Nigerians have taken to social media to criticise the Nigeria Football Federation for employing former Mali coach, Eric Chelle as the new Super Eagles coach.
The NFF confirmed Chelle’s appointment on Tuesday ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March.
The 47-year-old will be unveiled on Monday in Abuja after signing a short term deal until October 2025.
He is the third coach to take charge of the Super Eagles in last 10 months after Finidi George, and Augustine Eguavoen
Chelle boasts of a career record of 67 wins, 40 draws, and 41 losses, resulting in a win percentage of 45.27%.
His highest achievement as a national team coach is taking the Malian national team to the quarter-finals of the AFCON in 2023.
The news of his appointment did not go down well with some section of the Nigerian football fans, who expressed their displeasure with his appointment on social media.
Adebanghy described his appointment as a slap on local coaches in Nigeria.
He wrote on X: “This appointment is a slap on the face of every local coaches in the country. Like a country as big as Nigeria is bringing in a Malian to coach super eagles wow nothing will ever surprise me again in this country. When Mali national team should be hiring our coaches.”
Amobolaji said Chelle is not the kind of foreign coach that the NFF should appoint for the Super Eagles.
He said: “This is not the kind of foreign coach we need I prefer Eguavoen take us to the World Cup.
“With due respect, I don’t want to know his qualifications in football. All I know is that this is a slap to the Nigerian coaches, league, and football lovers in the country, both at home and abroad. Does it mean we don’t have the best hands or a foreign coach?”
Kabiru wrote on X: “NFF appointed a manager that probably agrees to give some individuals a cut in his salary and is going to be okay with being owed backlog of salaries. So yeah welcome Coach Chelle.”
AJ Silver wrote on X: “Eric Chelle has been fired more times than he’s won a trophy. He’s only ever managed clubs in the lower leagues in France. He then went to coach Mali. He’s a French speaking manager coming to coach an English speaking nation.”
Ugochukwu wrote on Facebook: So this guy now is better than our own Eguavon or Amuneke? Has Nigerian football gone this bad that we now pick an individual from a lesser footballing nation to coach Nigeria.What a mediocrity”.
Chuka wrote on Facebook: “This must be a joke. Chelle failed as coach of the Mali national team. He was fired. And of all the thousands of coaches available around the world, including here in Nigeria, we found this man worthy and best for the Super Eagles. The NFF must be joking. In fact, we are all jokers.
Moses Majiyebo wrote on Facebook: “This appointment is hugely embarrassing honestly. I am so deflated at the moment.
“The orchestrators of this appointment are the original enemies of football development in Nigeria especially at the National level. What a shame.”
According to reports, Chelle is also expected to take charge of the Home Based Super Eagles team for the 2025 African Nations Championship in February.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian duo of Daniel Ogunmodede, and Fidelis Ilechukwu qualified the team for the competition for the first time in six years after defeating rivals Ghana in Uyo.
Chelle will be paid $50,000 per month, while his two assistants will receive $5,000 per month.
The duo of Daniel Ogunmodede, and Fidelis Ilechukwu are also expected to be part of his coaching crew.
The biggest task for the Malian coach is to qualify the Super Eagles for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria currently occupy the fourth position in Group C with three points from four games after failing to record a win in their first four games of the qualifiers.
Chelle’s first competitive match in charge of the Super Eagles is a clash against Rwanda in Kigali in March.
