Former Super Eagles and Paris Saint-Germain defender Godwin Okpara has called for Éric Chelle to be given greater freedom to build the Nigerian national team, warning that interference in player selection could ultimately hurt performances and results.
Chelle has introduced several emerging players into the Super Eagles setup as Nigeria begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Madagascar in Uyo on Friday.
Okpara believes the changes should be viewed as part of the coach’s attempt to build a competitive squad rather than criticised simply because some of the names are unfamiliar.
“We have to support the coach and allow him to pick the players he wants,” Okpara said.
The former PSG defender stressed that if Chelle is ultimately responsible for results, he must also have significant control over the football decisions that produce those results.
For Okpara, however, that freedom must be accompanied by one important principle — selection on merit.
“Anybody who merits a call-up should be given the opportunity,” he said, arguing that reputation or outside influence should not determine who represents Nigeria.
Chelle’s latest squad illustrates his attempt to combine established internationals with a younger generation. First-time invitees Isaac James, George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor were included alongside experienced players such as Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Ademola Lookman.
The coach has gone even further with the squad selected for Nigeria’s October friendly against Russia, using the fixture to assess a wider pool of emerging players.
Okpara believes experimentation is necessary if Nigeria are to develop a stronger team but warned that outside interference could undermine the process.
“If you interfere with the coach’s selection and things don’t go well, you will still blame the coach,” he said.
With Nigeria looking to recover from the disappointment of missing the 2026 World Cup, Okpara’s position is straightforward.
Give Chelle the freedom to make his selections, demand that places are earned on merit and then judge the coach by the results his choices produce.
