Former chairman of Gombe FA, Gara Gombe, has tagged the newly appointed Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle, as a ‘baby’ coach.
Chelle was named Super Eagles coach after the decision was endorsed by the NFF Executive Committee following a recommendation by its Technical and Development Sub-Committee.
The 47-year-old is a former international player with five caps for the Aiglons of Mali. His coaching résumé includes stints at notable clubs such as GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne, and MC Oran.
Read Also: Green: Chelle Needs Right Environment To Succeed As Eagles Coach
However, speaking with Brila FM, Gombe noted that the NFF has taken Nigerian football backward with Chelle’s appointment.
Who is Chelle? Who knows him? What was his antecedent? Nothing. For goodness sake, all this waiting since AFCON in Ivory Coast, we cannot get a coach.
And we ended up now, after all these years, appointing a kindergarten coach to manage the world-class players that we have. It is really unfortunate.”
19 Comments
To me the coach nff appointed is ok he will do well for the super eagles let him be given free hand to work.
Eric Chelle is a good coach. Whoever is calling him a baby coach do not watch football matches analytically. See what he did with Mali. With him they beat us and you could see a very well coached side. With the Super Eagles he will do much better. But please Nff…do your part. Pay his salary promptly. Show Nigerians you have changed. Pay the outstandings of our players. Time to get really professional.
I think it is unwise to hire Chelle, who was dismissed for poor performance by Mali, as Super Eagles coach. After all these long wait for a foreign top-rated coach for SE, all NFF could get this late is Eric Chelle, whose Mali team was beaten by an average Black stars of Ghana, at their own home in their group World cup qualifier. That actually caused his sack as he put a good Mali side WCQ in jeopardy. Nigeria should as well keep Austine Eguavoen or hire a local coach for the SE.
I totally agree with you some journalist are saying the nff did not do well in aopointing him if he starts performing well it’s the same people that will praise the coach and nff
Stop sounding like a spoiled brat
I don’t agree with you Mr Gombe.
This is the only time I’ve seen the NFF come out with a great decision. Eric Chelle is a good coach. He is what super eagles needs now and I see him qualify our dear super eagles to the world cup.
Bloody hell, already the idiots are chatting crap about the new coach.
Haters are gonna chat. They all can go suck themselves.
When Mali sacked him after the last-second 2-1 loss to Ghana at home in the WCQ, the players protested and demanded his reinstatement. It’s not every day you see foreign pros insisting on a coach after a sack; there must be something to him.
Mind you, his record with Mali was 20 matches, 13 wins, 5 draws, and 3 losses (2 of which were last-minute goals – the Ghana match and CIV match at the Afcon).
When the Mali FA realized they made a mistake, they tried to reappoint him, but by then, the NFF had started courting Chelle, which excited him more.
NFF has said he will handle the home-based team at the CHAN tournament starting February 1, assisted by Ogunmodede and Ilechukwu.
The good thing is that fans and the SE players can start assessing his technical abilities at the competition. I’m sure NFF are expecting him to win the competition.
So let’s keep our fingers crossed and stay glued to the CHAN in about 2 weeks. Work has started before the WCQ proper in mid-March.
Thanks so much for this sir you nailed it well the people criticizing it will be the same people that will praise when his performing well.
I support the New coach 100 percent, since Austin Equavoen took over the S.E eagles can you pls remind one match that we played that you say we played well with tactical discipline. most of our coaches have not gone out to acquire more tactical knowledge of the game to be able to compete on the international stage at the senior level. check out all our clubs competing in the CAF champions league and CAF confederation league, where do we get to in the past 15yrs on this stage. the only coach I can say or talk about is SAMSON SIASIA but he has been out of coach for a while so he need to start from club coaching to show he still has what it takes to handle the EAGLES. but for now ERIC is the best we can get and I support him. let our coaches go out and acquire more knowledge about the game in Europe and in the US by going to understudy coaches in countries like England, Spain, Germany, Holland etc to be avle to compete with the best.
Thanks so much for this sir you nailed it well the people criticizing it will be the same people that will praise when his performing well.
You are welcome the new coach of the super eagles. Nff must provide the enabling environment for the new technical adviser to succeed.
He needs our support. Invitation of players must be based on merit and current form.
Nff also has to organise friendly matches for the super eagles so as to text new players that are currently doing well in Europe and Nigeria.
This guy is not bad. I saw is technicality at AFCON. Just unlucky to loose against CIV. Let see what he can do with Eagles
His record with Mali is impressive. He reminds one of a certain Stephen Keshi who achieved greatness with the SuperEagles after coaching Mali.
His Mali team at the AFCON played good football they were just unlucky against CIV in the quarterfinals. He must’ve learned valuable experiences from those loses against Ghana and CIV.
With the SuperEagles he has always wanted to coach the team. Starting from the CHAN tournament let’s see how well he can improve the team.
The CHAN is a good playing field to get his hands dirty with Nigeria. Wishing you all the best our French Malian tactician.
I am very satisfied with Eric because he is very sound technically and tactically and his man management ability is fantastic.
Chelle is far better than the half-baked foreign coaches NFF used to hire.
He is very young and experienced.
He has been exposed to African football and club football.
Plus, he is an African, which means he’s at home, and he will want to do something unique by winning the Afcon and going far at the World Cup even if he can’t win it.
But the downside of the matter is the NFF Ajewomasan. If Chelle is properly managed, I believe he has what it takes to deliver.
Fellow Nigerians, you all know that I have been serving you all for so long, and I can not let you down, right?
So, let’s give Eric Chelle a chance. You people will thank God on my behalf as time goes on kę.
I believe we can still qualify for the World Cup if the NFF do the right things to help the players and the coaching crew. Hmmm. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Iyẹn Lẹnu ọmọ9ja! Abi mon la ala ni??
He was Robbed at Afcon that was why he collapsed. He will do great things with Nigeria just that NFF and this local home based they want to force on him is unwise.
I think the appointment of Eric Chelle ticks all the right boxes for the NFF
1. is better than all the Nigerian local coaches (including ex internationals)
2. he was the most impressive African coach in the last Nations cup
3. He is a coach they should be able to pick is bill
4. he will stay in Nigeria and monitor the local league (though i feel it is a waste of time)
5. I think he will not weep sentiments in his selection.
all i can say for now is welcome, lets support him and hope for the best
AUSTIN EGUAVOEN
PLAYED 5 GAMES
WON 2 NOT CONVINCINGLY
DRAW 2 WITH LOWER FOOTBALL COUNTRIES
LOSS 1 AGAINST LESS GOOTBALL COUNTRY
AND YET SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING HE IS DOING WITH THE CALIBER OF PLAYERS IN OUR SQUARD.
SOME TALK OR MAKE OPINION JUST FOR MAKING SAKE
ERIC CHELLE WITH MALI
PLAYED 21 GAMES
WON 13
DRAW 5
LOSS 3
THINK AND MAKE FINDING BEFORE COMMENTING PLS.