Gusau Backs Chelle to Continue as Super Eagles Coach Ahead of Next AFCON
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Musa Gusau has given a strong indication that Franco-Malian tactician Éric Chelle will remain in charge of the Super Eagles beyond the expiration of his current contract, with the next Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals only a year away.
Speaking after Nigeria’s bronze medal finish at the 35th AFCON in Morocco, Gusau praised Chelle’s impact since taking over in January last year, describing the team as ‘close to running on auto-pilot’ under his guidance.
He noted that the Super Eagles have rediscovered their rhythm after missing consecutive FIFA World Cups, and are now poised for greater success.
‘Actually, when we landed in Morocco towards the end of last year, our objective was to win the AFCON trophy and be the champions of Africa.
‘Today, we finished in third place and won the bronze medals instead. We missed our target but my joy is in the way our team played. They have played with zest and patriotic fervour, and showed resilience and character,’ Gusau said.
He credited the Federal Government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their support, while stressing that Chelle has ‘done exceedingly well within the one year he has been with us” and shown “enormous capacity.’
Chelle’s record has been impressive: unbeaten in regulation time across 17 competitive matches, with 11 wins and six draws. In Morocco, he guided Nigeria to its highest-ever tally of 14 goals in a single AFCON, with the team unbeaten in regulation time in all seven matches.
‘The journey to the next AFCON starts immediately. We do not have the luxury of time to continue dwelling on what we have done here. We must set to work immediately. For now, we are excited about the squad that we have. The bottom line is that the future looks very bright,’ Gusau added.
With Nigeria mounting the podium in 17 of its 21 AFCON appearances, and Chelle’s tactical approach earning widespread support, Gusau’s comments are widely seen as a clear endorsement for the coach to continue in his role as preparations begin for the 2027 finals in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
