Dear Eric,
I really do not know whether to start this letter with a congratulatory message on your appointment as the new Super Eagles manager or not because of its tricky nature. This could turn out to be your best job till date or a major low point.
One thing you can however be sure of is my support for you to succeed on this project. It is my personal philosophy to give whoever has been appointed Super Eagles coach (foreign or indigenous) my total support until it becomes obvious that the appointee has failed.
The reason for this is simple – as the Nigeria senior men’s national football team manager, when you succeed, we are all succeeding. The opposite is also true.
As you may have seen, there have been mixed reactions to your appointment. It has divided opinions. This is not unusual. We hardly agree on the type and choice of coach we want but when our team is playing and winning, our hearts beat as one.
So focus on winning, and probably winning with some exciting football. The truth is you cannot win everybody over but you would have done a great job to win a majority over.
You must hit the ground running, and running really fast. You have no honeymoon period. You have zero margin for errors. The kind of battle we are in is called ‘kill or be killed’.
I have gone through your profile and seen that your stats with Mali, your last national team assignment, was not bad. At the 2023 African Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, you won two games (2-0 vs South Africa, 2-1 vs Burkina Faso), drew two games (1-1 vs Tunisia, 0-0 vs Namibia) and lost one (2-1 to Cote d’Ivoire after extra time).
Your team controlled that Cote’d Ivoire game for large spells, missed a penalty and had an extra man advantage but lost it to naivety and indiscipline.
Clearly, you love attacking football with a lot of vibrancy and running. You love a team that plays together with little or no emphasis on individual stars but you have to find a balance. While building a youthful, enterprising, high pressing side, do not throw away experience. This is critical.
A major ingredient for success with Nigeria is keeping your team competitive. Let every player know what guarantees an invitation or a shirt in the squad is maintaining a good form, discipline on and off the pitch and showing hunger for victory and commitment for success. Being ready to give a hundred percent anytime and every time.
Get ready to love Nigeria. Try to live here and take in as much of the Nigerian culture as you can.
You are the first ‘non Nigerian’ African to coach the Super Eagles. Develop intimacy with our domestic football, bond with the coaches of the clubs and be ready to give opportunities to deserving home stars to be part of the national team set up.
I have a suggestion for you about the African Nations Championship (CHAN) starting next month in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Be part of the Nigerian team in an advisory role ONLY.
The CHAN tournament is not your priority, the 2026 World Cup ticket is.
If you win the CHAN tournament and do not get the 2026 World Cup ticket at the end of it all, then you have FAILED.
The CHAN can only be a priority for you if you intend to prosecute the World Cup campaign with mostly home based players.
From now till March 22 when camp would open for the World Cup qualifier away to Rwanda, there are about 10 weeks. Going to CHAN as the head coach and staying with the team from February 1 to 28 takes out at least half of the time you have to prepare for the more crucial World Cup qualifiers in March.
My honest suggestion to you would be for you to spend some days with the CHAN team, watch one or two group games and if they advance to the crucial stages, go to see them again.
My expectations are that along with the Super Eagles team administrator, the very reliable Ekundayo Enebi Achor, and possibly the Nigeria Football Federation President Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, you will need to visit a good number of our top foreign based stars in England, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, France, Saudi Arabia and even South Africa.
I don’t expect you to visit everyone but try to visit a good number, have face to face, heart to heart contact and discussions with them before meeting in a camp setting.
Those you do not see physically can be reached through phone and video calls. Arranging these things would definitely be challenging but worth the while.
I think these visits and some intense opposition scouting of Rwanda and Zimbabwe should take priority over your assuming the lead role of the CHAN team.
Finally, be very professional in all your dealings. Do not let anyone push you around. Be in charge, no compromises, no interference. Insist on what is best for you and the team and give no room for excuses.
Be ‘deaf and dumb’ to praise singers and destructive criticisms. Develop a thick skin and a tough chin. The sports authorities have promised to create a conducive environment for you to work and excel. I am sure they will work hard to fulfill this promise.
Thank you for taking the time to read this long letter, Eric. Welcome to Nigeria
By Toyin Ibitoye, former media officer Super Eagles
MY ADVICE FOR ERIC CHELLE:
@** Work hand to hand with your Technical crews
@** Let the invitation of players base on merit
@** Don’t allow anybody FORCE/IMPOSE any players on you. Instead SCOUT for players & test them in Friendly matches
@** Invite local players that is ready to give foreign professional players a stiff competition(not the one to add to the number/surplus to requirements).
@** Always maintain your stand
@** Don’t allow anybody to be pushing you up and down.
@** Don’t be carried away with the club performance of players ONLY but base on PRESENT FORM & POTENTIAL
@** Do not tolerate INDISCIPLINE in to your team.
#** Do not invite players in order to pacify/please somebody (like local Coach Equavoen)
@** Encourage your players to be STRONG & MORE PHYSICAL when it comes to Africa football
@** Try to take advantage of newly introduced format: FIVE-SUBSTITUTION in a match(approved by CAF & FIFA) as an opportunity to test-run other players and MORE TECHNICAL in it.
@** Emphasize more on WING PLAY pattern for Super eagle.
@** Don’t be DECEIVED with the word EXPERIENCE, Instead make a RISK and search for a player like AMUNEKE(1994), AGHAHOWA & UDEZE(2000), YOBO & AIYEGBENI(2001), ENYEAMA(2002), IZOHO(2017), M.OKOYE(2019), NWABALI(2024), All these players mentioned make a breakthrough into Super eagle team as result of RISK their coach made.