The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau (MON), has provided fresh insight into the future of Super Eagles coach Eric Sekou Chelle, describing him as an integral part of the national team project.
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Speaking on the matter, Gusau revealed that the federation has held several discussions with Chelle and assured Nigerians that clarity on his role will be communicated in due course.
“Eric is part of the team much more than many think. We have spoken with him on this on several occasions. With time, we will let Nigerians know what we have for him,” Gusau said.
The NFF president also addressed the federation’s broader plans for integrating young players into the national team setup, explaining that scheduling conflicts had disrupted preparations ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
According to him, the NFF had planned to organise friendly matches prior to AFCON to properly assess emerging talents, but the playoff fixtures clashed with proposed dates, limiting opportunities for such tests.
“We intended to inculcate some of these young players into the team, which was why we had a plan for friendly games before AFCON to test them properly.
However, because of the playoffs which clashed with the dates, we couldn’t have as many friendlies as expected,” Gusau explained.
He further noted that it would be unrealistic for a coach to introduce inexperienced players directly into a major tournament without adequate assessment.
“A coach can’t just throw a young player into a big tournament like AFCON. That is why, in the nearest window, we are working on organising more test games so the coaches can see more of them play,” he added.
Alhaji Gusau, who also serves as President of WAFU B and a member of the CAF Executive Committee, reiterated the NFF’s commitment to long-term planning and sustainable development of Nigerian football.
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