Eric Chelle: Dimeji Lawal calls for support to Super Eagles

By Saheed Afolabi

Former Nigeria international, Dimeji Lawal, has urged for full support for new Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, as he begins his tenure.

Chelle was officially unveiled by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja and has been tasked with leading the Super Eagles to qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Lawal emphasized that Chelle has been briefed about the team’s priorities and is fully capable of delivering success. He also addressed the criticism surrounding Chelle’s eligibility to coach Nigeria, drawing attention to the fact that Nigerian coaches have taken on international roles in the past.

“He has been saddled with the responsibility, and he has decided to take up that responsibility. That means he is capable of doing the job. So I wish him well and hope he qualifies the Super Eagles for the World Cup,” Lawal said, as quoted by Complete Sports.

Lawal also pointed out the double standards in the criticisms, highlighting how African coaches like the late Stephen Keshi and Emmanuel Amuneke have successfully coached teams outside of Nigeria.

He believes that the nationality of the coach should not be the primary concern, stating, “I have no problem with a coach coming from anywhere all over the world. Our own coaches have been outside to coach. So what stops others from coming here?”

While Lawal expressed his preference for an indigenous coach to manage the Super Eagles, he acknowledged that the NFF has made their decision with Chelle and called for unity and support for the new coach.

“I am an advocate of indigenous coaches and support ex-internationals who have the certificate to do the job. But in this case, the people who are in charge of our football have decided that they are going to go for a man from Mali. So what we need to do is to give him support to succeed,” he concluded.

Lawal’s comments reflect a desire for solidarity and collaboration in the pursuit of success for the Super Eagles, particularly with the important task of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on the horizon.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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