The debate around Super Eagles and Eric Chelle discussions has swelled into a national conversation, blending hope, frustration, and a fierce demand for clarity as AFCON 2025 in Morocco draws near. From locker rooms in Hull and Nottingham to studios and social media timelines, Nigeria’s preparations are being shaped as much by emotion as by tactics.
A nation split on Chelle after World Cup heartbreak
Eric Chelle arrived to steady a listing ship and, over time, he did. Nigeria’s World Cup journey ended in a penalty shootout against DR Congo after a 1 to 1 draw in extra time, yet the path featured a seven game unbeaten run with five wins and two draws to reach the playoff stage. The picture is complicated, the Super Eagles also lifted the Unity Cup with victories over Ghana and Jamaica, and remained unbeaten in regulation time under the Malian tactician.
That nuance has not softened every critic. Popular journalist Oma Akatugba has urged sweeping change at the top of Nigerian football, and he argues the coaching role should be part of that reset.
Arrest Amaju Pinnick and Ibrahim Gusau. Sack Chelle not because he is not good but because he is not our level.
He sharpened the point with a branding and elite standards argument focused on the caliber of Nigeria’s stars.
You can’t have Osimhen, top scorer in the Champions League, and have a low level coach manage him. For branding purposes also.
On the other side stands Sunday Oliseh, a Super Eagles legend who admits his initial skepticism has shifted to conviction.
I am one of those, in reality, was totally unhappy when he was appointed, but I must be honest with you that so far, he has won me over.
I feel like the man has really given it a lot, he’s done a lot, and he’s picked up some points, better than any of the two people that preceded him.
These clashing viewpoints capture the national mood, a mix of pride in revived competitiveness and pain from a second straight World Cup miss. As AFCON nears, Chelle’s margin for error is slim, and every selection call will be viewed as a verdict on his larger project.
Fitness races that shape Chelle’s selection
The most immediate questions concern availability. Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has cooled optimism around defender Ola Aina, who has been out since September with a hamstring injury sustained in a 1 to 1 draw with South Africa in a World Cup qualifier. The full back has already missed fourteen Forest games in all competitions and four Super Eagles fixtures, including playoff matches in November.
Aina’s social media posts of individual training raised hopes, but Dyche’s update was sober as Forest prepared for a Europa League meeting with Malmo.
Ola Aina is not on the grass with us yet, he’s still going to take a bit of time.
Complicating matters further, the coach faces a selection headache with concerns over the fitness of Aina and Fedrick Benjamin. As Dyche’s notes landed, the clock began to tick louder, since Chelle is set to name his AFCON squad in the coming days.
There has been support from the federation hierarchy in recent weeks, with NFF President Ibrahim Gusau visiting Aina in London during his recovery. The visit underscored how vital the defender is to Nigeria’s defensive balance and how delicately the AFCON puzzle is being assembled.
Ajayi’s tune up at Hull City and the human side of preparation
While Aina battles time, Semi Ajayi is being ushered toward peak rhythm in the Championship. Hull City manager Sergej Jakirović has confirmed that the Nigerian international will see more minutes in the coming weeks, a plan designed with AFCON in mind.
Semi will play even more now. He will play more because he is going to the Africa Cup of Nations on December 10.
Ajayi, on loan from West Bromwich Albion, has featured eight times in the league this season and played in a midweek 2 to 0 defeat to Ipswich Town. The former Arsenal academy defender offers versatility and aerial presence, and the Tigers’ staff want him sharp for Nigeria’s camp in December.
Jakirović has to juggle his own squad needs, which affects how he manages Ajayi and other centre backs.
So I will try to spare John Egan because we do not have so many centre backs. We have Charlie Hughes and Akin Famewo.
Earlier this autumn, assistant coach Dean Holden expressed satisfaction with Ajayi’s return to action while stepping in for the suspended Jakirović. The thread is clear, club and country are coordinating to ensure a reliable option at the heart of Nigeria’s defense.
What the numbers say about Chelle’s tenure
The statistical arc creates a compelling, if bittersweet, story. Nigeria failed to win their opening four World Cup qualifiers under previous coaches, then under Chelle they pieced together a seven match unbeaten run with five wins and two draws to reach the final playoff. In the decisive tie, DR Congo held firm through extra time, and the Super Eagles fell 4 to 3 on penalties.
Across those months, Chelle’s team banked tangible positives. The Super Eagles won the Unity Cup with victories over Ghana and Jamaica, and did not lose a game in regulation time during his spell to date. At the same time, failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup for a second consecutive cycle remains a deep bruise.
That duality explains the split public verdict. To some, Chelle has restored structure and belief. To others, the end result matters most, and missing the World Cup again is an unacceptable outcome that should trigger change at both technical and administrative levels.
The AFCON picture and Group C dynamics
AFCON 2025 represents both a test and a chance for renewal. Nigeria are drawn in Group C with Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania, a mix of styles that will demand clarity in selection and cohesion in transitions. On paper, the Super Eagles have the firepower and depth to control the group, but recent turbulence counsels humility.
The mission is unambiguous. Nigeria are targeting a fourth continental crown after finishing as runners up at the last edition, and the team carries the expectation of a powerhouse eager to confirm its status. For Chelle, the stakes are even sharper, AFCON form could define whether his project earns time or reaches a hard stop.
Every decision ties back to availability and readiness. If Aina recovers in time, his experience and two way profile bolsters both flanks and back three shapes. If not, the onus falls on alternatives and on the midfield’s ability to shield the last line. Ajayi’s match rhythm from Hull becomes useful in such contingency planning.
Three big takeaways
- Public opinion is split, with Oma Akatugba calling for a reset while Sunday Oliseh backs Chelle’s progress,
- Ola Aina faces a race against time and his fitness is a major selection variable for AFCON,
- Semi Ajayi’s increased minutes at Hull City reflect deliberate planning to keep Nigeria’s defense ready.
Human stories behind the headlines
Strip away the tactical boards and the metrics and you find athletes pushing through uncertainty. Aina’s hamstring has turned routine training into painstaking rehab, hour by hour work that rarely makes the highlight reel. That quiet grind may determine whether he hears the national anthem in Morocco, and it illustrates the fragile margins of elite sport.
Ajayi’s path winds through the bustle of the Championship, where every three days a different test appears. Increased minutes mean more chances to sharpen timing in duels, more leadership reps next to younger partners, and more responsibility as Hull chase promotion. It is a demanding gift, and it speaks to the trust connecting his club and his country.
What comes next
In the coming days, Chelle will confirm his AFCON squad, crystallizing weeks of whispers and whiteboards into a list that must carry the weight of expectation. The group stage against Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania will require control, patience, and set piece precision, and those qualities tend to emerge from consistent selections and clear roles.
The larger conversation will not vanish. Some stakeholders want root and branch reform, from funding models to a defined football DNA. Others see enough green shoots to merit continuity. Chelle’s job is to wall off the noise and land a performance that blends the grit seen in that seven match surge with the attacking punch Nigerians demand.
AFCON 2025 in Morocco offers the Super Eagles a chance to turn pain into purpose. The arguments around Eric Chelle’s stewardship will continue, but within those debates lives the shared desire to see Nigeria fly again, not only in moments, but through a full tournament that ends with a trophy lift.
