Soccer
Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle. Photo by Icon Sport
Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle saw his contract extended for another four years by the Nigeria Sports Commission two days ago, but that decision has been met with question marks, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 48-year-old was announced as the coach of the Nigerian National team in January 2025, initially joining on a two-year deal and was tasked with leading the three-time AFCON Champions to the World Cup after a dreadful start from their previous two coaches.
Chelle managed to steady Nigeria, sealing four wins from six qualifier games to help seal a play-off spot. While they defeated Gabon in the semi-final, they ultimately fell short against DR Congo.
After winning a bronze medal at the AFCON 2025 tournament in Morocco, the Super Eagles coach petitioned for a new deal, demanding a $130,000 monthly salary, an upgrade from the $50,000 he used to earn, which also covered the wages of his assistants.
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Soccer Super Eagles: Garba Lawal and Finidi George question sustainability of Eric Chelle’s salary
NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, announced that the contract of the former RC Lens defender will be extended until 2030. Alongside, he’ll take charge of the Nigerian U-23 team, with the sole aim of guiding the team to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Alongside, Chelle will now earn $100,000 per month, while the Nigeria Football Federation will take charge of the contracts of the remainder of his backroom staff.
🚨 Éric Chelle’s new deal, fully broken down:
The 48-year-old will earn around $100,000 per month, with the Nigeria Football Federation now covering his coaching staff’s salaries. His previous contract paid $50,000 monthly and required him to fund his assistants’ wages.
The… pic.twitter.com/4fkt5X8lyp
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However, the huge financial investment didn’t go down well with Lawal. The former Roda JC midfielder is unsure if the NFF can afford to consistently pay the new wage upgrade.
“This is very good for Nigeria,” Garba Lawal said in quotes revealed by Brila.
“Eric Chelle can call up players who perform very well in the Olympics. I only fear that Nigeria cannot sustain that $100,000 payment.”
Former Super Eagles coach, Finidi George, who was in charge for an interim spell after Jose Peseiro’s contract expired, before a permanent spell that saw him take charge of two games until he penned his resignation letter, also revealed that it would be too much work for Chelle to handle the senior team and the Olympic team.
“Super Eagles is already stress enough for him, don’t add more stress to it because you’re paying him $100,000,” the former Ajax winger said.
“Tell him your expectations and target on Super Eagles and let him concentrate on that. Let him get this job done.
“There are other Nigerian coaches that can do it, let them improve. There should be division of labor,” the one-time NPFL-winning coach concluded.
Eric Chelle’s first task would be to swing the Super Eagles into a strong start at the AFCON 2027 qualifiers starting in September.
Adefolahan Guerreiro
Adefolahan is a multilingual CAF-Accredited sports journalist and football writer whose work spans outlets like Soccernet Nigeria, Pure Football UK, and Royalsportz.
With a sharp eye for detail and a background in college sports, he tells the African football story with depth, flair, and global perspective.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and German, he brings a cross-cultural voice to his coverage, blending insight with accessibility for readers around the world.
His portfolio includes interviews with top Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, Sikiru Alimi, Sodiq Ismaila, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.
A devoted Borussia Dortmund fan, Adefolahan thrives on the emotion and rhythm of the beautiful game. Away from work, he’s a sci-fi enthusiast and series lover who enjoys exploring how sport, storytelling, and culture collide.
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