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Nigeria have turned to a new coaching team as they try to end their long wait for men’s Olympic football, with Super Eagles manager Eric Chelle taking charge of the Under-23 side, Footynaija reports.
Chelle has appointed Bright Osehai Ozebagbe and Deniran Ortega as his assistants as preparations begin for the 2028 Olympic qualifying campaign.
The appointments, reported by Nigerian journalist Mike the Pundit with information from the National Sports Commission, are part of a wider plan to rebuild the Olympic Eagles after Nigeria missed the last two men’s tournaments.
Nigeria failed to qualify for Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. Their latest disappointment came in March 2023, when they were knocked out of the U23 Africa Cup of Nations by Guinea.
After a goalless draw in Abuja, Nigeria lost 2-0 in Rabat. Algassime Bah put Guinea ahead in the 61st minute before Alseny Soumah scored again 12 minutes later. That defeat ended Nigeria’s hopes of reaching Paris and extended their absence from the Olympics.
Nigeria last appeared at the men’s Olympic tournament in Rio in 2016, where they won bronze. They had previously claimed gold at Atlanta 1996 and silver at Beijing 2008.
Chelle has now brought together two coaches with different backgrounds as he looks to change that record.
Ozebagbe has built his career mainly in Nigeria. He has worked with Union Bank, Staruf FC Lagos, Pepsi Academy and Barcelona Academy Lagos. He also coached Bulmaro FC during the 2020-21 season. Ikorodu City appointed him as chief coach in 2022, alongside Sodiq Dabiri. He holds a CAF C licence and has also worked as a youth coach and coordinator.
Ortega has experience in both Nigeria and Scotland. He was part of the Edinburgh City staff that won the Lowland League title in 2014-15 and 2015-16 before the club entered the Scottish Professional Football League. He later worked at Enyimba and joined the Flying Eagles coaching staff. In May 2026, the Nigeria Football Federation confirmed him as first assistant to Abdu Maikaba with the Under-20 team.
Chelle is also expected to bring in a foreign scout and another foreign assistant.
The Olympic Eagles are expected to begin preparations in Abuja ahead of qualifiers scheduled for November. Their target is clearly to qualify for Los Angeles 2028 and restore Nigeria’s place among the world’s leading Olympic football nations.
