Frank Onyeka says Eric Chelle has “changed everything” at the Super Eagles, offering a strong personal endorsement of Nigeria’s head coach, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Brentford midfielder praised the Malian tactician’s philosophy, man-management and tactical identity, insisting Chelle has brought renewed clarity and stability to a national team that endured months of uncertainty before his appointment.
Chelle was named Super Eagles head coach in January, following a turbulent 12-month period in which the Nigeria Football Federation cycled through three managers. His arrival marked a reset in personnel and in how Nigeria play and carry themselves.
Under Chelle, Nigeria adopted a more aggressive, front-foot approach, pressing higher up the pitch and committing numbers forward. That shift delivered early promise, including victory at the invitational Unity Cup in May and an unbeaten run across the final six matches of the World Cup qualifiers.
However, those improvements ultimately proved insufficient. Nigeria failed to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and were unable to salvage a place through the playoff route.
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Eric Chelle: A different kind of leadership
Despite that disappointment, Onyeka believes Chelle’s impact goes beyond results.
The midfielder, who has played under multiple foreign and local coaches for Nigeria, says Chelle stands out for how he connects with players and communicates his ideas.
“I think he came in and changed everything – the way we played, the way we’ve been set up, and his philosophy is just really good,” Onyeka told the BBC.
“He’s a loving coach. The way he speaks to the players, he makes fun of the players. It’s just different compared to what we had before.”
Onyeka credits Chelle for reshaping both the Super Eagles’ playing identity and the atmosphere within the squad, suggesting the coach’s man-management has been as influential as his tactical work.
Chelle’s approach was again on display on Tuesday night, even as Nigeria suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Egypt in an international friendly, his first loss in regulation time since taking charge.
Nigeria got on the scoresheet just before half-time through Chidozie Awaziem, but goals from Mahmoud Saber and Mostafa Mohamed on either side of the interval handed Egypt their first win over the Super Eagles in nine years.
The result came amid significant rotation. Chelle was without several key players, including Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze, while Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey remained unused substitutes. Onyeka featured prominently and impressed before being withdrawn at half-time, as Chelle made more than five changes across the match.
Attention now turns firmly to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Nigeria will continue training in Cairo on Wednesday before departing for Morocco via chartered flight on Thursday, where the second phase of preparations will take place.
The Super Eagles open their AFCON 2025 campaign against Tanzania on Tuesday, December 23, a fixture that will offer Chelle his first competitive test at a major tournament and another opportunity to validate the changes Onyeka believes have already reshaped the team.