Super Eagles’ coach, Eric Sekou Chelle has received a reel of high marks from the president of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, who said he is impressed with how the gaffer has handled the team.
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Sports247 reports that Gusau was excited seeing the Eagles emerge in third place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, and attributed Nigeria’s latest podium finish to Chelle’s tactical acumen.
Though the NFF boss stopped short of declaring that Chelle would get a contract extension, he added that Nigeria’s football authorities will have to look into the issue of continuity and start early plans for the next AFCON.
Gusau stated, “The NFF is proud of the team’s campaign and will continue to do its best to encourage, support and motivate the team as we go forward.
“As the head of a hard-working technical crew, Mr. Chelle has done exceedingly well within the one year he has been with us.
“He has shown enormous capacity and we will continue to work with him. The journey to the next AFCON starts immediately.”
The football supremo went on to admit that the Eagles could not eventually reach the final as was hoped by all Nigerians, but quickly interjected that AFCON 2025 is in the past and attention must now shift towards qualifiers for the next edition.
Gusau added, “We do not have the luxury of time to continue dwelling on what we have done here. We must set to work immediately.
“For now, we are excited about the squad that we have. Remember also that a couple of very good players missed the tournament as a result of injury.”
Statistics provided by the NFF’s information department about Chelle’s one-year-tenure with the Eagles revealed that the 48-year-old Franco-Malian tactician was in charge of 18 competitive matches, and lost none.
The report noted in part, “From a no-hope situation, he steered the Eagles to stand a chance of qualification for the World Cup on the final day of the qualifying series, and ultimately got a Playoff ticket.
“Progress was halted via a penalty shootout, which also botched a Final appearance at the AFCON, but it was also the same route the team took in clinching a 9th AFCON bronze medal at the Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca on Saturday.
“Chelle guided Nigeria to its highest-ever tally of 14 goals in a single AFCON, with the team unbeaten in regulation time in any of its seven matches, and showing class and character in games against fellow continental powerhouses.”
