NIGERIAN football legend Segun Odegbami has thrown his support behind the appointment of Eric Chelle as the Super Eagles head coach, acknowledging the 47-year-old Franco-Malian’s potential contributions to Nigerian football.
Odegbami, who earned 46 caps and scored 23 goals for Nigeria—leading the team to its first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in 1980—was initially among those who criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for appointing a non-Nigerian African coach.
After meeting Chelle, NFF Secretary-General Muhammed Sanusi, and National Sports Commission Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko, he changed his mind.
Chelle made history in January by becoming the first non-Nigerian African coach to lead the three-time AFCON champions, a decision that sparked widespread debate. The former Mali international had a modest playing career and had yet to secure a major managerial accolade before guiding Mali to the quarterfinals of the 2023 AFCON.
In his column for Complete Sports, Odegbami revealed that Chelle’s approach reminded him of Clemens Westerhof—the Dutch tactician credited with leading Nigeria’s golden era in the 1990s.
Odegbami was particularly impressed by Chelle’s meticulous scouting and tactical philosophy, noting the coach’s commitment to building a cohesive and dynamic squad.
“He has been gathering information on all great players of Nigerian descent abroad and keeping their data,” Odegbami wrote.
“He evaluates both foreign-born and homegrown Nigerian players through different criteria for his analysis. He has spent countless hours watching each player in at least five different matches to understand their strengths and weaknesses.
“He is almost ready now. He intends to leverage the natural strengths of Nigerian players—pressing hard when they lose the ball, spreading out and playing with confidence, strength, and speed when in possession. The goal is to reach the opponent’s net in the shortest time possible with the fewest number of passes.”
Odegbami noted that Chelle’s strategy mirrors the successful playing style from Nigeria’s golden years.
“These are tactics taken straight from Father Tiko and Clemens Westerhof’s football philosophy. He reminded me of how Nigerian football was at its best—quick forwards, swift counterattacks, and explosive strength and speed down the flanks.
“As he explained his vision, it became clear he knew exactly what he wanted to achieve. More importantly, it was evident that he was not in Nigeria for the money—he wants to create history for the country and himself.”
Chelle now faces a tough challenge as he prepares to lead Nigeria in two crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe this month.
The Super Eagles will travel to Kigali to face Rwanda on March 21 before returning home to battle Zimbabwe on March 25.
Nigeria currently sits fifth in Group C, trailing Rwanda, South Africa, Benin Republic, and Lesotho. With only the top team earning automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup, Chelle’s tenure will be under close scrutiny as he seeks to revive Nigeria’s qualification hopes.
