The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has knocked the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over its decision to hire a former coach of the Malian senior team, Éric Sékou Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.
NANS in a statement signed by the Clerk of the Senate, NANS National headquarters, Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, on Wednesday, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, described the appointment of the new Super Eagles tactician without no outstanding pedigree is an abberation.
Odunayo expressed dismay at the appointment and wondered what prompted the NFF to settle for the new coach amongst other better and experienced coaches, both in Nigeria and Europe.
The NFF Executive Committee at its meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, 7th January 2025, following the sub-committee’s recommendation on Thursday, 2nd January, had announced Chelle as the new coach of the Super Eagles.
However, NANS faulted the appointment, describing it as “slap on the country”.
The student body noted that Chelle, since he became the Head Coach of Malian senior male national team in 2022, did not qualify the country for the World Cup or win the African Cup of Nation, wondering why the NFF chose to appoint such a tactician for the Super Eagles.
Odunayo contended that there are several Nigerian coaches with better pedigrees and CVs than Chelle, urging the NFF to go search for a coach locally, if an African coach is their preferred choice.
The NANS Clerk of the Senate added that apart from the below average records as a coach, the new Super Eagles Head Coach never proved himself as a fantastic footballer and never played for any top football club in his hey days.
While calling on the NFF to reconsider its decision, Odunayo urged the Federation to either look within and appoint a Nigerian person or any other.peeson in Europe as.Eagles coach.
He equally tasked the NFF to groom more local coaches and encourage them by giving them national assignment instead of appointing
“an half-baked coach” from Africa.
“We all witnessed how the Malian National Team, the Aiglons, struggled, wobbled and stumbled at the 2024 African Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire. NANS, therefore, wonders why the NFF will go for such a person as the coach of the Super Eagles.
“The 47-year-old featured for clubs such as Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres and Chamois Niortais in France during his playing career, without no laurel. As a nation, we need a coach that is versed and tactical, who can harness and blend the talents we parade in this country.
“We at NANS condemn this appointment as it falls short of standards our nation is known for, especially in the round leather game. Rather than giving Nigeria a half-baked or run-of-the-mill coach, the NFF can do better by appointing a Nigerian into the position of the coach of the Super Eagles.
“We seriously doubt if Chelle can secure a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, a major mandate given to him by the NFF. We call on the football federation to reconsider this appointment and give the country a Super Eagles coach that will rekindle the country’s glory in the game of soccer, both in Africa and at the global stage”. The statement concluded.
