Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has explained why he has taken an active interest in Nigeria’s youth teams, saying his responsibilities extend beyond the senior side as he looks to keep track of players who could eventually step into the national team, Footynaija.com reports.
Chelle visited the Flying Eagles in Abuja in June while the team prepared for the WAFU B U-20 Championship in Côte d’Ivoire. The visit came shortly after Nigeria defeated Bussdor United 5-0 in a friendly, with the coach using the opportunity to encourage the young players to remain focused and listen to their coaches.
The Franco-malian’s involvement also reflects the need for a better link between Nigeria’s different national teams. Young players can move through the system, and keeping track of their progress gives the senior technical team a clearer picture of the options coming through.
Chelle has already shown that he is willing to look beyond established names. His Super Eagles squad has included younger players and former youth internationals, while his staff have also continued to monitor performances across Nigerian football.
Chelle wants a clear path to the Super Eagles
“I’m impressed with what I’ve seen from the team. There are many talented players here, and it’s important that we continue monitoring their progress,” Chelle said, according to Sports247.
The Super Eagles coach said his work should not stop with the senior team. He wants to follow players from the U-17 and U-20 levels, identify those who can develop into U-23 players and eventually give the best of them a route into the Super Eagles.
That approach could also help Nigeria avoid losing track of promising players once they leave the youth setup. The Flying Eagles remain one of the country’s main sources of emerging talent, having won the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations seven times and reached two FIFA U-20 World Cup finals.
For Chelle, watching the younger teams is therefore part of building the bigger picture. His visit to the Flying Eagles gave him an opportunity to see some of Nigeria’s emerging players at close quarters while reinforcing the connection between the country’s youth and senior teams.
