Malian-born tactician Eric Chelle will remain head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles and will also take charge of the country’s U-23 national team.
This was confirmed on Tuesday by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, following a meeting with officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The decision signals the beginning of Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
According to Dikko, early planning is crucial to ensuring sustained success for the national teams.
“We have the next AFCON (2027) and the next World Cup (2030), and we have to start preparing now. We must ensure that the mistakes of the past do not happen again. We need to learn from them and make things better. We have to put the building blocks and foundation in place for the future.”
Dikko also explained the rationale behind assigning Chelle the additional responsibility of managing the Olympic Eagles.
“He will take charge of the U-23 team so that there is continuity in philosophy and approach from the U-23s to the Super Eagles,” he said.
The arrangement is expected to strengthen player development and ensure a seamless transition of talents from the U-23 side to the senior national team.
