Former Super Eagles midfielder Duke Udi has urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to appoint a dedicated head coach for the Olympic Eagles, while supporting Eric Chelle’s expanded role as a technical supervisor across Nigeria’s national teams.
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The former Nigeria international believes Chelle’s growing influence within the national team structure is a positive step but warned that combining the responsibilities of the Super Eagles and U-23 national team could overstretch the Franco-Malian tactician.
The NFF recently expanded Chelle’s responsibilities as part of its efforts to strengthen coordination across the national teams following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Eric Chelle should play an advisory role across all the national teams, but the Olympic Eagles need a coach who is fully focused on that team,” Udi said.
The former Grasshoppers, FC Zürich and Shooting Stars midfielder argued that having a dedicated U-23 coach would ensure proper player monitoring, talent development and continuity, while allowing Chelle to provide technical guidance and maintain a unified football philosophy across the different age-grade teams.
Udi, however, praised the work Chelle has done since taking charge of the Super Eagles, describing his early impact as encouraging and deserving of continued support.
“I congratulate him on the additional responsibility because he has done well so far with the Super Eagles. But every national team should still have its own coach to ensure maximum attention and development,” he added.
The Olympic Eagles are expected to begin preparations for upcoming international assignments as Nigeria continues its efforts to rebuild its national team structure across all age-grade levels, with Chelle’s expanded role remaining a key talking point among football stakeholders.
