Dimeji Lawal Urges NFF to Retain Eric Chelle as Super Eagles Coach Despite 2026 World Cup Absence

Former Super Eagles winger Dimeji Lawal has publicly backed Eric Chelle to continue as Nigeria’s head coach, urging the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to avoid a further coaching change in the wake of the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Lawal, who represented Nigeria as a winger and previously played for Shooting Stars, voiced confidence in Chelle’s long-term potential to rebuild the national team. “If the NFF stays with Eric Chelle, things will soon turn around,” he said, adding, “The future looks bright with him in charge.”

The former international stressed that sustainable progress at international level demands structural planning rather than reactive decisions. “You don’t build a great team in a short period. It takes time and patience,” Lawal noted, arguing that frequent managerial changes have historically disrupted team development at the Super Eagles.

Chelle, a Franco-Malian tactician, took charge of Nigeria with the mandate of stabilising a squad that has undergone significant turbulence in its coaching setup in recent years. Nigeria’s absence from the 2026 World Cup — co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico — represents a significant setback for a nation that has qualified for the tournament on six previous occasions and reached the Round of 16 as recently as 2014.

The NFF has faced repeated scrutiny over its handling of coaching appointments. Nigeria parted ways with José Peseiro following the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final, where the Super Eagles finished as runners-up to Ivory Coast, before Finidi George was appointed and subsequently departed after a difficult start to the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. Chelle was then brought in to steady the ship, though the team ultimately failed to advance from qualification.

With World Cup qualification now off the table, attention turns to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Chelle will be targeting as the next major objective. The tournament is scheduled to be hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, and represents the primary opportunity for Chelle to deliver tangible results and justify the faith being urged by figures such as Lawal.

Lawal’s comments reflect a broader debate within Nigerian football circles about whether the NFF should hold course or pursue a new direction. While some stakeholders have called for accountability following the World Cup qualifying failure, others echo Lawal’s position that continuity is a prerequisite for building a cohesive squad philosophy at international level — where coaches typically have limited time with their players compared to club environments.

No official statement from the NFF regarding Chelle’s future has been issued at the time of publication.