Former Nigerian international Eric Ejiofor has urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to disregard any calls for Eric Chelle’s dismissal and instead hand the Franco-Malian coach a longer leash as Super Eagles handler.
Ejiofor’s plea follows the national team’s hard-fought 2-2 friendly draw against Poland in Warsaw on Wednesday – a result that extended Chelle’s unbeaten run in regulation time to 12 matches.
While some critics have pointed to defensive lapses in the Poland clash, Ejiofor sees a bigger picture. In a monitored radio chat with Brila FM, the former defender argued that Chelle deserves credit for transforming the team’s identity and embracing a long-overdue youth revolution.
“I really think the NFF must keep Eric Chelle as Super Eagles head coach. Firing him now would be a huge step backward,” Ejiofor said.
“He has made significant changes to our football. The team now plays an attractive, possession-based style that we’ve been crying out for years. More importantly, he is not just talking about the future – he is actively building it.”
Ejiofor specifically praised Chelle’s decision to hand opportunities to youngsters and home-based players from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) during recent friendlies. According to him, the coach has handed international debuts to 13 players so far – 12 of whom featured at the Unity Cup tournament – while also managing to rotate three different squads across two weeks without losing momentum.
“That is not easy. You don’t see many foreign coaches trusting NPFL players. Chelle has done it, and the results are there – two wins and one draw from those experiments,” Ejiofor noted.
Chelle’s overall record since taking charge stands at 16 wins, nine draws, and just one defeat from 26 games. His only loss came earlier in his tenure, and the team has since gone on an 11-match unbeaten streak. Next up for the Super Eagles is another test – a friendly against Portugal.
“Look at the Poland game. We created chances, we fought back twice, and we did it without some of our biggest stars. That tells you the system is working,” Ejiofor added. “If the NFF interferes now, we will regret it.”
The former international concluded by appealing to football authorities to exercise patience, insisting that Chelle’s project – blending experienced pros with raw NPFL talents – could finally end Nigeria’s long wait for sustained success on the global stage.
