Nigeria’s football authorities have decided to place even greater trust in Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle, Footynaija reports.
The Franco-Malian tactician has been offered an improved contract and given responsibility for the national U-23 team as part of plans to rebuild the country’s football structure.
The decision was reached during a strategic meeting in Abuja involving National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko, NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade, Nigeria Football Federation President Ibrahim Gusau, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and Chelle himself.
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Speaking after the discussions, Dikko confirmed that all major issues regarding the coach’s future had been resolved and that the NFF would now complete the official paperwork.
“It’s a new contract and a new remuneration which I think the NFF will do the necessary to now be able to finalise it,” Dikko said.
“But I think I can confirm to you, we have agreed on a new term sheet with the coach, and the NFF will put it on paper. But I think we have agreed on something with the coach about his remuneration.”
The revised package is expected to include improved conditions for Chelle’s backroom staff as well as performance-related targets.
“We’re going to also take care of his assistants who are helping him, and there are other benchmarks that we have put on the table. And I’m sure the coach was very, very excited about it,” Dikko added.
One of the most significant outcomes of the meeting was the decision to place the Dream Team under Chelle’s supervision. According to Dikko, the aim is to create a clear pathway for young players moving into the senior national team.
“So on that aspect, we also agree with the coach that the coach will also take care of the under-23 national team because we can see the young people that are already coming up to the Super Eagles,” he explained.
“Instead of having different ideas, let’s have the same ideas from under-23 to the Super Eagles.”
Dikko revealed that additional technical staff would assist with the U-23 side whenever fixtures clash with Super Eagles commitments.
“If there are clashes in the matches, then the people in our addition will do the matches while they do the Super Eagles,” he said.
“The objective is they have to be constructive, actually, now. It is now that we have to start building and bringing in the young ones that will join the team.”
The move comes after Nigeria’s painful failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, extending the country’s absence from football’s biggest stage after also missing Qatar 2022. Dikko believes the setback should serve as a lesson as attention shifts to future tournaments.
“We have the next AFCON. We have the next World Cup. Now we have to start preparing now. We have to start putting our heads together to make sure all the mistakes and all the difficulties that we have suffered would not happen again,” he said.
“The issue is to learn from your mistakes and see how we can make it better.”
Dikko also dismissed suggestions that the additional responsibilities could overwhelm Chelle.
“It’s not about crowding the coach. If you go and ask crowding the coach, he will move up. No. It’s about turning the rebuilding into a foundation.”
The NFF is expected to formally unveil Chelle’s new contract and the expanded technical framework in the coming weeks as preparations begin for the next Africa Cup of Nations and future World Cup qualification campaigns.
