“Qualifications better than Westerhof’s” – Odegbami likens Eric Chelle to Nigeria’s most successful coach

Nigerian football legend Segun Odegbami has compared the Nigeria Football Federation's (NFF) appointment of Eric Chelle as the Super Eagles head coach to the hiring of Clemens Westerhof in 1990, Soccernet.ng reports.

The NFF stunned Nigerians on Tuesday by announcing Malian tactician Eric Chelle as the new manager of the Super Eagles. This is the first time Nigeria has hired an African coach (outside of Nigerian nationals) for its national team.

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Previously, the NFF had seemed committed to securing a “world-class” coach for the Super Eagles.

Last August, the federation nearly finalised a deal with former Stuttgart manager and ex-German international Bruno Labbadia.

Many expected a coach of similar stature to finally be named, making the appointment of Chelle — a relatively lesser-known figure — a surprise.

Chelle, who earned just five international caps for Mali as a player, holds a UEFA Pro Licence and has managed several lower-league French clubs.

His most notable achievement as a coach came when he led Mali to the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) last year.

Despite his modest resume, Odegbami pointed out that Chelle’s qualifications surpass those of Clemens Westerhof when the Dutchman was hired in 1990.

Westerhof, now celebrated as Nigeria’s most successful coach, had previously managed only a few Dutch clubs, with his most prominent role being assistant manager at Feyenoord.

Westerhof went on to lead Nigeria to second place at AFCON 1990, third place at AFCON 1992, a historic AFCON victory in 1994, and the country’s first-ever FIFA World Cup qualification that same year.

While Odegbami admitted he initially expected the NFF would appoint a top-tier European coach, he acknowledged that Chelle could replicate Westerhof’s success.

“After all, in 1990, when a coach was to be hired for the Nigerian national team, the NFA brought in a man whose qualifications were among the least impressive in Nigeria’s football history,” Odegbami wrote in his column for The Vanguard.

“Yes, Clemens Westerhof may be the most successful coach to date in Nigeria’s football history, but his credentials at the time of his appointment were the least remarkable.

“Eric Chelle’s qualifications are statistically a notch higher than Westerhof’s in 1990. Is the NFF trying to emulate the Westerhof model? Could that be the thinking behind this decision?

“Only time—and the next few months—will reveal the answer.”

Meanwhile, the NFF has scheduled Chelle’s official unveiling for Monday at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja. His assistants will also be introduced during the event.

Chelle’s immediate task will be to secure Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Super Eagles will resume their qualifying campaign in March with crucial Matchday 5 and 6 fixtures.