President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau has dismissed speculation about the future of Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, insisting the Franco-Malian tactician remains fully committed to the national team.
Gusau emphasized that Chelle is confident he can accomplish all his ambitions while leading Nigeria and has no immediate plans to leave.
Amid reports linking Chelle with potential opportunities in Tunisia and Angola, Gusau reiterated that the coach is still under contract and central to the NFF’s long-term plans.
“We still have a one-year contract with Eric (Chelle), so whatever interest anybody shows, he has to wait until his contract expires,” Gusau stated.
Chelle recently guided the Super Eagles to a record-extending ninth Africa Cup of Nations title in Morocco. Although the team fell short of the AFCON final target set by the federation, the NFF appears satisfied with his performance and is reportedly considering extending his contract.
Speaking to the Super Eagles’ media team, Gusau highlighted Chelle’s desire to remain at the helm and his commitment to achieving success with Nigeria, three-time AFCON champions.
“We don’t want any distractions for him because we understand that he enjoys working with Nigeria. It’s not about whether a team offers more money; the key issue is whether he can achieve his career goals with the materials and support available,” he explained.
“The dream of every coach is to succeed, especially in major tournaments. But the key thing is that Coach Eric believes in the Super Eagles and he believes he can achieve everything he wants in his career while coaching the national team within Africa.
“He has every confidence he can achieve his dreams with the Super Eagles, and we fully believe in him. He is part of the Super Eagles and will continue to be part of the team,” Gusau added.
