Former Nigeria international and Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medalist Emmanuel Babayaro has questioned whether Eric Chelle is the right coach to restore the Super Eagles to the summit of African football, despite acknowledging some of the positive work done by the Franco-Malian since taking charge.
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Babayaro’s assessment comes in the aftermath of Nigeria’s damaging 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in Tuesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, Chelle’s first defeat as Super Eagles coaches. Franculino Djú, Mama Baldé and Álvaro Djaló scored as the Wild Dogs moved to six points while Nigeria remained on three.
For Babayaro, however, his concerns go beyond one result.
The former goalkeeper, who was part of Nigeria’s historic Olympic gold-winning squad in Atlanta, said he has been impressed by aspects of Chelle’s work but remains unconvinced that the coach possesses what is required to return Nigeria to its former heights.
“I have been impressed with what he has done so far, but I don’t think Eric Chelle has what it takes to take Nigeria to the promised land,” Babayaro said.
The comments add another dimension to the growing debate surrounding Chelle after the Bissau collapse.
Chelle himself made no attempt to disguise Nigeria’s shortcomings, admitting Guinea-Bissau were more aggressive and better in individual duels while the Super Eagles struggled to find solutions.
The coach has nevertheless maintained confidence in his squad and insists qualification remains achievable. Nigeria face Tanzania twice in November before completing the campaign against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Chelle has identified maximum points from the Tanzania double-header as critical to reviving Nigeria’s qualification push.
Opinions among former internationals have been divided since Tuesday’s defeat. While former national team coach James Peters has urged the NFF to continue backing Chelle, Babayaro’s position raises the more fundamental question of whether short-term recovery is enough, or Nigeria requires a coach capable of delivering sustained success.
For Babayaro, the issue is not whether Chelle has done some good work — it is whether he is ultimately the man capable of taking the Super Eagles back where Nigerians believe they belong.
