Former Nigeria international Mutiu Adepoju has thrown his support behind Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle following the team’s frustrating 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Soccernet.ng reports.
Eric Chelle, who was appointed in January to replace Finidi George, oversaw Nigeria’s two qualifiers in March.
His tenure began on a promising note as the Super Eagles claimed a much-needed 2-0 victory over Rwanda in Kigali, their first win in six qualifying matches. That result sparked renewed optimism in Nigeria’s World Cup campaign.
However, expectations quickly turned to disappointment just four days later when the Super Eagles failed to hold onto a second-half lead against Zimbabwe, conceding a late equaliser that left their qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
Nigeria's former Coach, Jo Bonfrere criticises Nigeria for failing to beat Zimbabwe.
— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) March 27, 2025
He asked how they expect to qualify for the FIFA World Cup if they don't win their games.
He said fans would have thrown stones at them if they failed to beat Zimbabwe 3-0 or 4-0 in the past. pic.twitter.com/antkO10SAv
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What Mutiu Adepoju said about Eric Chelle
Despite the setback, Mutiu Adepoju insists that the Franco-Malian coach deserves patience, acknowledging that while mistakes may have been made, Eric Chelle is not to be written off.
“At this point, it would be unfair to say Chelle is a bad coach – he is not,” Adepoju told Flashscore. “The only issue was the way the match against Zimbabwe was managed, which has put us in this situation.”
With just seven points from six games, Nigeria sit fourth in Group C, trailing leaders South Africa by six points.
Bafana Bafana bolstered their top spot with a 2-0 away win over Gernot Rohr’s Benin Republic, leaving the Super Eagles with a mountain to climb in the final stretch of qualifiers.
Adepoju, however, believes that all hope is not lost and has urged Chelle to reassess the team’s shortcomings and prepare for the critical matches ahead.
“Now, he needs to identify the team's mistakes and move forward for the upcoming matches. You never know what might happen. We just have to keep hope alive,” he added.
Nigeria’s qualification campaign resumes in September with a home fixture against Rwanda in Uyo, followed by a high-stakes trip to face South Africa.
The pressure is mounting, as failure to secure a World Cup spot would mark the first time the Super Eagles have missed consecutive tournaments since making their debut at USA '94.
The disappointment of missing the 2022 World Cup in Qatar still lingers, and another absence from the global stage would be a devastating blow for one of Africa’s football powerhouses.
Chelle now faces the ultimate test — can he turn Nigeria’s fortunes around, or will the Super Eagles endure yet another heartbreak?
