Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to retain head coach Éric Chelle, emphasizing that continuity is essential for the national team’s long-term progress despite missing out on the AFCON final.
Speaking ahead of the third-place playoff, Ndidi warned that changing the coaching setup at this stage could be counterproductive, noting that the team still has several competitions ahead.
“For continuity, I feel like they should keep the coach because he is a wonderful manager. The only thing we need in this team is continuity. We should not change things now because we did not make it to the final. We should remain focused because there are so 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 efforts throughout the tournament.
“It’s amazing. Being the captain is a great privilege for me, with the help of the coach, players and other leaders of the team,” he added.
Reflecting on the team’s overall performance, Ndidi expressed pride in the squad and what they achieved at the tournament.
“When we talk about the experience as the captain, for the future I will say this team I am very proud of. They have done great things in this tournament and it’s been amazing,” he said.
He 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 set of players,” Ndidi stated.
The Super Eagles, who lost to hosts Morocco on penalties, will face Egypt in the third-place playoff on Saturday as they aim to end their AFCON campaign on a positive note.
Meanwhile, following the semi-final defeat, Chelle said he remains uncertain about his future with the Super Eagles but confirmed he is focused on preparing the team for the third-place match and reviewing the tournament as a whole.
