Former Nigeria international Victor Ikpeba has come out in defence of Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, urging patience with the Malian-born tactician as the team’s World Cup qualifying campaign remains under scrutiny, Footynaija.com reports.
Chelle, who was appointed earlier this year, has been under intense pressure after Nigeria’s mixed run in the qualifiers left their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup hanging in the balance.
Calls for his dismissal have grown louder in recent weeks, especially after some disappointing results, but Ikpeba believes the Super Eagles would be in a stronger position if Chelle had been in charge from the start of the campaign.
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“Chelle is doing a good job and I believe we wouldn’t be in this situation if he had started the qualifiers with the Super Eagles,” Ikpeba said in a report on SuperSport’s Monday Night Football via Complete Sports.
The former African Footballer of the Year stressed that Chelle is building an atmosphere of competition in the squad, one that could bring out the best in players.
According to him, the coach has not shut the door on any player but is instead making room for everyone to prove themselves.
“He will create competition for places in the squad and make use of the talented players we have abroad,” Ikpeba explained.
“He hasn’t dismissed any player, but he is creating an environment for healthy competition by giving opportunities to different players to fight for a place,” he added.
The comments come at a time when debates around Chelle’s future have dominated Nigerian football. Former stars and administrators have voiced concerns about the team’s imbalance, with Yakubu Aiyegbeni recently pointing out the lack of creative midfielders to support Victor Osimhen.
