Malian tactician Eric Chelle has opened up on the surprising circumstances that led to his appointment as the head coach of the Super Eagles, revealing that he didn’t lobby for the high-profile role.
Chelle, 47, was officially unveiled by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in January, a decision that raised eyebrows across the footballing world.
His appointment marked a historic milestone, as it was the first time an African coach would be handed the reins of the Nigerian national team.
Despite being one of the least expected names on the NFF’s radar especially with several high-profile foreign and local coaches being heavily linked with the job Chelle insists his selection was based purely on merit.
“When I left the Malian team, there was a call for applications from the NFF, and so I applied like any other coach, and then the interview came,” Chelle told CANAL+SPORT Afrique.
“I was invited to a coaches’ conference where I presented my project, vision, and philosophy. I thought it would happen much faster, but due to some events, I had to wait, so I left. I left for Rouen, but then it’s true that I had this opportunity, which I risked losing. So I returned, for this great project.