Eric Chelle Adopts “New Approach” To Accommodate Fresh Super Eagles Players

Eric Chelle is set to bring a fresh perspective to Nigeria’s Super Eagles as they work towards qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The Malian coach aims to revitalize the Super Eagles by focusing on player selection based on current form rather than established reputations.

This strategy opens the door for emerging talents like Chuba Akpom, Nathan Tella, and Chrisantus Uche, who have been making strides in Europe but have not received recent opportunities with the national team.

Akpom has demonstrated a remarkable revival in his career, having showcased his abilities at clubs like Middlesbrough and Ajax before moving to Lille. Meanwhile, Tella has been making significant progress at Bayer Leverkusen, where he is on track for potential individual accolades, and Uche is gaining recognition as an emerging talent in La Liga.

Despite their commendable performances at the club level, these players have been absent from Nigeria’s recent AFCON and World Cup qualifiers. Past selections have often included players who were either recovering from injuries or not in peak form, which has hindered Nigeria’s journey towards World Cup qualification.

Currently, the Super Eagles find themselves in a challenging position, having not secured a win after four matches and sitting fifth in Group C, trailing behind Rwanda, South Africa, Benin, and Lesotho. With the urgency to secure the top spot for automatic qualification, Chelle faces the important task of rejuvenating Nigeria’s hopes.

Akpom recently expressed optimism about Chelle’s new approach, sharing insights from a conversation with Nigeria’s star striker, Victor Osimhen. Osimhen highlighted that the new coach is committed to selecting players based on their recent club performance and dedication in training.

“I spoke to Victor Osimhen about it after our game against Galatasaray,” Akpom noted in an interview with journalist Oluwashina Okeleji via ScoreNigeria. “There’s a wealth of talent within the team, and I believe our national team should be selected based on merit. Victor mentioned that Chelle’s mindset is clear: if you aren’t performing in training or at your club, you won’t make the squad. I wholeheartedly support this approach—earning a call-up would be a tremendous honor.”

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is expected to announce Chelle’s squad for upcoming qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe next month. The team will travel to Kigali to face Rwanda on March 21, and then host Zimbabwe in Uyo on March 25.

According to reports from The Guardian, players are anticipated to start arriving in Kigali on March 16, while Chelle is currently in Europe finalizing his selections.