He has a lot to offer - Super Eagles star declares support for Eric Chelle

He has a lot to offer - Super Eagles star declares support for Eric Chelle

Hassan Abdulsalam 08:01 - 27.01.2025

The 26-year-old striker believes that Chelle will succeed as Super Eagles coach.

Super Eagles forward Umar Sadiq has voiced his support for newly appointed Nigeria coach Eric Chelle, expressing confidence that his tactical approach will benefit the team.

Chelle, a former Mali international, took over the Super Eagles to succeed interim coach Austin Eguavoen, who took over after Finidi George resigned.

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Chelle's appointment comes as Nigeria prepares for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the 2025 AFCON.

What Sadiq said

Sadiq believes Chelle's influence was evident in Mali's strong showing at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where they reached the quarterfinals.

The Super Eagles will look to go a step further after the heartbreaking loss to the Ivory Coast in AFCON2023.
The Super Eagles will look to go a step further after the heartbreaking loss to the Ivory Coast in AFCON2023.

"You can see what he did in the last AFCON. Everyone was thinking that Mali were also among the favourites," Sadiq told Sporty TV.

He added, "You can see how they played. They were so good but they got knocked out in the quarterfinals because sometimes it is not the best that wins."

The 26-year-old striker closely followed Mali's games during the 2023 AFCON because one of his club's teammates was part of the Eagles squad at the tournament.

"I can tell you I watched a lot of games of Mali because I have a teammate there. And you can see how they play. You can see the coach (Chelle) has a lot of things."

Sadiq believes that Nigeria has the potential to succeed if Chelle implements a similar style with the Super Eagles

"I think with the way he plays, if he brings it to Nigeria, the way he plays in Mali, if he brings the type of play to Nigeria, I think we will go a long way forward," Sadiq stated.

Nigeria face a challenging situation in the World Cup qualifiers, currently sitting fifth in their six-team group with only three points from four games. They trail leaders Rwanda, South Africa, and the Benin Republic by four points.

The qualifiers resume on March 17 with an away fixture against Rwanda in Kigali, followed by a home game against Zimbabwe in Uyo seven days later.

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