Former Nigeria captain and head coach Sunday Oliseh has strongly criticised the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) decision to appoint Éric Chelle as head coach of the Super Eagles, calling it a “sign of disrespect” to Nigerian coaches and former players.
Chelle, a 47-year-old former Malian international, was appointed on 7 January 2025 after previous stints managing the Mali national team and MC Oran in Algeria.
His selection marked a shift in the NFF’s coaching approach, favouring a fellow African—albeit one from outside Nigeria.
“Africans are not allowed to coach abroad, and Nigerians are not allowed to coach outside their shores. The only job that is the most prized one, leave it for the people to handle; that’s my opinion,” Oliseh said in an interview with SuperSports
“I am not a big fan of him… I feel my country has suffered enough; the coaches, players, ex-players have suffered enough and they have paid the prize. So let them do their job.”
Aghahowa: Chelle’s Squad Handling Deserves Credit
However, Oliseh’s criticisms have not gone unchallenged. Former Super Eagles striker Julius Aghahowa has publicly backed Chelle, praising the coach’s squad management and integration of fresh talent during the recently concluded 2025 Unity Cup.
READ MORE:Eric Chelle forced into late squad changes ahead of Russia friendly at Luzhniki
Chelle led the Super Eagles to victory in the friendly mini-tournament, held in Abuja, using the opportunity to test new players and evaluate depth across positions.
“I actually expect that opportunities like this would be taken quite seriously. We know it’s a friendly tournament, but in international football, where coaches don’t have the luxury of time to work with their players, this is a good platform,” Aghahowa told Brila FM.
Samuel Chukwueze celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the Unity Cup Final, London 2025 match between Jamaica and Nigeria. Photo Credit: Imago
“The Super Eagles coach used the two games played in the Cup to assess the areas of improvement in the team, and he can build on from there.”
The former Bendel Insurance forward’s support reflects a contrasting school of thought within Nigeria’s football community—one that sees Chelle’s early efforts as practical and progressive rather than disrespectful.
Colin Udoh Counters Oliseh’s Claims
Veteran sports journalist and former Super Eagles media officer Colin Udoh also pushed back on Oliseh’s claim that Nigerians are systematically excluded from coaching roles abroad.
“Oliseh is wrong. Nigerians are not allowed to coach abroad?? Christian Chukwu coached Kenya, Stephen Keshi coached Togo, Emmanuel Amunike coached Tanzania. I forgot Onigbinde in Trinidad & Tobago,” Udoh said.
Super Eagles Head Coach Eric Chelle. Photo Credit: X
He added that several Nigerian tacticians have enjoyed coaching spells with clubs and national teams across Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe, highlighting the complexity behind the debate.
Born in Côte d’Ivoire but a former Mali international, Éric Chelle has built a solid coaching résumé in West Africa. He led Mali to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and is known for his defensive structure and calm leadership style.
His appointment followed Nigeria’s search for stability after managerial changes and underwhelming international performances.
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Despite the backlash from some quarters, Chelle has quietly gone about reshaping the Super Eagles, promoting lesser-known names from the Nigeria Premier Football League and the youth ranks, while maintaining a tactical core led by experienced internationals.
Chelle’s next test arrives on Friday, 7 June, when Nigeria faces Russia in an international friendly at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium—a venue symbolic of football’s global stage, and a proving ground for Chelle’s evolving Super Eagles
