{"id":851977,"date":"2025-05-29T16:11:50","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T21:11:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/29\/im-guilty-if-im-wrong-eric-chelles-brutal-verdict-on-npfl-stars-after-display-in-ghana-win-at-unity-cup\/"},"modified":"2025-05-29T16:11:50","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T21:11:50","slug":"im-guilty-if-im-wrong-eric-chelles-brutal-verdict-on-npfl-stars-after-display-in-ghana-win-at-unity-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/29\/im-guilty-if-im-wrong-eric-chelles-brutal-verdict-on-npfl-stars-after-display-in-ghana-win-at-unity-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cI\u2019m guilty if I\u2019m wrong\u201d \u2013 Eric Chelle\u2019s brutal verdict on NPFL stars after display in Ghana win at Unity Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has expressed satisfaction with the performances of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) players following their involvement in the national <a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/2025\/05\/unity-cup-nigeria-ghana-semi-ajayi-super-eagles.html\">team&#8217;s 2-1 victory over Ghana<\/a> at the Unity Cup in London, <a href=\"https:\/\/Soccernet.ng\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Soccernet.ng<\/a> reports<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Chelle, who has been closely monitoring the NPFL since his appointment in January, took a bold step by including ten home-based players in his 23-man squad for the tournament, currently being held at the Gtech Community Stadium.<\/p>\n<p>The Malian tactician handed international debuts to several of them during Wednesday night\u2019s semi-final clash with Ghana.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_159799\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-159799\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/imago1057772419-750x1125.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle\" width=\"750\" height=\"1125\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-159799\">Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle. Photo by IMAGO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Remo Stars striker Sikiru Alimi and forward Papa Daniel Mustapha were handed their first caps in the starting XI, alongside right-back Sodiq Ismaila, who earned his third appearance.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_158582\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-158582\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Gpi04GcWsAEkDmB.jpeg\" alt=\"Soccer New Super Eagles stars Sodiq Ismaila and Sikiru Alimi impress for 2025 NPFL champions, Remo Stars FC\" width=\"680\" height=\"453\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-158582\">New Super Eagles stars Sodiq Ismaila and Sikiru Alimi impress for 2025 NPFL champions, Remo Stars FC. Photo Credit X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Rangers\u2019 Collins Ugwueze and Ifeanyi Onyebuchi also featured off the bench, making their Super Eagles debuts in the second half.<\/p>\n<h3>\u201cI\u2019m guilty if I\u2019m wrong\u201d \u2013 Eric Chelle&#8217;s brutal verdict on NPFL stars after display in Ghana win at Unity Cup<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_162379\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-162379\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Gr5_ZNmWoAA4n-k-1-750x500.jpeg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle at the Unity Cup\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-162379\">Nigeria Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle (L) at the Unity Cup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Chelle maintains that his selection was based purely on merit and a desire to build a balanced and competitive squad, highlighting the potential impact domestic talents can have on the team\u2019s future success.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThese players, they have some qualities,\u201d Chelle said during his <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/xXG4wtF4co4?si=o_Acwe1jDQtjzAQz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">post-match press conference.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy job is to analyse. My job is to make some choices. If I&#8217;m wrong, then I&#8217;m guilty. But the reality is that I want to give some chances to these guys. Because I need to put in my team some guys who can add something because we need to win.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He added: \u201cIt&#8217;s important for me, maybe I will find a guy who can score in the last minute against Rwanda or against South Africa or against Zimbabwe or against Lesotho.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo my job is to work and try to do the best for this team, for Nigeria, for the local players and for the other (foreign) players. We will work. I&#8217;m happy to be here with all my players and we are focused in the next games in September.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"attachment_151080\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-151080\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/02\/imago1057772428-750x500.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle (right)\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-151080\">Nigeria Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle (right). Photo by IMAGO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whatsapp.com\/channel\/0029VagMHLcA89MZvw0Btc21\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Get Our Sports News First \u2013 Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!<\/a><\/h4>\n<p><strong>READ MORE<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/2025\/05\/eric-chelles-super-eagles-2.html\">Eric Chelle\u2019s honest confession reveals why Super Eagles faded after fast start against Ghana<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/2025\/05\/nigerias-super-eagles-ghana-unity-cup.html\">Five takeaways as Nigeria\u2019s Super Eagles outgun Ghana\u2019s Black Stars to reach Unity Cup final<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/2025\/05\/unity-cup-nigeria-ghana.html\">Dessers shines, Ismaila assists: Player ratings from Nigeria&#8217;s 2-1 win over Ghana in the Unity Cup\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Super Eagles secured their place in Saturday\u2019s final against Jamaica with goals from Cyriel Dessers in the 14th minute and an own goal from Ghana\u2019s Razak Simpson five minutes later.<\/p>\n<p>Brandon Asante-Thomas pulled one back for Ghana in the 70th minute, but Nigeria held firm to book their spot in the final.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Soccer Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/DSC_0327-copy-150x150.jpg\"  height=\"80\" width=\"80\">\t\t<\/p>\n<div>\n<h3>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/author\/imhonlamhen-eronmhonsele\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tImhonlamhen Eronmhonsele\t\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\tImhonlamhen Eronmhonsele turns into a ball of passion when writing about Nigerian football and its talents, whether rising stars or established legends, locally and abroad.<\/p>\n<p>From the deepest corners of the Middle East, to the green fields of the Americas, to the celebrated grounds in Europe, and the rich soils of Africa, Imhons is more than glad, usually with a glass of a tasty drink nearby, to capture the essence of the game, by connecting the dots between culture, identity, and football.\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/2025\/05\/eric-chelles-npfl-ghana-unity-cup.html\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a>Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has expressed satisfaction with the performances of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) players following their involvement in the national team&#8217;s 2-1 victory over Ghana at the Unity Cup in London, Soccernet.ng reports. Chelle, who has been closely monitoring the NPFL since his appointment in January, took a bold [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":851978,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[482,37025,2005],"tags":[9321,17397],"class_list":{"0":"post-851977","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-guilty","8":"category-im","9":"category-soccer","10":"tag-guilty","11":"tag-im"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851977","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=851977"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851977\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/851978"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=851977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=851977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=851977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}