Aiyegbeni Urges NFF to Stick With Chelle Ahead of AFCON

Former Nigeria international Yakubu Aiyegbeni has cautioned the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) against sacking Eric Chelle just weeks before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Speaking on the Home Turf podcast, Aiyegbeni said Nigeria must avoid bringing back Samson Siasia or Augustine Eguavoen, insisting the national team has “gone past that era.”

Chelle is under pressure after failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, despite going eight competitive games without losing in regulation time. But with AFCON only four weeks away, Aiyegbeni believes a coaching change now would be dangerous. He asked why Nigeria “always find it difficult to get a decisive coach when it matters,” adding that he supports hiring a foreign coach but “it’s too close…to bring in another coach.”

He stressed that Siasia and Eguavoen should no longer be considered, saying, “I don’t think Siasia or Eguavoen are needed anymore… It’s time to move forward, not backwards.”

Nigeria’s habit of changing managers frequently has long been criticised. In this qualifying cycle alone, four coaches handled the Super Eagles. Eguavoen has led the team five times, while Siasia has had two stints, reflecting a cycle of recycling coaches instead of building long-term stability.