Nigerian head coach Eric Chelle has maintained that his focus remains on achieving success at the 2025 African Cup of Nations, despite uncertainty surrounding his future.
The 48-year-old was appointed as head coach of the Super Eagles earlier this year with the aim of reviving the country’s dismal World Cup qualifying campaign.
However, they fell short in their bid to reach the tournament after suffering defeat in the CAF playoff final to the Democratic Republic of Congo last month.
A win would have secured their spot in next year’s intercontinental playoffs and a step closer to booking their ticket at the World Cup.
“Since I took this job, every time my life with this team is maybe after this game, it is finished. I am only focused about this game, my players, my officials.
After the AFCON, for sure we will have a meeting with my FA and we will talk about everything. But now, this is not the moment to answer the question. I prefer to answer the question about the game, the tournament, the players and our game project”, Chelle revealed.
“We stay focused on that, we stay forced on the first game because this is the most important game right now. To come in this tournament right now to show our ambitions and after that, we have the time to talk about everything.”
Nigeria face Tanzania in group C action at the 2025 African Cup of Nations tournament later today, as they commence their bid for a fourth African title.
Chelle could buy himself an extended time at the helms of the Super Eagles if he can guide the team to success in Morocco.
“We have a game tomorrow, we are here to win this first game. We have a tournament, we are here to be ambitious and I don’t have the time to think about what happened before”, he continued.
“I prefer to stay focused on what is happening right now. After this tournament, we will have a meeting. This is not a moment to talk about the World Cup qualifiers.”
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
