The Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission Mallam Shehu Dikko has shed light on the rationale behind the appointment of Eric Chelle as Super Eagles coach.
The former Mali coach assumed charge of the three-time African champions in January, succeeding Finidi George as the permanent manager and Austin Eguavoen, who had served in an interim capacity.
Chelle's appointment sparked considerable criticism among Nigerian football fans, many of whom question the 47-year-old's competence and technical expertise.
According to Dikko, the decision was not made arbitrarily but was based on a well-thought-out, “scientific” approach.
Dikko defends Chelle's appointment as Super Eagles coach
In a recent interview with Arise News, Shehu Dikko defended the appointment of Eric Chelle as the new Super Eagles coach, stressing the strategic reasoning behind the decision.
Dikko highlighted Chelle’s experience in African football, his track record with Mali, and the urgency of Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualification campaign as key factors in the selection process.
“We know that's why we said we need to focus, so focusing means we need to be intentional about that,” he said.
“That decision that was taken by the NFF and endorsed by the Sports Commission was carefully considered. We looked at all the pros and cons. People are not seeing it the way we do. It was a very scientific decision, not a haphazard one.”
Dikko further stressed Chelle’s familiarity with African football as a major advantage.
“The immediate requirement for the Super Eagles is to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. We have six matches to play this year, and all are against African countries—South Africa, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and so on. Even if you bring Alex Ferguson or Arsène Wenger, they don’t know African football, and they need time. We don’t have time.”
