Eric Chelle Archives | Trendbrio.com

Int’l Friendly: Injuries, Withdrawals Alter Chelle’s Army to Face Russia

Our Reporters3 days ago3 days ago04 mins

A number of withdrawals and injuries to some players have combined to alter the list of players who will appear for Nigeria in Friday’s international friendly match in Moscow, from the original list drawn up by Super Eagles’ Head Coach Eric Chelle. The goalkeeping sector is unaffected as first choice Stanley Nwabali was not listed for the trip in the first place, as a result of the upcoming burial rites for his late parents. Italy-based Maduka Okoye and Tanzania-based Amas Obasogie will still fight for the goal-tender’s starting shirt. In the rearguard, captain William Ekong is in Moscow alongside Bright Osayi-Samuel, joining the Unity Cup trio of Bruno Onyemaechi, Semi Ajayi and Igoh Ogbu. However, Nottingham Forest’s Ola Aina excused himself from the friendly, and Coach Chelle has had to draft in the Unity Cup duo of Sodiq Ismaila and Benjamin Fredericks. Former junior international Fredericks impressed on his debut against Jamaica on Saturday. In the midfield, injury to Wilfred Ndidi has handed Enugu Rangers’ ace Saviour Isaac the opportunity to shine. Isaac is a key member of the Eagles B, which will participate in the African Nations Championship finals in August. He will join Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Christantus Uche and Papa Daniel Mustapha to fight for shirts in the middle of the pack. At the fore, Unity Cup ace Samuel Chukwueze, and Kelechi Iheanacho, have excused themselves to attend to family matters, while Spain-based Sadiq Umar has suffered an injury. Nathan Tella’s United Kingdom passport is undergoing a renewal process, so he is unable to travel. This situation has left Chelle with only Victor Boniface, Simon Moses and Tolu Arokodare in the attack, and he has had to call up Russia-based former junior international Olakunle Olusegun, who plays for Krasnodar FC. The team, which arrived in Moscow on Monday, will begin training sessions on Tuesday. The match will take place at the 78,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium, which is the largest football stadium in Russia and the ninth-largest in the whole of Europe. SUPER EAGLES FOR RUSSIA FRIENDLY: Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania) Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Sodiq Ismaila (Remo Stars); Benjamin Fredericks (Brentford FC, England) Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC, Italy); Chrisantus Uche (Getafe CF, Spain); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Saviour Isaac (Enugu Rangers) Forwards: Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium); Olakunle Olusegun (Krasnodar FC, Russia)

Chelle Picks Simon, Musa, Nwabali, Ndidi, 21 Others for Unity Cup Tourney in London

Our Reporters2 weeks ago2 weeks ago06 mins

Head Coach Eric Chelle has selected rave-of-the-moment in France, Moses Simon, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forward Ahmed Musa among a total of 25 Super Eagles who will execute this month-end’s Unity Cup Tournament in London. Chelle, who admitted that “we’re looking forward to taking part in the Unity Cup as it will give us the chance to try out a few new players in different roles, helping us to strengthen our squad before the matches in September and October,” has included a number of standout Nigeria Premier Football League players in the Unity Cup houseparty. Junior Harrison Nduka, captain of the CHAN-bound Super Eagles B and of champions Remo Stars, will seek a slot in the defence that also has Semi Ajayi, Bruno Onyemaechi, Igoh Ogbu and fellow home-boys Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, Sodiq Ismaila and Waliu Ojetoye, while Papa Daniel Mustapha, Saviour Isaac and Collins Ugwueze will have to contend with Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka and Chrisantus Uche in midfield. At the fore, Ahmed Musa, Adamu Abubakar and Sikiru Alimi are up against Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Cyriel Dessers, Nathan Tella, Tolu Arokodare and Kelechi Iheanacho. The Unity Cup Tournament, involving Nigeria, Jamaica, Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago, will be staged at the 17,250-capacity Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, West London. The tournament will kick off with the first semi-final on Tuesday, 27th May as Trinidad & Tobago tackle Jamaica in the first-ever ‘Trini-Jam’ on UK soil. The following day, three-time African champions Nigeria will take on four-time African champions Ghana in the second semi-final, which will come with all the intrigues and variables of a 74-year rivalry between the two continental giants. All four teams will return on Saturday, 31st May for the grand finale, with the losers of the semi-final fixtures featuring in the third-place game, before the Final to determine The Unity Cup 2025 champions. For the friendly with Russia’s senior men team at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow on Friday, 6th June, Chelle has picked a total of 21 players, with captain William Ekong, fellow defenders Olaoluwa Aina and Bright Osayi-Samuel, midfielders Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Victor Boniface and Sadiq Umar joining a number of picks from the Unity Cup cohort. SUPER EAGLES FOR UNITY CUP TOURNAMENT: Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania) Defenders: Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Junior Harrison Nduka (Remo Stars); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Enugu Rangers); Sodiq Ismaila (Remo Stars); Waliu Ojetoye (Ikorodu City) Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Saviour Isaac (Enugu Rangers); Chrisantus Uche (Getafe CF, Spain); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Collins Ugwueze (Enugu Rangers) Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough FC, England); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium); Ahmed Musa (Kano Pillars); Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United) Available for training only: Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany) SUPER EAGLES FOR RUSSIA FRIENDLY: Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania) Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic) Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC, Italy); Chrisantus Uche (Getafe CF, Spain); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes) Forwards: Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough FC, England); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium); Sadiq Umar (Valencia CF, Spain)

Unity Cup: Super Eagles Legends Commend Chelle’s Balanced Squad for Showdown in London

Our Reporters2 weeks ago2 weeks ago07 mins

As Nigeria prepares for the highly anticipated Unity Cup Tournament in London, two Super Eagles greats—Garba Lawal and Mutiu Adepoju—have thrown their weight behind current head coach Eric Chelle for his commendable decision to blend homegrown talents from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) with established foreign professionals. Their endorsement comes as Chelle names a 25-man squad set to face off against Ghana in the semi-finals of the Unity Cup on May 28, with the tournament finale billed for May 31 at the Gtech Community Stadium in West London. Chelle’s approach evokes memories of legendary Nigerian coaches such as Clemens Westerhof, Stephen Keshi, and Bonfrere Jo, all of whom famously integrated domestic league players into the national team fabric. That tradition, which played a crucial role in Nigeria’s golden football era of the 1990s, appears to be receiving a modern-day revival. In an interview with reporters, Mutiu Adepoju—fondly remembered as “The Headmaster” for his aerial prowess—noted that Chelle’s inclusion of nine-ten NPFL players is not only strategic but inspirational for local talents. “Yes, I think it’s a good one, a good development,” Adepoju said. “Counting the number of home-based players, I could see nine—this is great for the NPFL. It’s a way of encouraging our domestic league and showing belief in the talent available at home.” When asked whether Chelle is intentionally following in the footsteps of former coaches like Westerhof and Keshi, Adepoju affirmed: “Yes, I think it’s always good. Chelle did something similar while he was coaching in Mali. It’s best to ensure the local league is encouraged—it’s very important. Adepoju also expressed optimism about Nigeria’s chances at the tournament: “Why not? They are going there to compete. If they put everything they have into it, I believe they can win.” Similarly, Garba Lawal—a versatile midfielder from Nigeria’s golden generation—hailed the squad list as a refreshing nod to player development. “It’s a good one. I believe Chelle wants to give some other people a chance to play, which is good,” said Lawal. “It’s a mix of foreign and home-based players. I hope the home-based will take advantage of this opportunity.” Lawal emphasised the significance of performance for local players in such international settings: “There aren’t too many professionals in there, so the home-based players need to showcase their talents. As a player, this is the kind of opportunity you’re looking for. When you’re called upon, you have to give your best because the coach has already done his part.” He also echoed sentiments on the historical context, saying: “People like Westerhof, Keshi, Bonfrere Jo—they all did similar things. It’s not new. This is a traditional way of bringing in the local players.” Strategic squad selection The Unity Cup is more than just another friendly tournament—it carries historical significance for Nigeria. The Super Eagles won the last two editions of the competition in 2002 and 2004. Notably, the 2004 edition saw the international debut of Obafemi Martins in a clash against Ireland. Martins would go on to become one of Nigeria’s most celebrated strikers, a testament to how impactful opportunities like the Unity Cup can be for emerging talents. Chelle seems keen to continue that legacy. His selection includes marquee foreign-based names like Moses Simon (FC Nantes), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City), and Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla), balanced with standout NPFL performers such as Remo Stars’ captain Junior Harrison Nduka and Sikiru Alimi. In goal, Stanley Nwabali returns alongside Maduka Okoye and Amas Obasogie. The 2025 Unity Cup, featuring Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago, will serve as a platform for Chelle to assess squad depth ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers in September and October. The Franco-Malian himself acknowledged this in a recent statement: “We’re looking forward to taking part in the Unity Cup as it will give us the chance to try out a few new players in different roles, helping us to strengthen our squad.” This blend of youth and experience, domestic and diaspora, signals a strategic evolution under Chelle’s stewardship. Beyond just winning the Unity Cup, the bigger victory may lie in building a more inclusive and competitive Super Eagles squad.

W/Cup qualifier: Chelle unleashes Osimhen, Lookman on Zimbabwe

Our Reporters2 months ago2 months ago01 mins

Super Eagles’ manager Eric Chelle has unleashed Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookmon in the starting line up for today’s World Cup qualifying tie against the Brave Warriors of Zimbabwe. Stanley Nwabili retains his place in goal while Ola Aina, William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Bright Osayi-Samuel with cover. Wilfred Ndidi, Moses Simon while Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen hunt for goal for the former African Champions. The substitutes are; Amas Obasogie, Kayode Bankole, Igoh Ogbu, Torunigha, Bruno Onyemaechi, Alhasan Yusuf Abdullahi, Frank Onyedika, Joe Aribo, Papa Daniel, Sodiq Sadiq, Tolu Akorodare, Victor Boniface.

Chelle raises alarm over fake social media account

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago01 mins

Super Eagles’ manager, Eric Chelle has stated that he currently manages no other social media handles other than his Instagram page. The official Super Eagles’ twitter handle, @NGSuperEagles, posted this disclaimer on Saturday. “DISCLAIMER. “Please be advised that Super Eagles Head Coach, Eric Chelle, does not possess an X account. “Exercise caution and be wary of scams or any misleading information.”

Super Eagles’ll fight for every victory -Chelle

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago02 mins

Super Eagles’ handler, Eric Chelle has assured that the senior national team will fight for every victory in the World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers. Chelle gave this assurance after leading the former African champions to victory in his first game against Rwanda in MatchDay 5 of the 2026 World Cup qualifier. The gaffer said; “To all Nigerians, I want to sincerely appreciate every single one of you who has supported me in one way or another. Your encouragement, belief, and passion for the Super Eagles have been truly inspiring. Taking charge of my first game as head coach is a great honor, and I do not take this responsibility lightly. “Football is more than just a sport in Nigeria—it is our pride, our passion, and a symbol of our unity. As we begin this journey together, I ask for your unwavering support, prayers, and belief in this team. We will give our all on the pitch, fight for every victory, and work tirelessly to bring success to our great nation. “Thank you for standing with us. Let’s keep pushing forward, believing in our team, and making Nigeria proud. Together, we soar!” The Nigerian side will slug it out the Warriors of Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Tuesdat as they hope to consolidate in their quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Eguavoen, Chelle hit Ikenne-Remo for Eagles B, as draw holds Wednesday

Our Reporters5 months ago5 months ago03 mins

Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Coach Augustine Eguavoen, has arrived at the Ikenne-Remo camp of the Super Eagles B alongside new Super Eagles’ Head Coach Éric Sékou Chelle and the latter’s agent, Sidibe Abraham Brehima. The trio flew aboard a ValueJet Airline CRJ 700 aircraft from Abuja to Lagos on Tuesday morning, and then headed for the Remo Stars’ Sports Institute in the fabled Ogun State town. On Monday, at Chelle’s unveiling, President of NFF Ibrahim Musa Gusau had clarified that Chelle will only be with the Eagles B in supervisory role, while the trio of Daniel Ogunmodede, Fidelis Ilechukwu and Olatunji Baruwa who qualified the team for the African Nations Championship will remain essentially in charge of the team’s preparation and participation at the tournament. Meanwhile, the draw for the final tournament of the 8th African Nations Championship will take place in Nairobi, Kenya on Wednesday evening. Super Eagles’ Team Administrator, Dayo Enebi Achor, is on ground in Nairobi ahead of the ceremony that will hold at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre from 6pm Nigeria time. CAF’s Director of Competitions, Mr. Samson Adamu will be assisted at the draw by Uganda’s Hassan Wasswa, Tanzanian Mrisho Ngasa and Kenyan legend McDonald.Mariga. The names of a total of 19 countries, viz joint-hosts Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, Nigeria, Morocco, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Algeria, Niger Republic, Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Angola and Madagascar will be in the pots for the draw ceremony.

NFF unveils Super Eagles new head coach

Our Reporters5 months ago5 months ago05 mins

Super Eagles’ head coach, Eric Sekou Chelle has categorically stated that football is solely played for goals scoring. Chelle pointed this out at his unveiling ceremony at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Stadium, Abuja on Monday. “I want to thank my agent, the NFF, the NSC and indeed all Nigerians for this big opportunity. Coaching the Super Eagles of Nigeria is an amazing job; I do not take this appointment for granted. I am elated and will do my utmost best. “Football is about scoring goals, so I favour an attacking style. I know the expectations of Nigerians and I will settle down and work diligently with assistants towards the goal of qualifying the Super Eagles to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.” The President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau reiterating his call for Nigerians to come together and support the gaffer, while promising that the football-ruling body will give Chelle all the support to succeed in his assignment. Gusau said he is enamoured by the confidence and surefootedness that Chelle has shown in their interactions over the past few days, and is banking on him imbibing the Super Eagles with the same go-go attitude to turn around their fortunes in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series. “I see in the new Head Coach the right spirit and the right attitude, and I have faith that he will take the Super Eagles to the next level. He sees the job of leading the Super Eagles as his dream job, and that is a huge motivation in itself. “Coach Chelle recognizes and appreciates what is ahead of him, and he says he loves the challenge. We will be there giving him the necessary support all the way.” Gusau disclosed that the tactician has signed a two-year contract, with the option of another year, if he qualifies the Super Eagles to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals. Chelle has also come into the job with three assistants, and will work with the crew on ground to enhance the Super Eagles’ brand. He will be with the Super Eagles B – which is preparing for the upcoming 8th African Nations Championship – only in a supervisory role. Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko affirmed the NSC’s support for the Franco-Malian, stating that he was satisfied with the process that led to his recruitment by the NFF. “Football is that one factor that unites all Nigerians and gives them tremendous joy. On our part, we are satisfied with the process leading to Mr. Chelle’s appointment and will support the NFF to ensure he has the most conducive atmosphere to do his job. “The task of earning the World Cup ticket is for everyone, as the Government is fully ready to provide support, not in the form of any individual or group taking over the job of the NFF. The NFF is saddled with that responsibility; the Government will only support it with resources. I wish Coach Chelle the very best in the job.” Chelle, who won five caps for the Aiglons of Mali in a playing career that also saw him playing for FC Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres and Chamois Niortais, said he is excited to land the job of coaching one of Africa’s biggest football names.