Former Super Eagles coach Sylvanus Okpala has questioned the credentials of current Nigeria national team head coach Eric Chelle amid growing public support for the Franco-Malian tactician, Footynaija.com reports.
Chelle’s spell in charge of the Super Eagles has largely been viewed in a positive light, with the three-time African champions evolving into one of the continent’s most exciting attacking sides, as showcased at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
However, Nigeria’s third-place finish at the tournament, coupled with the Super Eagles’ failure to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has sparked mixed reactions among fans, pundits, and football stakeholders regarding Chelle’s tenure.
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One of those unconvinced by the 47-year-old’s appointment is Okpala, who has raised concerns about the criteria used in selecting the Super Eagles head coach and questioned the achievements that supposedly qualified Chelle for the role.
The former midfielder, who was part of the Super Eagles’ coaching crew that won Nigeria’s last Africa Cup of Nations title in 2013, believes only an indigenous coach can steady the ship and return the national team to the right path.
“All I can say is that it’s Nigerian coaches that will solve the Super Eagles problem. I’ve been saying it for maybe five years now,” Okpala said, per Brila.net.
“I read again where someone said that if you want to coach the national team, you must have taken a club side to the continent and won the CAF Champions League.
“I started thinking—if that is the yardstick for coaching the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle is from Mali, so how many teams did he coach in Mali that won the CAF Champions League?”
Despite Okpala’s criticism, there are currently no indications that the Nigeria Football Federation plans to sever ties with Chelle, with several top administrators already publicly backing the Franco-Malian coach.
