.

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck retired quality that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” artifact connected the location leafage and enjoy!

Source: Legit.ng