Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to retain head coach Eric Chelle, insisting that stability and continuity are essential for the national team’s long-term progress despite failing to reach the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
Speaking ahead of the third-place playoff, Ndidi warned against making abrupt changes to the technical crew, noting that the team still has several major 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 because we did not make it to the final,” Ndidi said. “We should remain focused because there are so many competitions ahead.”
The Besiktas midfielder also described captaining the Super Eagles as a significant honour, attributing the team’s performance to the collective efforts of the coaching staff, players and team leaders.
“It’s amazing. Being the captain is a great privilege for me, with the help of the coach, the players and other leaders of the team,” he said.
Reflecting on the team’s overall showing at the tournament, Ndidi expressed pride in the squad’s resilience and achievements.
“For the future, I am very proud of this team. They have done great things in this tournament and the experience has been amazing,” he added.
He concluded by calling for unity and continued support for the players, emphasising their quality and determination. “Let us focus on the team. I am proud of this set of players,” Ndidi said.
The Super Eagles, who were eliminated by 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 admitted that his future as Super Eagles coach remains uncertain following the semi-final defeat but said his immediate focus is on preparing the team for the third-place match and reviewing the tournament’s overall outcome.
