The arrival of newly appointed Super Eagles head coach Eric Sekou Chelle has been cast into uncertainty following an emergency meeting held by his current club, MC Oran. This comes after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officially announced Chelle as the new Super Eagles coach.
Originally scheduled to travel to Nigeria on Saturday ahead of his official unveiling on Monday, Chelle will now remain in charge of MC Oran for their Algerian Cup match against Setif this weekend. The club decided to delay any decision on his departure until after this crucial fixture.
MC Oran’s management confirmed Chelle’s involvement in the Cup match in a statement: “The club management has confirmed that Chelle will remain with the team for the Cup match as planned. A final meeting will take place after his return to Oran to discuss the matter further.”
NANS Protests Chelle’s Appointment
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has voiced strong opposition to Chelle’s appointment as Super Eagles coach.
READ MORE:Amaju Pinnick defends Eric Chelle’s appointment amidst widespread outrage
Members of the student group staged a protest at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, where they chanted solidarity songs and condemned the appointment, labeling it an “aberration.”
NANS criticized Chelle’s tenure as head coach of the Malian national team, highlighting that under his leadership, Mali failed to qualify for the World Cup. The group also pointed out that Chelle did not win the African Cup of Nations during his time with Mali.
Algeria Ligue 1 side, MC Oran has appointed Eric Chelle as the club’s new head coach on a 2 seasons contract. pic.twitter.com/m1iSAkauPh
— African Soccer Updates (@Africansoccerup) October 9, 2024
In a statement shared via X, NANS expressed their dissatisfaction:
“This appointment, as announced by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), is not only unacceptable but also a slap on our nation. He did not win the African Cup of Nations, and we wonder why the NFF would choose such a tactician for the Super Eagles.”
Chelle’s Africa Cup of Nations Journey
Despite NANS’ criticism, Chelle led the Mali national team to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, where they narrowly missed out on a semifinal spot.
In a thrilling match against the host nation, Mali was on the brink of victory until Simon Adingra equalized in the 90th minute, sending the game into extra time. It was in the final moments of extra time that Oumar Diakite scored to eliminate Mali, leaving Chelle heartbroken as his team came so close to advancing.
The uncertainty surrounding Chelle’s future, combined with mounting protests from Nigerian students, adds another layer of complexity to his impending tenure as Super Eagles head coach. Both MC Oran and the NFF will now have to navigate these developments before a final decision is made.
