Ex-Super Eagles winger urges NFF to renew Eric Chelle’s contract

Former Super Eagles and Ajax winger Tijani Babangida has urged the Nigerian Football Federation to heed the contract requests of coach Eric Chelle, Afrik Foot reports.

The Franco-Malian tactician was appointed as the coach of the Super Eagles in January 2025, with the sole aim of resuscitating an already faint World Cup dream.

The former RC Lens defender did try to steady the ship, eventually qualifying for the play-offs, before a fall to DR Congo meant Nigeria missed two consecutive World Cup tournaments.

The AFCON 2025 was meant to provide a form of respite for the Mundial miss, but the most Chelle could do was a bronze medal.

Babangida urges NFF to renew Eric Chelle’s contract

After Nigeria’s AFCON campaign in Morocco, Chelle tabled his new demands to the Nigerian Federation, upping his monthly salary from $50,000 to a reported $130,000.

The fee would also go around for his backroom staff and assistants, alongside several logistical and administrative incentives.

For Babangida, he believes the structure Chelle has put in place needs some consistency to yield fruit, and if he’s let go, the players are back to touching grass – a situation the ex-Ajax man wants to avoid.

“”I was in Morocco myself. I watched how the Super Eagles played, and it was very interesting, fresh players, a fresh start,” the 52-year-old said in an interview with Ay Sugar.

“Everybody was fighting to succeed, and if they fight that way, we could have been at the World Cup after five matches.

“Now that the friendlies are here, the coach will continue from where he stopped because many people will be watching.

“It’s just a friendly, but we are waiting to see what the team will bring.

“Coming into the friendlies, we are still dealing with a coach whose future we don’t know. It’s time for us now to start building our team.

“I hope the issue of this coach will be resolved so that at least there will be concentration, and we can know the team. If he leaves and another coach comes, then there will be a new system and different players,” Babangida concluded.

Eric Chelle will be hoping the team’s results against Iran and Jordan can further solidify his credibility for a new contract.