Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Alloy Agu has thrown his weight behind the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) decision to extend Eric Chelle’s contract as head coach of the Super Eagles, describing the move as a deserved reward for the Franco-Malian’s early impact on the national team.
The former Nigeria goalkeeping coach believes Chelle has earned the confidence of the federation through his work since taking charge and says the contract extension provides the stability needed to continue building a competitive Super Eagles side.
However, Agu cautioned against giving Chelle full responsibility for the Olympic Eagles, insisting the Super Eagles coach should instead play a supervisory role while a dedicated coach handles the day-to-day management of the U-23 team.
“Eric Chelle deserves the contract extension because of what he has shown so far. Continuity is important if you want a coach to build a successful team,” Agu said.
The debate over Chelle’s expanded responsibilities has divided opinion among Nigerian football stakeholders, with several former internationals calling for separate coaches for the Super Eagles and Olympic Eagles to ensure maximum attention is given to both teams.
Agu believes Chelle’s technical input will still be valuable across the national team structure but warned that managing two teams simultaneously could become counterproductive.
“He can supervise the Olympic Eagles and provide technical direction, but there should be a coach dedicated to working with the U-23 team on a daily basis,” he added.
The former goalkeeper, who served Nigeria for many years both as a player and coach, stressed that creating a strong pathway between the age-grade teams and the senior national team remains essential for the country’s long-term football development.
The discussion over Chelle’s expanded role continues ahead of Nigeria’s upcoming international assignments, with the NFF expected to clarify the structure of the national teams as preparations continue for future competitions.
