The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has called on Nigerians to rally behind the newly appointed head coach of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, Soccernet.ng reports.
Following the recommendation of the NFF Technical and Development Sub-Committee, the former Malian head coach was announced to take over the reins of the 2013 AFCON champions.
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Meanwhile, this sparked mixed reactions and questions from the Nigerian football community, in which the Federation acknowledged the diverse reactions to Chelle’s appointment but emphasised the need for collective backing to ensure his success.
“We appreciate the fact that Nigerians are very passionate about the game of football, and that is the reason for the different tones of reactions following the appointment of Coach Chelle. However, the NFF hereby appeals to Nigerians to come together and support him, as we believe he has the qualities to achieve success with the Super Eagles,” the NFF stated in their official press release.
The Federation further assured that they would provide Chelle with all the necessary resources and assistance to help him succeed in his role.
“The NFF will give him all the support that he needs to succeed in the job.” the statement further reads.
At Chelle’s official unveiling on Monday, the NFF plans to announce the names of his assistant coaches.
The new coaching team will first oversee the Super Eagles B squad at the upcoming African Nations Championship in East Africa, before turning their full attention to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
The qualifiers kick off in March with an away match against Rwanda and a home fixture against Zimbabwe.