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Everything You Need To Know About Éric Chelle: The New Head Coach Of The Super Eagles

Published

5 months ago

February 26, 2025

In the last two years, the Nigerian national team has been on a coaching carousel, hiring four managers to find the right fit. Some, like former Super Eagles star Finidi George and ex-manager Augustine Eguavoen, barely lasted a few months before finding the exit door. Now, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has decided to take a new direction, appointing Éric Chelle as the head coach of the Super Eagles.

The announcement came on January 7, 2025, marking the beginning of a new era for the team.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Éric Chelle, the man now in charge of the Nigerian Super Eagles, discussing his playing and coaching career so far. But before we dive in, you can visit this website anytime to bet on any of your favorite football events.

Éric Chelle: Playing Career

Éric Sékou Chelle was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on November 11, 1977, to a French father and a Malian mother. He kicked off his professional football career in 1998 as a center-back with the French Ligue Two team Martigues. At Martigues, he spent five years and could only string together 78 appearances before leaving for Valenciennes in 2003.

Éric Chelle’s stint at Valenciennes also lasted five years but was more productive than his spell at Martigues. Valenciennes, which currently plays in the third tier of French football, was competing in the Ligue 2 at the time. With Chelle in their ranks, they secured the Ligue 2 title and lifted the French National 1 Cup.

Over five seasons, Chelle made 142 appearances for Valenciennes and even chipped in with 10 goals. In 2008, he moved on again, joining the Division 1 French club, RC Lens, for the next chapter of his career. Chelle’s career at RC Lens lasted three years, from 2008 to 2011. In this period, he featured in 82 games for the club and won the Ligue 1 title.

By the time he left Lens, he was 34 and in the twilight of his playing career. He moved down to the lower tiers of French football, joining Istres, where he featured in 60 games. In 2013, he made another switch, this time to Chamois Niortais. Chelle’s time at Chamois Niortais was brief. He played just 17 games before hanging up his boots in 2014, ending a career that spanned over 15 years in French football. He was exactly 37 years of age at the time of his retirement.

Éric Chelle: Coaching Career

After retiring, Éric Chelle wasted no time stepping into the coaching world. That same year, he started his journey as an assistant manager for GS Consolat, a Marseille-based amateur club now known as Athlético Marseille. After two years in the role, Chelle took the next big step in 2016, becoming the team’s head coach. During his short one-year stint as the head coach, he led the team in 30 matches, securing 16 wins, eight draws, and six losses.

After leaving GS Consolat in 2017, he returned to familiar territory, joining FC Martigues, the club he once played for, this time as a coach. While coaching FC Martigues, Chelle managed 80 games in three years, winning 35, drawing 24, and losing 21.

Chelle parted ways with FC Martigues in 2021 and soon took on a new challenge with another lower-tier French club, Boulogne. However, his time there was both brief and disappointing. His club stay lasted only six months. He managed just 16 games during this period, securing just two wins.

Five months after leaving Boulogne, Eric Chelle was appointed as the head coach of the Mali national team. He served in this role from 2022 to 2024 and managed 22 games. While his tenure didn’t bring home a trophy, it was still one of his most successful coaching stints, with an impressive 63.64% win rate. He secured 14 victories, five draws, and just three losses.

Chelle also guided Mali to the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals. Unfortunately, they narrowly fell to eventual champions Ivory Coast. He eventually left his role as coach four months later and joined the Algerian side MC Oran.

Chelle’s time at MC Oran was another short stint lasting just three months. He managed 13 matches during that period, recording six wins, two draws, and five losses. He eventually left the role to take on his current position as the head coach of the Nigerian national team.

Since his appointment in January, Éric Chelle has yet to meet the Super Eagles squad or manage a game. As it stands, his first official match in charge is likely to be in March, when Nigeria faces Rwanda in the World Cup qualifiers. However, there is a possibility of a friendly match scheduled before then.

Conclusion

Éric Chelle’s appointment as the head coach of the Super Eagles marks the beginning of another new chapter for Nigerian football. With a 15-year playing career and a coaching journey that has seen him manage both club and national teams, Chelle brings a wealth of experience to the role. As he prepares for his first official match, fans will be eager to see how his leadership and strategies shape the team.

Related Topics:#Super Eagles Super Eagles Coach

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Sports

Sports Commission Boss Hails Edo Swimmers For Performance At CNS Swimming Tournament

Published

4 days ago

July 20, 2025

Editor

The Executive Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has commended Team Edo athletes for their performance at the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Junior and Senior Swimming Competition, which came to end Thursday in Asaba, Delta.

In the tournament, Team Edo recorded a total of 5 gold, 14 silver, and 5 bronze medals in the Junior category, while the Senior swimmers secured 2 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze medals — bringing the team’s total to 31 medals.

In a statement signed by his Media Officer, Edoko Wilson Edoko, Enabulele commended the swimmers for their remarkable achievements at the national event.

“I am particularly thrilled by Precious Tissa’s exceptional performance, winning three gold medals for Edo State at the CNS Swimming Competition,” he said.

He also celebrated the accomplishments of other Edo swimmers, noting, “Athletes such as Forcados Funfumimi, Christian Obomanu, Solid Government, and Victor Uruonah delivered brilliant performances, clinching gold in the Mixed Medley Relay.

“This feat is a clear testament to Governor Monday Okpebholo’s unwavering commitment to grassroots sports development in Edo State.”

Enabulele further highlighted individual successes among the senior athletes: “On Day 3, Peremoboere Kimikiagha took gold in the 200m Freestyle, while Lucky Ayemi won silver in the same event and added another gold in the Under-18 category.”

He expressed confidence in the team’s future prospects.

He stated, “Our athletes have distinguished themselves at this national championship, and I am optimistic that these victories will inspire even greater performances in upcoming competitions.”

Sports

Ex-Super Eagles Coach, Monday Sinclair, Is Dead

Published

6 days ago

July 17, 2025

Editor

Former Super Eagles interim head coach, Monday Sinclair, is dead.

Sinclair died at the age of 88.

His death was confirmed on Wednesday by former Super Eagles goalkeeper Peterside Idah, who played under him at Sharks FC and considered him a mentor.

Peterside wrote in a tribute shared via Facebook on Wednesday, “Our daddy is gone. What a man.

“He signed me to play for Sharks. Gave me my first match against Niger Tornadoes of Minna.

“The first day he saw me come to train with Sharks, he said, ‘My friend, are you a boxer?’

“He said I was built like Tyson. From that day, I found me a football father. I became very close to him and his family, with Puppa K as a very close brother.”

Sinclair, who featured for the Green Eagles in the 1960s, was widely respected for his sharp eye for talent and enduring contribution to football development in Nigeria.

He began his coaching career with the now-defunct Sharks FC of Rivers State, before going on to handle Niger Tornadoes, Enugu Rangers, and Bayelsa United.

In 1997, he was appointed interim coach of the Super Eagles and later served as head coach of the Equatorial Guinea national team.

Sinclair was credited with mentoring some of Nigeria’s most iconic footballers, including Peter Rufai, Taribo West, Finidi George, and Peterside himself.

His grassroots influence left an enduring legacy on Nigerian football.

His passing comes just days after the death of another football legend, Peter Rufai, who battled a long-term illness.

Sports

Messi’s Multi-goal Streak Ends As Cincinnati Beats Miami 3-0

Published

7 days ago

July 17, 2025

Editor

Lionel Messi’s Major League Soccer-record streak of multi-goal games ended at five on Wednesday as his Inter Miami squad was blanked 3-0 at FC Cincinnati.

The 38-year-old Argentine star forward had scored a brace, two goals, in five consecutive matches for Miami, giving him 16 goals on the season as Inter managed four wins and a draw in the run.

Not since 2012 when he played for Barcelona had Messi netted a brace or more in five consecutive matches.

But Cincinnati kept Miami to only two shots on goal in the contest.

“Clearly today we were outplayed from the beginning of the match,” Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said through a translator.

“It was very difficult for us to win the individual duels. Maybe one of the reasons is that physically we come with a very big hustle and bustle and in the long run we end up paying.

“Leo suffered a knock at the end but it ended well.”

US 20-year-old midfielder Gerardo Valenzuela opened the scoring for Cincinnati in the 16th minute.

Brazilian striker Evander followed with a goal in the 50th minute and struck again in the 70th to provide all the scoring the hosts needed.

“We didn’t play the game we wanted. They put us under pressure all the time, we weren’t fresh or lucid and they beat us very well,” Mascherano said.

Miami fell to 11-4 with five drawn for 38 points, fifth in the Eastern Conference and eight points adrift of first-place Philadelphia, the overall MLS leader which beat Montreal to stay one point ahead of Cincinnati in the overall MLS standings.

Inter Miami has three games in hand on both clubs but would need to win them all to overtake their rivals for the overall league lead.

“The opponent outplayed us from start to finish,” Mascherano said. “The result and the way they beat us obviously worries us. Now we have to rest and think about the next game.”

That will come on Saturday when Miami will visit the New York Red Bulls, who got two goals each from Cameroon’s Eric Choupo-Moting and Sweden’s Emil Forsberg in a 5-3 home win over New England on Wednesday.

– De Paul to join Miami –

A source close to negotiations told AFP on Wednesday that Inter Miami has agreed on terms with Argentine international Rodrigo De Paul, a midfielder for Atletico Madrid.

The deal is for the next four seasons with De Paul to play the remainder of 2025 in Miami on loan from Atletico Madrid with a subsequent purchase option for Inter worth more than $12 million.

De Paul could play for Miami for the first time on July 30 against Mexican side Atlas in Inter’s debut match in the Leagues Cup, a tournament between MLS and Mexican League clubs.

He will leave Europe after four seasons in Madrid to join countryman Messi 11 months before the World Cup to be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

Messi has not said if he will play in the World Cup.

De Paul and Messi were teammates on Argentina’s 2022 World Cup champions and reuniting them could help entice Messi to sign a new contract with Inter, whose deal with the superstar expires at the end of this year.

The club wants Messi to stay for the 2026 season, in which Inter will open a new stadium in Miami.

DePaul, 31, joins a Miami core that includes Messi, Uruguayan Luis Suarez and Spaniards Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

Charlotte was named host city for the 2026 MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday. This year’s all-star matchup will be in Austin, Texas, next Wednesday with the MLS All-Stars facing the Mexican League All-Stars.