Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has hinted at a possible reshuffle of his squad ahead of Tuesday’s AFCON 2025 Group C clash against Uganda’s Cranes, following Nigeria’s qualification for the knockout stage.
Nigeria secured a place in the round of 16 with a match to spare after recording back-to-back wins in the group.
The Super Eagles first edged Tanzania 2-1 before claiming a tense 3-2 victory over Tunisia on Saturday.
Uganda, meanwhile, head into the encounter knowing that only a win against Chelle’s side will keep their hopes of progressing alive.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Monday, Chelle addressed questions about resting some regular starters and handing minutes to players yet to feature at the tournament.
He stressed that squad rotation would not undermine the importance of the competition.
“Everybody deserve a chance to show something because a player who played just five minutes at the AFCON can score the decisive goal. This is a question about management and it’s not a question or lack of respect for the tournament.
“For me I want to put out the best team, I want to win, the players want to win this game.”
The Malian tactician also dismissed fears of major injury problems in the camp ahead of the decisive fixture.
“There are no serious injuries, some players have issues with their knee or ankle, but they want to play. We will see after the last training session.”
Chelle further defended his in-game decisions, particularly his substitutions, noting that they are based on his reading of each match.
“When I make substitutions, I analyse what is happening in the game,” he said. “Sometimes the choice works very well, sometimes it doesn’t. That is football.
“The reality is that we won. The reality is that we scored goals. That is also important.”
