Nigeria has burned through coaches at the first sign of trouble before. A 1998 World Cup veteran is asking the country to resist that instinct this time, and to give Eric Chelle the runway he needs.
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Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Abiodun Baruwa believes Nigeria should commit to head coach Eric Chelle for the long haul, expressing confidence that sustained trust in the Franco-Malian tactician will deliver qualification for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, as reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng. Speaking to Proudly Austin, the 1998 World Cup squad member made clear that patience and continuity, rather than another managerial change, represent the clearest path back to football’s biggest stage.
A Painful Cycle, Honestly Assessed
Chelle’s appointment came under difficult circumstances, taking charge mid-stream during Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign after the Super Eagles had stumbled in the early going. Despite his arrival, Nigeria could not overhaul South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at the top of the standings, finishing second and being forced into the African qualifying playoff, where they ultimately lost on penalties to DR Congo in the final, ending their World Cup dream for a second consecutive cycle.
Baruwa did not shy away from acknowledging how painful that cycle was, but he was careful to separate the disappointment of the qualifying campaign from his assessment of Chelle’s coaching quality, pointing to the genuine depth Nigeria’s current squad possesses across every position as reason for optimism heading into the next cycle.
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What Chelle Has Delivered So Far
Since taking over, Chelle has guided Nigeria to back-to-back Unity Cup titles and a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where the Super Eagles went unbeaten in normal time throughout the tournament. He has also overseen a notably tighter performance against continental heavyweights, with Nigeria managing a 2-2 draw against Poland before falling narrowly 2-1 to Portugal in June friendlies, a clear improvement on previous heavier defeats to similar opposition.
Baruwa pointed specifically to the quality already present in the squad, citing attacking talents like Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, and defensive options including Emmanuel Fernandez and Calvin Bassey, as evidence that the raw material for a successful World Cup qualifying campaign already exists. His broader argument was that Chelle has earned the right to remain in charge through the entirety of the 2030 qualifying cycle rather than facing pressure for an early change.
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Cautious Optimism on Arthur Okonkwo
Baruwa also offered measured comments on Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, who made his Super Eagles debut during the 2026 Unity Cup against Zimbabwe and kept a clean sheet in a 3-0 win. The former Shooting Stars shot stopper praised Okonkwo’s ball handling in his limited viewing but was honest that he had not previously followed the young goalkeeper’s club performances at Wrexham closely enough to offer a complete assessment, stressing that building genuine trust at international level takes time regardless of early promise.
That note of caution fits Baruwa’s broader theme: judgement, whether of a young goalkeeper or a head coach navigating a difficult rebuild, should be reserved until there has been enough exposure to form a fair conclusion.
The Group Standing Between Nigeria and AFCON 2027
Chelle’s rebuild now turns toward the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, which kicks off in September. Nigeria were drawn into Group L alongside Tanzania, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, a section Chelle himself has described as more dangerous than it appears on paper. Because Tanzania has already secured automatic qualification as a tournament co-host, the group effectively becomes a three way fight for a single qualification slot between Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, removing any safety net a second-place finish might normally provide.
Nigeria opens that campaign at home to Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on 23 September, a side that famously stunned the Super Eagles 2-0 at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt. With AFCON 2027 set to be jointly hosted by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, qualification carries extra significance, offering Nigeria a chance to add a fourth continental title and end a wait for major silverware that has stretched back to the 2013 triumph in South Africa.
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📌 Did You Know?
- Abiodun Baruwa was part of Nigeria’s squad at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, where the Super Eagles famously beat Spain 3-2 and reached the Round of 16 before losing to Denmark.
- Baruwa played club football for FC Sion in Switzerland during his career, giving him European top-flight experience that informs his current analysis of the Super Eagles setup.
- Nigeria’s 2-0 defeat to Madagascar at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt remains one of the biggest shocks in the tournament’s recent history, with the Barea having never previously qualified for the competition before that edition.
- The 2027 AFCON will be the first edition of the tournament ever jointly hosted by three nations, with Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya sharing hosting duties.
- Nigeria’s nine AFCON bronze medals are the most of any nation in the tournament’s history, with the most recent coming at the 2025 edition in Morocco under Eric Chelle.
- Arthur Okonkwo came through Arsenal’s academy before establishing himself as Wrexham’s first choice goalkeeper, helping the Welsh club’s rapid rise through the English football pyramid.
- Nigeria’s only previous AFCON qualifying meeting with Tanzania came during the 2017 qualifying campaign, where the Super Eagles recorded a win and a draw across the two legs.
