Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has admitted he is under pressure to deliver at the Africa Cup of Nations, as the Super Eagles prepare for a decisive round-of-16 showdown against Mozambique in Morocco, Soccernet.ng reports.
Speaking at the official pre-match press conference in Fes ahead of Monday night’s knockout tie, Chelle made clear that the group phase is now behind his team and that the tournament’s true challenge begins here.
What Chelle said ahead of Mozambique game
“This is the end of the group stage,” Chelle stated as monitored by Soccernet.ng.
“Another tournament starts, and we play against Mozambique. The state of the mind of the group is good. This evening we will have the final training session to prepare for the game tomorrow.”
Nigeria, one of Africa’s most decorated football nations, entered the competition with heavy expectations, and those demands have followed Chelle into the knockout rounds, with the Nigeria Football Federation publicly targeting at least a place in the final.
Asked directly about those expectations, Chelle acknowledged the weight of responsibility that comes with managing the Super Eagles but insisted his focus remains firmly on the immediate task.
“Since I took this job, I have been under pressure. Game after game, we want to become ambitious, but we want to think about the next game,” Chelle added.
“If God gives us the chance to go to the quarterfinal, we will think about it. But now we will think about the game against Mozambique, and for sure we want to win this game.”
The former Mali coach also responded to observations about Nigeria’s fast starts in matches, initially admitting he had not previously noted the trend.
“Before you talk, I did not see that,” Chelle stated while trying to respond to a question on Super Eagles’ quick start in games.
“This is a good statistic. My job is to work with my players and try to analyse and improve every day. We scored some good goals and conceded some goals. We have to improve every day, and we will continue to concentrate in the group.”
Chelle confirmed a major injury blow for the Super Eagles, revealing that forward Cyriel Dessers faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
“Dessers has a bigger injury and should be out for about 10-12 weeks. I am disappointed for him, but we have to look in front of us and play a great game tomorrow. Ryan should come back in a few days.”
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Ndidi: The competition starts now
Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi echoed his coach’s message, stressing that Nigeria’s mindset has shifted fully to knockout football.
“The spirit in camp is high, and everyone is ready for this game,” Ndidi said.
“The group stage is gone, and the competition starts now, and everyone is focused on the next round. Winning the AFCON would be amazing, but the reality is the next game, we don’t want to focus on that now, and forget that the next game is what matters.”
Nigeria will face Mozambique’s Mambas under the lights in Fes, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm local time on Monday, a fixture that will determine whether Chelle’s Super Eagles can take another step towards continental glory.