Special news like the announcement of Éric Sékou as the new manager of the Nigerian Super Eagle will always go down to the history book. Nigeria has been searching for a new head coach to replace the ex-international Augustine Eguavoen. Eguavoen has been occupying the position as the interim boss for months. However, the shock came when the Nigerian Football Federation named ex-Malian player and former coach Éric Sékou Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles (men’s senior national team) on Monday.
Sékou Chelle as the New Super Eagles Head Coach
Mr. Sékou Chelle, who is from Mali, will be making history as the first non-Nigerian African to coach the Super Eagles. The 47-year-old gained recognition among Nigerian football fans and enthusiasts last year when he led Mali to their first win against the Super Eagles in 50 years.
In what many considered a historic achievement for himself and the country, Sékou Chelle in March 2024 led his Mali team to defeat Finidi George’s Super Eagles 2-0 in a friendly match.
The head of communications for the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Ademola Olajire, in a statement that confirmed the appointment earlier this week: “The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has endorsed the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for the appointment of Mr. Éric Sékou Chelle as head coach of Nigeria’s senior men’s national football team, Super Eagles”.
“His appointment is with immediate effect, and he has the responsibility of guiding the Super Eagles to earn a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, with the remaining matches taking place in March.”
Sékou Chelle Brief History Before the Super Eagle Job
Sékou Chelle, born in Ivory Coast to a French father and a Malian mother, holds three nationalities: Malian, Ivorian, and French. He played most of his football in France with Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres, and Niort. On the international level, he played for the Mali national team, and he has played five times for the country.
Chelle has coached GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne, and MC Oran before joining the Mali senior national team in 2022. In charge of your national team, Mali was only 24 minutes away from sealing the ticket for the semifinal of the Africa Cup nations. They dominated Ivory Coast, the hosts, and eventual winners, for much of the match only to be denied right at the end of regulation time by a last-gasp equalizer and wilted under the physical onslaught of the Africans in the subsequent 30 minutes of the added extra time, which ended 2-1. Indeed, Chelle’s frustrated reaction to the loss became a meme online after the game.
His time as Mali’s head coach came to an end in June 2024 after a frustrating encounter with a goalless draw against 10-man Madagascar in a Group I World Cup qualifier match in Johannesburg. Some positive notes should be made about Chelle because even though his stint as the coach of the National Football Team was a brief one, his contribution was visible on and off the field.
Sékou Chelle appointment has brought a lot of tension and questioning in Nigeria, as fans and enthusiasts want to know the reason for this appointment.
Augustine Eguavoen will remain as the NFF technical director, as rumored linking him with the Black Stars of Ghana job has been debunked in a report by SCORENigeria, according to Black Stars Official, who said “There no truth in that story,” as he dismissed the rumor.