Nigeria Super Eagles B coach, Eric Chelle, has defended his squad selection for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Zanzibar, insisting that the team comprised the best players from the Nigeria Premier Football League, even as the side suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Sudan.
Chelle, a Franco-Malian tactician, stood by his choices, stressing that the team was selected on merit and in good faith. “Even if the outcome was disappointing, the squad was chosen to represent the best of the league,” he said.
He explained that the current team differed significantly from his initial vision for the tournament. “Maybe five players left the camp or never came at all. They left to play in another league. So the team was not like we imagined. But the reality for me is it was the best player in the league,” Chelle added, defending his selection despite the setback.
The defeat saw Nigeria eliminated from the 8th edition of CHAN after Sudan surged to a 2-0 lead by half-time, before adding two more goals in the second half to complete a 4-0 rout. The Eagles now sit bottom of Group D, with their chances of advancing completely dashed.
Chelle acknowledged that Nigeria began the match strongly but conceded that mistakes soon proved costly. “The players were focused, and we scored a goal, but after that we made a lot of mistakes and gave up the game in the second half. Four goals, four mistakes for me,” he reflected.
Breaking down the errors that led to the heavy loss, the coach said, “We cannot play games like that and lose because we made a lot of mistakes during these two games. The first goal against Senegal was a mistake. In this game, the first two goals were mistakes, and after that the other two goals were due to mistakes in positioning.”
Chelle also highlighted the competitive challenge at this level of football, urging the team to learn from the experience. “It’s difficult at this level of competition. We need to be more focused,” he said, emphasizing the need for improved concentration and defensive discipline.
With Nigeria now exiting the tournament, their final Group D clash against Congo next week will only be a formality, offering the team a chance to regroup and assess lessons from their disappointing campaign.
