Odegbami: ‘What did the NFF see that rest of the world did not see in picking Chelle as Super Eagles head coach?

Former Nigeria international winger and captain, Patrick Olusegun Odegbami says the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, must have seen something the rest of Nigerians have not seen in choosing Malian, Eric Chelle as the next coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

Writing in his column in Complete Sports, Odegbami he was flabbergasted when he first heard the announcement of Chelle as the man to succeed Finidi George as Super Eagles head coach.

‘What did the NFF see that rest of the world did not see in this unusual choice of a coach? It was expected that he would be the product of a meticulous and thorough scrutiny of criteria needed to identify a ‘World Class’ coach with often-padded wages well-secured against previous shenanigans.

‘This time, a wiser NFF was expected to avoid, by all means, even the slightest whiff of a scandal.

‘Those were the thinking of Nigerians when the lingering dragged on for a long time. With all eyes trained on the process, expectations were high that there would be no dubiousness in ascertaining the records, credentials, experiences, qualifications and reputation of anyone chosen since no excuses would be acceptable, given the precarious position of the Super Eagles on the Group Table.

‘In short, the NFF must hire a coach whose choice can be easily justified.

‘Suddenly, from the quiet of the graveyard came the announcement that has now left a large chunk of the country’s football eggheads in a state of stupor, unable to understand the rationale and the motivation for such a bizarre choice of a coach.

‘Even I, did not to accept as true the initial reports. I half-expected to wake up from a bad dream.

‘Eric Chelle is such an audacious choice that the NFF must have seen what the rest of the country did not,’ Odegbami wrote in his column.