Victor Ikpeba, a former Nigerian international, has expressed strong support for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle as the team gears up for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, according to Soccernet.ng.
Despite Nigeria’s challenging journey in the World Cup qualifiers, Ikpeba remains convinced that the Franco-Malian coach is the ideal leader to guide the Super Eagles through the upcoming continental tournament in Morocco.
During an appearance on SuperSport’s Monday Night Football, as reported by Complete Sports, Ikpeba commended Chelle’s influence since he officially took over the reins in March.
Under Chelle’s guidance, the Super Eagles have maintained an unbeaten streak, recording four victories and three draws across seven fixtures.
“Chelle has done well, and I believe our current predicament could have been avoided if he had been in charge from the start of the qualifiers,” Ikpeba remarked.
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Currently, Nigeria occupies third place in Group C of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, trailing behind South Africa and Benin, with only two matches remaining.
The team’s sluggish start under previous coaches José Peseiro and Finidi George-marked by three draws and a single loss in the first four games-has put their World Cup ambitions in jeopardy.
Nevertheless, while the World Cup qualification appears uncertain, the Super Eagles have already secured their spot in the December AFCON tournament. This achievement was clinched under interim coach Augustine Eguavoen late last year, prior to Chelle’s appointment.
In the previous AFCON held in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria reached the final under Peseiro’s leadership but were ultimately defeated by the host nation. Chelle was also present at that tournament, coaching Mali, who exited in the quarterfinals despite showcasing an attacking style of play.
Although there have been increasing demands for Chelle’s removal if Nigeria fails to qualify for the World Cup, Ikpeba argues that such a decision would be premature.
“He is fostering competition within the squad and utilizing the wealth of talent we have playing overseas,” Ikpeba explained.
“Rather than excluding players, Chelle is encouraging a healthy rivalry by giving various individuals the chance to prove themselves for a spot on the team.”
Ikpeba, a member of Nigeria’s celebrated 1996 Atlanta Olympic gold medal-winning squad, highlighted that off-field distractions have been the team’s most significant hurdle.
“The main challenge facing the Super Eagles is the distractions within the camp before and after matches. I urge the NFF to address this issue. Regardless of our World Cup outcome, Chelle is capable of leading Nigeria to success at AFCON,” he added.
Having lifted the AFCON trophy three times-in 1980, 1994, and 2013-Nigeria looks to Chelle to reignite the team’s confidence as they aim for continental triumph once again.
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