₦airaland Forum

Meliforme:
Please tell them ooo.
I said that i wasn't convinced off Eric Chelle, they came for me.

I had previously submitted that our overreliance on fullbacks to provide the needed width to stretch the opposition's defence is one of the things that cost us. The Moroccans read our game and clipped our forays.

At some points in a game, depending on the flow, you might need wingers.

There is no formation without weaknesses. There is no system that cannot be countered. Relying on wing forwards also means weakening the midfield and progressing the ball mostly through the wings which concedes the middle game to the opponents.

Also, this thing you've been going on about bringing in wing-forwards like it's one big bright tactical adjustment, Eric Chelle did it. He brought in Moses Simon on the left wing to shore it up and support Bruno due to the way Hakimi and Diaz were double-teaming on him.

In all your criticism of Eric Chelle for the Morocco game, you have never acknowledged the biased officiating. The Moroccans foul-baited the referee for the entire 120 mins duration of our game, and he fell for it every time. He gave them soft fouls but turned a blind eye to the blatant fouls they committed against us, and even refused to card them, and this impeded us from playing our game.

By the way, do you know what winning the Bronze medal in the AFCON means for Eric Chelle, the coach you're not convinced with? The implicit implication of that finish is that Eric Chelle was the third best coach out of the 24 that participated in the competition, and on the African continent.

Also, given a choice between Walid Regragui and Eric Chelle, I will pick Chelle from a tactical standpoint. The former's team huffed and puffed throughout the competition and were never convincing even in victory despite the officiating-help and home support, and that's the reason many Moroccans are calling for his sack.

Eric Chelle on the other hand gave the Super Eagles a playing identity. A press from front playing style that chokes the opponents, does not allow them time on the ball and results in lots of turnovers and dominant possession In addition, he brought new nicks to our game by moving the ball through the middle, and not the wings like we're used to playing.

The Super Eagles played with fluidity and almost psychic understanding. Another often underappreciated but important mark of good coach which Eric Chelle exhibited in this AFCON but does not get enough credit for is the personal improvement he brought on the players. Bruno, Osayi, Bassey, Ajayi, Ndidi, Iwobi and Onyeka raised their games and were all unplayable this AFCON. That's what Eric Chelle has brought to the team. Is that the coach who has not convinced you?

It's almost like you're on a paid "agenda" to discredit the coach and the team because your stance fails by every objective metric. Lest I forget, I asked you to suggest a good and convincing 50k/month coach for the Super Eagles but since then na radio silence. I still dey wait....

All these sanctions that CAF is dishing out, did Morocco receive any?

Morocco should be punished for fapping Nwabali and Mendy's towels in the semi-finals and finals respectively.

Morocco should be punished for their fans making racist gestures at Nwabali by throwing bananas at him.

Also, officiating was poor in this AFCON and biased especially in favour of Morocco. There should be some shake-up and reconstitution of the referee committee with the head being replaced.

Until CAF does all these, they are unserious and just papering over the cracks.

Odunayaw:
And the why is?

Thank you. Verbose write-up from Solace . As usual, talking too much but saying nothing meaningful really.....

I've been away for a while. Just catching up on the story of Sunday Oliseh blaming Osimhen outburst at Lookman for his poor performance against Morocco.

All I'll say is Oliseh is evil and a terrible person. My God.

zicky:
Another video it was Hakimi that tried same thing but the Senegalese players took it from him.
What's their obsession with towel

Without the towel to wipe the gloves and face off sweat, eyesight will be blurry and grip may be slippery for their opponent's goalkeeper which plays to their advantage.

That's the reason they go to all lengths (players, ball boys and stadium wardens) to remove the goalkeeper's towel.

Very dirty and underhand tactics from the Moroccans.

Super Eagles players are happy Senegal won.

Bright Osayi - God is real

Akor Adams - God is great

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSa8kN3uN/

I love dem Morocco tears.

Danielnino00:
Deep pool of emerging coaches?

What nonsense!

Which emerging coaches self??

Finidi already messed up the chances of the NFF appointing a local coach anytime soon...

You dey mind the idyat.

One of the youngest, "brightest" and arguably one of the best coaches in Nigeria, Daniel Ogunmodede of Remo. Stars was humiliated by Sundowns 7 - 1 .

Local coaches that cannot even qualify their clubs to the group stages of CAF Champions league and Confederations cup

The local coaches for the age-grade National teams nko? U-17, U-20, U-23, Women U-17, Women U-20 etc What have they achieved?

Local coaches that will start doing home-based quota, cannot rise above parochial sentiments and will always populate their squads with players from their ethnicities.

Writer dey use reverse psychology write nonsense under the guise of Chelle is too good for Nigeria and needs a bigger challenge. Dem forbid us from good thing? Gaslighter oshi

Rubbish

Joebie:
He no be saboteur. When he comes he puts his all. That should be the yardstick.

At the time he opted out, Nwabali was nursing an injury and it was uncertain he'd recover before our first game.

Anyone who blackmails the coach for a starting position and puts personal ambition above the team's is a saboteur.

Moving forward, your Maduka should just stay away from our team the same way he opted out of AFCON.

Sarsaparilla524:
Why Nigeria Should Respectfully Let Éric Chelle Move On: A Pragmatic View on Super Eagles' Future
‎
‎In the wake of the Super Eagles' impressive run under Éric Chelle, voices are calling for a four-year contract extension to lock him in for the 2030 World Cup preparations. It's understandable—his tactical brilliance has injected new life into the team, turning potential into performance on the pitch. But as Nigerians, we must step back from the emotional high and embrace the cold realities of international football management. Letting Chelle depart respectfully isn't about ingratitude or doubt in his abilities; it's about being pragmatic in a cutthroat industry where opportunities, stability, and growth matter. Here's why allowing him to pursue new horizons, like the rumored Tunisian offer, could be the best move for everyone involved.
‎
‎First, let's address the elephant in the room: financial security and reliability. Rumors are swirling that Tunisia is eyeing Chelle with a lucrative $100,000 monthly salary package—paid promptly, without the infamous delays that plague our football administration. We've all seen it before—managers and players chasing owed salaries for months, only getting paid under mounting pressure from media or unions. This isn't just unfair; it's unsustainable for a high-caliber tactician like Chelle, who deserves a setup that matches his elite status. Our chronic payment issues aren't new, stemming from bureaucratic red tape and funding inconsistencies in the football community. By holding him back, we'd risk demotivating a coach at the peak of his powers. Instead, letting him go allows us to reflect on our systemic flaws and push for reforms that make the Super Eagles role more attractive to future talents.
‎
‎More crucially, Tunisia's interest aligns with a golden opportunity for Chelle: leading a team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Carthage Eagles have secured their spot in the expanded tournament, offering Chelle his first shot at managing on football's biggest stage. Imagine the exposure—a chance to pit his strategies against global giants, showcasing the genius that's already dazzled with the Super Eagles. This isn't just personal ambition; it's a milestone for African football. If Chelle excels (and given his track record, he likely will), he could become the first African manager to land a top European club gig post-World Cup. Think about it: if Liam Rosenior, with his promising but unproven stint at Hull City, is being linked to the Chelsea hotseat, why can't Chelle aim even higher? His tactical acumen, player management, and cultural insight could open doors that have long been shut to African coaches. Holding him here out of national pride would clip his wings, denying him—and Africa—a historic breakthrough.
‎
‎Football management is a revolving door, and pragmatism demands we recognize when a chapter ends. Chelle has transformed the Super Eagles, instilling discipline, flair, and resilience. But managers like him thrive on challenges, and stagnation isn't in his DNA. Nigeria has a deep pool of emerging coaches and could use this transition to blood fresh ideas, perhaps even appointing a homegrown talent to build long-term continuity. Clinging to Chelle risks resentment or a half-hearted commitment if better offers persist. We've seen it with past coaches—forced stays often lead to underwhelming results. Respectfully parting ways honors his contributions while positioning Nigeria as a mature football nation that values progress over possession.
‎
‎In the end, Éric Chelle's potential departure isn't a loss; it's an evolution. Let's celebrate what he's achieved, wish him well, and focus on building a system that retains top talent through reliability, not pleas. The Super Eagles will soar again—perhaps even higher—with the lessons he's left behind.
‎
‎#EricChelle #SuperEagles #Soccernittygritty #NigerianFootball #AFCON #WorldCup2026 #AfricanFootball #FootballManagers

This is nonsense. Writer contradicted himself. I am pained that I read it to the end.

Also, the soccernittygritty guy is not well informed because Tunisia has since appointed a new coach in Sabri Lamouchi and that door is closed to Eric Chelle.

And to think this was one of the guys that criticized the NFF for appointing Chelle.

Nigeria has a deep pool of emerging coaches and could use this transition to blood fresh ideas, perhaps even appointing a homegrown talent to build long-term continuity

Anyways. from the emboldened quote above, I know this is a paid PR job to launder the ability of local coaches.

Rubbish.

The stadium stewards tried to steal Mendy towels like they did to Nwabali but a Senegalese player stopped them from doing so and the Moroccans pursued him.

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSa8j9VRp/

These Moroccans are terrible people.

Chai, AFCON too sweet abeg.

So na this kain spectacle CAF wan move to every four years from 2028?

I swear e no go better for Patrice Motsepe

WAFCON 2022 Final - Lost
WAFCON 2025 Final - Lost
AFCON 2025 Final - Lost

Morocco cannot get any joy from hosting tournaments.

They'll be so desperate to win the WAFCON 2026 in March.

Omo, the officiating go bloody.

lovewins:
There's no point arguing the facts with you. We'll know what happened after the facts in a few days.

Lol Facts? Brahim Diaz told you he missed it intentionally?

Trump - I will tariff all European countries that oppose the US acquiring Greenland.

European Countries - We will boycott the world cup if you take Greenland.

I am loving this. ........

Theflint1:
Too much individual glory hunting from this Senegalese side.

Ore, welcome to the home of Nigerian football

ThunderFireAgba:
We have enough strikers. It's left for the coach to understand their kind of play.
Onachu thrives most inside 18yrd box. You need a strong midfield to keep pushing the ball to him. Any lose ball that gets to his feet is a goal.
Osimhen on the other hand is long ball type of striker who thrives mostly with "on the run" types of pass.
All these strikers are good. It depends on the coach to know what formation to use and play them. This is were a Technical Adviser is needed to be employed by NFF to help Chelle.

NFF employ Technical adviser to help Chelle? Una dey talk sha

Papi85:
letting Chelle slip off our fingers will take the team back to level 0 and also one big mistake the NFF will regret

Shout it from the rooftops. Carry megaphone enter market.

I stand gidigba in support of Eric Chelle.

Kog45:
Kai semid,we Sabi ourselves here and our reasonings so sometimes it would be difficult for a newcomer here to understand reasons for some comments... don't be surprised everything is down to a player not getting enough playing time under the coach.

Elder, pls talk am straight and no dey pass through the corners.

After that nonsense Ejuke played when he came in against Tunisia, he deserved to chop bench for the rest of the tournament.

Meliforme:
There is a recurring theme in Eric Chelle's style that is highly limiting.

I have never resonated with the crowd in all my stands.

Eric Chelle is not yet the man.
When the right man shows up, you will witness my unwavering validation.

I am not advocating for his sack anyway.
All that i am saying is that we should not raise our hopes in him.

If Eric Chelle sees a better paying job let him take it and continue his growth.

You are the chairperson of an adhoc committee designated by the NFF to appoint a Grade A coach for the Super Eagles.

The remuneration of the coach is pegged at $50,000.

Kindly recommend your top three candidates for the job.

?

Meliforme:
The NFF is not ready to invest in Grade A coaches.
This won't be the first time we are getting this kind of result, even with the quality in our hands.

Pls mention a Grade A coach that collects 50k USD salary?

Ordinary Pitso Motsimane una no fit afford but una go dey trumpet Grade A coach up and down like say Grade A na person name.

Gosh, some of you are just annoying and arrogantly delusional.

Joebie:
Okoye is still good for the team. Nwabali, Okoye, Uzoho. The depth is okay. We will see about Okwonkwo. We should go 3 deep in every position. Zaidu's bench position should be up for grabs as it stand. in CB Bassey, Ajayi, Fredericks, Ogbu. We need two more solid option. At RB, Alebiosu is okay as 3rd choice

Perish every thought of Okoye. He is a saboteur and should never think of dorning the Super Eagles jersey ever again.

He should focus on his club career.

BankyGee:
Omo Fredrick no assured?

I swear to God, forget age o, that guy almost made people not see Bassey for the iron bender that he is o, everytime they pair together, people always talk about Fredrick when Bassey also will have a mad performance.

Fredrick is a SUPER GUARANTEED starter anyday, anytime. In CB he tears, in RB he tears. He low-key sent Troost-Ekong to retire early because Ekong knew he was mature as a replacement for him even with his young age.

He has not been substituted out once since his debut for Nigeria, a stat only Calvin Bassey was holding in recent times till this AFCON. He has not had one bad day for Nigeria. He held down Aubameyang for 90 minutes. He fought war against three pacy and athletic wingers vs. DR Congo for 120 mins. A 20 years old boy o!

After Bassey, na Fredrick, no worry! The B-squared Wall 🧱🇳🇬

Chibuike Nwaiwu bench Benjamin Fredericks ke? Abeg when be Trabzonspor next match, I need to watch him play.

Mujtahida:
I thought he's an attacker from his clip I saw on X.

Na 3 hin be. Seriously good one.

Na this kind genuinely young ones our NPFL journos suppose dey push instead of oldies like Ismaila Sodiq.

Blueelf:
Alright

I have some questions for you semid4lyfe

Do you think ita possible for Chelle to take this team to a place where they are practically unbeatable even with obvious refreeze boas

NO and YES.

NO because no team is unbeatable really. Knockout games will ULTIMATELY be decided by PSO, and a loser/winner must always emerge.

YES because Eric Chelle has made the team defensively resilient and he's yet to lose a game in 120 minutes as Super Eagles coach.

In the group stage, we conceded goals hut simply outscored our opponents. Kudos to our strikers. In the Morocco game, our attack and midfield were off, so the pressure was on the defence but it held up. Kudos to the defence and Nwabali. After the opening 30 minutes, a quiet calm enveloped me, and I just knew we were not gonna concede.

Also, what did you expect Chelle to have done differently in that match that he didn't do?

Hindsight they say is 20-20 but he shouldn't have started Onyedika. Onyedika was the CDM and base of the diamond so his position was the most pivotal to our midfield game, and he was horrendous.

Poor positioning, terrible awareness, slow in decision making and on the ball, poor reading and anticipation of opponent's play, awful press-resistance, poor ball advancement etc etc. I think he should have pulled Onyedika off at the end of the first half and replaced him with Tochukwu Nnadi.

Also, I think there was too much data and tape on how we played especially after the Algeria game, which Morocco analyzed and came up with the perfect counter-play, the midpress, and wing overload. The midpress took Onyedika, Iwobi, Lookman, Akor, Osimhen outta the game. The wing overload pegged Osayi and Bruno permanently in defence so they couldn't provide the width that is required from wingbacks in a diamond midfield setup. Osayi and Bruno tried to advance play on a few occasions but the Moroccans committed tactical fouls on them, and the referee's poor officiating did not help in that regard.

Do you think the Egyptians would borrow from Morocco's playback to stifle our midfield tomorrow?

The Egypt I've watched right from the Pre-AFCON friendly against us only plays one way. Massive defense, quick transitions to counter attack. They don't bother with midfield and possession-based football when they meet quality opposition. I dont expect them to play differently.

Also, this is a dead rubber match and the stakes are not that high. Both teams might field their B-sides and this might impact the game.

Goke7:
😂 SA is wining the next Afcon be that! Na that potato pitch dem go play all their matches till the final we never see anything 😂

The AFCON after the next you mean

Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania 2027
Botswana & South Africa 2028.

With the experienced players in our team, and a sprinkling of exciting new talents that have emerged and will still come through, who says we can't win the next two AFCONs?

Eric Sekou Chelle must be given a contract extension until 2028 by the NFF so he can drive the project.

Goke7:
Hosting two Afcons within 3 years is nothing but a fraud but in this motsepe regime nothing is impossible! Morocco could as well be designated host permanently! Nonsense and ingredients

Do the calms bro.

News just broke that Botswana will put in a joint bid alongside South Africa to host the 2028 AFCON.

Mzansi are favourably disposed to it, and with Patrice Motsepe being from SA and the Southern Africa region, the Botswana-South Africa 2028 AFCON is a forgone conclusion.

Aaah, thank God.

Blueelf:
Okay, you made some very valid points

But you'll agree that the penalty loss is partly his fault

Is he saying that our past penalty failures didn't teach him to prep these guys for that outcome?

See I'm not trying as much as possible t9 blame him because I think he should be given a long term contract with as much support as possible but Chelle too mess up small. Although I've no doubt that he'll improve as a coach in the coming future

You are beginning to sound like our blue font guy, TGJ. Pray tell, how is the penalty loss his fault? .

Right from the WCQ Play-offs, the team practised PKs in EVERY training session knowing they were knock-out games and there had to be a winner.

Even at this AFCON, during the Semi-final pre match presser, Chelle was specifically asked by a Nigerian journo if they were training for penalties and he confirmed they were. I also watched various Interviews of our players in which they said they were practising PKs in training just before the round of 16.

Go back and watch the WCQ playoff PSO, Bruno played our best PK. Fast, medium elevation and to the left of the goalkeeper. Obviously, Morocco prepared for the eventuality of PSO, studied tapes of our PK takers (including the WCQ playoff PSO) and their goalie had memorized how our players played PK. That's the reason Bounou stepped to his left rather than dive even before Bruno hit his PK. Unfortunately Bruno hit it tamely down the middle this time, and Bounou recovered and was able to stretch out a hand to stop it.

As per Chukwueze, do you honestly think that was the kinda PKs he was playing in training that Chelle brought him in specifically to take a PK? You sef reason am. Moreover, no matter how well a team prepares for penalty and how proficient they are, a winner must emerge and its just unfortunate we were on the losing side. Me, I can never blame Chelle for the outcome of the game. Our PK takers let him and Nigerians down.

Despite the painful loss, I am proud of the valiant effort of the team. I saw determination, fearlessness, fighting spirit and a "we die here attitude" all of which were missing in the DR Congo game. The team did not fold this time and just go through the motions, and that's in my opinion is our biggest win from the Morocco game.

Eric Chelle has given the Super Eagles a playing identity. He has met the semifinal target the NFF set for him and did so playing exciting and beautiful attacking football. He is still unbeaten in regulation + extra time with thie Super Eagles. He may not have gotten to the final like JP did in Ivory Coast but I regard him as our best coach in the last five years. The Super Eagles need some coaching stability, and I hope he stays and the NFF extends his contract till after the 2028 AFCON.

The 2027 AFCON will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania but shey una don hear say Morocco is considering hosting the 2028 AFCON as warm-up and preparation for the 2030 World cup that they're co-hosting with Spain and Portugal? This people wan use hosting win two AFCONS sharperly sha. Hopefully, Senegal spoils their planned party in the final just like the Super Falcons did.

Mujtahida:
Okay let me not say he acted maliciously (and I have my reason for saying so) but Chukwueze really effed us up.

I saw a video where Chukwueze himself was saying that they have been practicing penalties. Chelle at the post match presser said that he was one of the best at Pks in training. He was brought in specifically to do that job. Fresh mind, fresh leg. He bungled it right at the moment Nwabali gave us the advantage.

All the effort of the team, gone to waste.

Bro, I agree with you.

Chukwueze 100% deserves the dragging he's getting from Nigerians.

You sef check am, Chukwueze and Bruno missed their PKs. In fact, Bruno's PK was the consequential one that gave the advantage to Morocco to score and win but na Chukwueze Nigerians dey drag.

Why? His "I don't care" body language, lackadaisical attitude and uninterested demeanor when he came up for the kick. That's why some people have called him a saboteur. He was chewing gum and just before he took the kick, he blew a big bubble.

Everything was just off. Chukwueze did not recognize the importance of that moment and him converting the kick. He wasn't locked in. These players gats know that when they dorn the green-white-green, it's serious business and they play not for themselves but for 250 million Nigerians.

Nigerians are not dragging him because he missed the penalty. Anybody can miss a penalty. He is being dragged because that moment required seriousness, determination, focus and he showed none.

do4luv14:
I'm
I no too trust that Oma Guy,
The report about Maduka exclusion was based on agreement between the player his club, the coach and NFF,

That was the News then, so what was Oma trying to paint with that his Reply,
I doubt him thought

Which agreement? You Maduka fanboys are terrible people and will never accept the truth about your fav even when it stares you in the face.

Oma Akatugba is the sports journalist who brought Maduka Okoye to limelight when he was playing in Fortuna Dusseldorf II in the German 3rd division and promoted him to Gernot Rohr who extended Super Eagles invitation to him. Oma is based in Germany and is close to Maduka and his family, and knows him well.

Oma even got into an online spat with another sports journalist MikeThePundit on X who called him out for promoting Okoye to the National team and Okoye's decision.

Below is an excerpt from Leadership newspaper on the Maduka issue.

https://leadership.ng/why-okoye-moffi-arokodare-others-were-left-out-of-super-eagles-afcon-squad/

A member of Chelle’s backroom staff revealed that Okoye made it clear he would only be available for the tournament if guaranteed the first-choice position.

The coaching crew, however, reportedly rejected such conditions, with Chelle insisting that all players must earn their place through competition.

Udinese also communicated their position to the NFF, indicating that the club was unwilling to release Okoye for the tournament if he was not assured of a starting role, citing concerns over losing him for up to three weeks without regular playing time.

With no guarantees offered, Chelle opted to include Francis Uzoho, who had been on standby, while maintaining confidence in Stanley Nwabali, who has since been declared medically fit.

Una fav Maduka Okoye tried to blackmail Chelle and sabotage our AFCON campaign and should never be invited to the Super Eagles ever again. EOD.

Blueelf:
I didn't know this semid

No be fight na bro. Chill 😁

On a more serious note, I heard about this but wasn't so sure about the news because I doubted it's veracity

But if true, he should stay where he is

Baba, it is true.

I was on Oma Akatugba TikTok live session after the squad release and I asked this question, and Oma confirmed it, and even justified Maduka decision saying based on club and form, Maduka should be #1 and shouldn't be chopping bench for a goalkeeper in the South African league.

Blueelf:
Yesterday was good for me

Because it reminded everyone that we have a real gem in Nwabali

If he can keep his head down, he can be as historical for us as Enyeama was

If the Wrexham guy -Arthur Okonkwo should join, he should act as understudy because he is not as good as Nwabali

Okoye should also be given a look in

Good one Nwabobo. 👍

Elf, if you ever post Okoye's name on this thread and advocate for his callup, I will haunt you on this thread, in real life and in your dreams.

Maduka Okoye is a lilly-livered chicken, a traitor and a saboteur. As far as I am concerned, he should be axed from the Super Eagles forever.

That guy opted out of the AFCON squad because his demand to be first choice goalie was refused ,saying he preferred to play regularly for his club than sit on the bench at the AFCON.

That stunt he pulled is tantamount to blackmail and sabotage of the team's AFCON campaign because at the time he opted out, Nwabali was nursing an injury and it was uncertain if he'd be fit for the AFCON.

He made a decision and I respect that but he should also live with the consequences of his decision.