The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has endorsed the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for the appointment of Mr. Éric Sékou Chelle as Head Coach of Nigeria’s senior men national football team, Super Eagles.
At its meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, 2nd January 2025, the NFF Technical and Development Sub-Committee had recommended the appointment of former Coach of the senior men national team of Mali as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles. This recommendation was on Tuesday, 7th January endorsed by the NFF Executive Committee.
Chelle, who won five caps for the Aiglons of Mali and coached clubs such as GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne and MC Oran, has been Head Coach of the Aiglons since 2022.
At the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d’Ivoire, Chelle’s Mali came very close to a place in the semi-finals, losing to hosts and eventual winners Cote d’Ivoire 2-1 after extra time, after leading by a lone goal until the final minute of regulation time.
The 47-year-old featured for Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres and Chamois Niortais in France during his playing career.
His appointment is with immediate effect, and he has the responsibility of guiding the Super Eagles to earn a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, with the next round of matches (Matchdays 5 & 6) taking place in March
15 Comments
Is this the messiah coach for super Eagles. We will see how it works out.
Good move by the nff.
One thing I observe about this coach is that this guy really loves to coach Super Eagles. This may serves us good
One of the best decision the NFF has taken. I think he should be given task to qualify for the next Afcon and future World Cup. These World Cup campaign is over, I’m afraid.
This shows that the NFF are ready to deliver for Nigerians. He’s always being my first choice from the onset after his performance at the afcon and also how he tamed us prior to the afcon. Chelle Goodluck and God bless you.
What are the quality of the coach
Please tell me
Can’t stop laughing. Is this the coach to improve the Super eagles, smh
Hmmm. They certainly wanted a young “foreign” coach with African roots and African national teams coaching experience – kind of a mirror of Stephen Keshi back then, who also came from coaching Mali to lead Nigeria to the 2013 Afcon title.
One thing is clear from the last Afcon and the Finidi-handled friendly SE played against his team – This guy is top-class. He transformed the Eagles of Mali within a short time, and CIV/CAF kind of robbed them from advancing to the SF at the Afcon.
Besides, I’ve never seen a Mali team dominate the SE like his team did when a Finidi-tutored SE played them in the last friendly (the same Mali we dismantled 4 – 1 in the 2013 semis).
His Mali team also easily dispatched Hugo Broos’ South Africa 3 – 1 at the Afcon group stage – the same SA team we have huffed and puffed to beat since then, so Broos will be worried about facing him again in the WCQ later this year. Chelle definitely has Broos’ number.
No wonder the Mali players protested his sacking and demanded that their FA reinstate him. However, with Nigeria approaching him not long after, Chelle was reluctant to return to his old job. The SE was obviously a bigger brand and job.
Wish him the best of luck.
Now, who are his assistants? Pinnick already hinted it’s going to be a full-house with the coaching staff, and no stone will be left unturned so Chelle can focus on his core role.
This NFF move shocked me, to be honest. So, their technical committee has such foresight? It is clear they are not ready to lose their job
The move is good.
But there is another big fish to fry: allowances owed the players. After billions last year were given NFF to clear outstanding debts and yet the players are still grumbling, will that not be a silent sabotage for Chelle?
Maybe, NFF is born again. I might hear soon again the players have been paid most of their debts.
When naira still had “head”, NFF didn’t clear the backlog, na now then wan clear am with dollar tripled on the naira them go pay?
Never say never. Nigerians will come for their heads, that is glasshouse, so they’d be doing the needful.
Chelle is good. Attack and defence flair of football brand is what super Eagles need.
Mark my words, He will qualify Nigeria for the world cup
@kel, you failed to.mention his woeful performance in the world cup that led to his sacking..I stand to be corrected though
Yes, @4-4-2, that last-minute goal by Jordan Ayew to hand Ghana a surprise 2 -1 away win in the WCQ was about the only major blight on Chelle’s record and led to his sacking.
Personally, I think it was a fluke Ghana victory cos we all know Ghana has failed to win any match since then and would have been beaten at home by this same Chelle. Mali totally outplayed that in that game, but overconfidence crept in.
In that FIFA friendly window when we played against his team, Finidi beat that same Ghana 2 – 1 but was outplayed 2 – 0 by that same Mali. I think that is the true reflection of the strengths of the team, not that Ghana’s last-second fluke win.
For me, I am so delighted about this appointment….
I was craving for his appointment… this is the first time NFF has done some great selection process….this guy is a loaded weapon waiting to be unleashed… He is solid tactically. He has got a platform to exploit his tactical and managerial skillset….he has been dreaming of having the super eagles to unleash his crafts of the on the continent….
He sees the super eagles as that springboard he has been looking for…. imagine, Lookman, , OSIMHEN, moses Simon, onyemech, Ola Aina, boniface, and the others with such a young and enterprising coach….kudos NFF.
LETS THE GAME STARTS!!!
GREAT MOVE BY THE NFF. WE LIKE THE APPOINTMENT AND GOOD LUCK TO HIM AND THE SUPEREAGLES. HE’S STILL BETTER TACTICALLY AND TECHNICALLY THAN EGUAFAILURE.
I’m sure some people are knocking their head on the wall with this appointment. Lmao! Let them go and jump inside the red sea ko kan aye. Lmao!