Eleven days before the first clash with Tanzania, Ogenyi Onazi, former Super Eagles midfielder and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner, has called on head coach Eric Chelle to step away from his role with the Olympic Eagles U23 side and focus on the Super Eagles.
The Nigerian calendar has made things complicated for Eric Chelle. The Super Eagles face Tanzania twice in 2027 AFCON qualifying, in Uyo on 13 November and then in Dar es Salaam on 17 November. On the same dates, the Olympic Eagles, the U23 team he also manages, face DR Congo in U23 AFCON qualifying, in Lubumbashi and then in Ikenne.
The double role has drawn a reaction from former internationals. Speaking on the No Holds Barred show on Brila FM, hosted by Ifeanyi Udeze, Ogenyi Onazi called for a clear choice: “Let Eric Chelle concentrate on the Super Eagles. He has a lot of problems to solve with that team already”.
A tense Group L
The numbers add weight to the former midfielder’s concern. In Group L, Guinea-Bissau have six points, Nigeria three, Madagascar and Tanzania one each. Tanzania, co-hosts of the tournament, have already qualified: only one other team from the group will go through, and the Super Eagles, in second, are three points behind Guinea-Bissau.
Their form has been up and down. A 2-1 win over Madagascar in Uyo, with goals from George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor, followed by a 3-0 defeat in Bissau, with goals from Franculino Djú, Mama Baldé and Álvaro Djaló. According to Soccernet NG, Nigeria have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five matches.
Speaking after the defeat, Eric Chelle himself admitted his team had been second best, with the hosts showing more intensity and motivation, Brila Radio reports. A admission that fuels the debate over how he divides his time between the two national teams.
Sodje and the word “ridiculous”
On the same outlet, Sam Sodje, a former Super Eagles international, used the word “ridiculous”. A view which, like Onazi’s on Brila FM, is the opinion of former players rather than a decision by the federation.
Nothing so far suggests Chelle will give up one of his two hats: according to Brila Radio, he remains the Super Eagles head coach and the man in charge of the Olympic Eagles U23. The question of the double role therefore remains open.
Two fixtures in parallel
The double header with Tanzania is played in two stages: at home in Uyo on 13 November, then away in Dar es Salaam on 17 November. At the same time, DR Congo host the Olympic Eagles in Lubumbashi before travelling to Ikenne, in U23 AFCON qualifying.
For the Super Eagles, the stakes are simple: pick up points against an opponent who have already qualified and stop Guinea-Bissau pulling away. The first meeting, in Uyo, comes eleven days after Onazi’s comments.