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“Eguavoen has a better CV” — Udeze criticizes Chelle’s Super Eagles appointment

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“Eguavoen has a better CV” — Udeze criticizes Chelle’s Super Eagles appointment

By Monsurah Olatunji

Ex-international Ifeanyi Udeze has strongly criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for appointing Eric Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.

The former Mali international was unveiled on Monday at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, FCT, taking over from Finidi George, who vacated the position in June 2024.

Since September 2024, NFF Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen has served as the interim coach, successfully guiding the Super Eagles to qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Despite Eguavoen’s achievements, Udeze believes the Nigerian coach is more qualified for the role than Chelle, whose appointment he questions.

The 47-year-old Chelle brings coaching experience with clubs such as GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne, and MC Oran. He also managed the Mali national team during the recent AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, where they reached the quarterfinals.

However, Udeze has doubts about Chelle’s suitability for the Super Eagles, particularly in light of his dismissal from the Mali national team following a poor run in World Cup qualifiers.

Speaking on Brila FM, Udeze said, “A coach Mali sacked for a poor run in the World Cup qualifiers, does he deserve this job?”

He added, “The most annoying thing is that Augustine Eguavoen, who was our interim coach, has a better CV than Eric Chelle. On what grounds was Chelle employed? He took the job to enhance his CV. He doesn’t care whether we qualify for the World Cup or not. That’s the only reason he accepted the job.”

Udeze’s remarks have sparked further debate over Chelle’s appointment and the future of the Super Eagles under his leadership.

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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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