Former member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Committee, Barrister Austel Elumelu, has opposed plans for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle to also take charge of Nigeria’s U-23 national team.
Elumelu believes assigning both responsibilities to the Franco-Malian coach could overstretch him and affect his effectiveness with the senior national team.
“Eric Chelle should oversee the U-23 team, not coach both sides directly. The workload would simply be too much for one person,” Elumelu said.
The football administrator suggested that the NFF appoint a dedicated U-23 coach to work under Chelle’s supervision, allowing the Super Eagles coach to provide technical guidance while maintaining focus on the senior national team.
According to him, such a structure would ensure continuity in the national team’s philosophy without placing excessive pressure on one coach.
“A coach should manage the day-to-day affairs of the U-23 team and report directly to Chelle. That arrangement will be more effective for Nigerian football,” he added.
Elumelu maintained that the proposed structure would also create a smoother pathway for players graduating from the U-23 side to the Super Eagles.
He urged the NFF to adopt a long-term technical framework that promotes efficiency, proper succession planning and sustained success across all national teams.
