Éric Sékou Chelle will be the 37th and first non-Nigerian African head coach to take charge of the Super Eagles when the 3-time African champions take on the Amavubi of Rwanda in matchday five of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. The 47-year-old Malian manager has been tasked with getting the Super Eagles to the quadrennial showpiece, having missed out on the last edition in Qatar. The task is, however, daunting with the team sitting in fifth place, four points behind Rwanda, South Africa, and Benin, and two behind Lesotho.
Chelle’s appointment has also drawn mixed reactions from Nigerians, some who believe the Super Eagles should be able to command a more experienced and successful coach, so, let’s look at the pros and cons as to what to expect from the new manager.
1. Attacking Philosophy
Though Chelle was a defender during his playing days for French sides such as Valenciennes, Lens, Istres, and Chamois Niortais, his teams play free-flowing football with his preferred 4-3-1-2 formation. At the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, the Eagles of Mali averaged 12.6 shots per game and with a slightly lesser shot conversion rate to the Super Eagles (9.9% to 9.5%), the wealth of more clinical and better strikers in the likes of 2023 and 2024 African Players of the Year, Victor Osimehn and Ademola Lookman will come in handy.
2. Dominant Football
At AFCON 2023, Mali dominated all their opponents except South Africa in Matchday 1 (a game they won 2-0); in fact, Mali ranked 4th for average possession with 58.3% compared to the Super Eagles’ 43.0% (ranked 21st). Chelle was also not afraid to change things up to ensure his team was on top and would regularly switch things up by going long, ranking 2nd for accurate long balls per match with 28.0, compared to the Super Eagles 20.7. Eric Chelle’s Mali also defeated the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a friendly 2-0 – a game they dominated and deserved the win.
3. Track Record
The saying “In football, you are as good as your last game/job” does bode well for Chelle in this regard, boasting a 64% win ratio from 22 games as Mali manager. However, it could be argued he is currently the manager of MC Oran in Algeria where he has only won 2 of his 7 games in charge, losing 4. Between May and December 2021, he was only able to lead U.S. Boulogne to just 2 wins in 16 games, losing 9. His first venture as manager was much better, losing only 8 times in 30 games at GS Consolat, and that pushed him into his longest-serving job at FC Martigues where he achieved a 43.75% win ratio from 80 games in three and a half years.
4. Support and Administrative Worries
Chelle’s appointment has been greeted with criticism from ex-internationals, stakeholders, and fans on the premise the Nigeria Football Federation is of a higher expectation as one of Africa’s footballing powerhouses. The first task for the Ivorian-born Malian will be to win over a skeptical fanbase and media, a hurdle some will say previous managers Finidi George and Jose Peseiro failed at first. Administrative concerns, especially in callups and team selections pose a worry, with some suggesting he might not get a free rein on the team.
One thing is certain: Chelle’s appointment is intriguing, and the story is just beginning. It will undoubtedly be fascinating to see how it unfolds.
