Former Super Eagles defender, Ifeanyi Udeze, has criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for appointing Eric Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles, questioning the basis of the Malian coach’s selection.
Speaking on Brila FM’s No Holds Barred program, Udeze expressed disappointment with the NFF’s decision, arguing that Augustine Eguavoen, the former interim coach, has a superior coaching résumé compared to Chelle. He suggested that Chelle accepted the Nigerian role solely to bolster his career profile rather than focus on achieving World Cup qualification for the team.
“A coach Mali sacked for a poor run in the World Cup qualifiers—does he deserve this job?” Udeze asked. “The most annoying part is that Augustine Eguavoen, who was our interim coach, has a better CV than this Eric Chelle. On what grounds was Chelle employed? He took the job to enhance his CV. He doesn’t care whether we qualify for the World Cup or not.”
The NFF had confirmed Chelle’s appointment earlier this week, replacing Eguavoen, who had served as caretaker coach after the dismissal of Finidi George last year.
Chelle, 47, previously led Mali’s national team but was sacked after a series of poor performances in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He now faces the challenge of guiding Nigeria through the remaining qualifiers as the Super Eagles strive to secure a spot in the global tournament.
