Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to retain head coach Eric Chelle, stressing that continuity is vital to the national team’s long-term success despite missing out on the AFCON final.
Speaking ahead of the third-place playoff, Ndidi said altering the coaching setup at this stage would be counterproductive, noting that the team still has several competitions ahead.
“For continuity, I feel they should keep the coach because he is a wonderful manager. The only thing this team needs is continuity. We should not change things now just because we didn’t reach the final. We must remain focused because there are many competitions ahead,” Ndidi said.
The Besiktas midfielder also described captaining the national team as a great honour, crediting the coaching staff and his teammates for their collective effort throughout the tournament.
Reflecting on the squad’s performance, Ndidi expressed pride in the players and their achievements at the competition.
“Being captain is a great privilege for me, with the support of the coach, players and other leaders in the team. Looking ahead, I am very proud of this team. They have done great things in this tournament and it’s been an amazing experience,” he said.
Ndidi concluded by calling for unity and continued support for the players, highlighting their resilience and quality.
“Let us focus on the team. I am proud of this group of players,” he added.
The Super Eagles, who lost to hosts Morocco on penalties, will face Egypt in the third-place playoff on Saturday as they seek to end their AFCON campaign on a positive note.
Meanwhile, Chelle has said he remains uncertain about his future as Super Eagles coach following the defeat to Morocco but is focused on preparing the team for the third-place match and reviewing the tournament as a whole.
