Super Eagles Shake-Up: Eric Chelle Opens Doors to Akpom, Tella & Uche
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are undergoing a major transformation as new head coach Eric Chelle looks to revive the team’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. After a winless start in the qualifiers, Chelle is making **bold decisions—prioritizing form over reputation in squad selection.
This Super Eagles shake-up could finally give opportunities to Chuba Akpom, Nathan Tella, and Chrisantus Uche, three high-performing Nigerian stars in Europe who have been overlooked in previous call-ups.
With crunch matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe approaching in March, Chelle’s fresh selection policy could be the turning point Nigeria desperately needs.
Eric Chelle’s Fresh Approach to Super Eagles Selection
Eric Chelle, a *Malian-born coach, has been tasked with leading Nigeria’s national team back to *World Cup contention. His selection philosophy is clear:
✅ Players must be in top form at their clubs
✅ No automatic spots for underperforming stars
✅ Merit-based call-ups over big names
This marks a drastic departure from previous Super Eagles squads, which often included players who were either injured, benched at their clubs, or struggling for form.
A recent report from The Guardian confirmed that *Chelle is personally scouting players across Europe, signaling a commitment to *building a competitive squad based on performance.
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New Faces: Why Akpom, Tella & Uche Deserve a Chance
Chuba Akpom: The Goal Machine
- Club: Lille (formerly Middlesbrough & Ajax)
- Position: Striker
- Recent Form: Scored a hat-trick for Ajax in the UEFA Europa League against Jagiellonia Białystok.
Akpom’s goal-scoring prowess makes him a serious contender for the Super Eagles squad. His ability to link up play and finish clinically could solve Nigeria’s long-standing striker depth issue behind Victor Osimhen.
Nathan Tella: The Rising Star
- Club: Bayer Leverkusen (on loan from Southampton)
- Position: Winger
- Recent Form: Won the PFA Fans’ Player of the Month award for March 2023, scoring five goals in four games.
Tella’s pace, dribbling, and finishing ability make him a valuable attacking asset for Nigeria, especially in high-pressing tactical setups.
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Chrisantus Uche: La Liga’s Breakout Talent
- Club: Unnamed La Liga side
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- Recent Form: One of La Liga’s top-performing midfielders, controlling games and creating goal-scoring chances.
Uche’s playmaking ability could add creativity to Nigeria’s *often one-dimensional midfield, bringing much-needed *technical quality to the squad.
Challenges Facing the Super Eagles in the Qualifiers
Despite having a talented squad, Nigeria is currently in 5th place in Group C of the *African World Cup qualifiers. The *Super Eagles remain winless after four matches, trailing behind:
1️⃣ Rwanda
2️⃣ South Africa
3️⃣ Benin
4️⃣ Lesotho
With only the *group winners earning automatic qualification, Chelle must *win crucial matches to keep Nigeria’s World Cup hopes alive.
Key Issues Affecting the Team:
❌ Defensive vulnerabilities – Leaking crucial goals in qualifiers
❌ Lack of creativity – Midfield struggling to create chances
❌ Poor squad selection – Over-reliance on out-of-form players
Can Chelle’s Strategy Turn Nigeria’s Fortunes Around?
Chelle’s merit-based selection approach has already gained support from key figures like Victor Osimhen, who recently spoke to Akpom about the new philosophy.
Akpom on Osimhen’s Insights:
“I was just speaking to Victor Osimhen about it after our game against Galatasaray,” Akpom told ScoreNigeria.
“Victor said the new coach has the mentality that if you’re not performing in training or playing well for your club, you won’t get selected. I’m always open to it—if I get the call-up, it’ll be an honour.”
With *Nigeria’s squad list for the Rwanda and Zimbabwe matches expected soon, all eyes are on Chelle to see if his selection policy can *turn the Super Eagles’ fortunes around.
Upcoming Fixtures:
📅 March 21, 2025: Rwanda 🆚 Nigeria (Kigali)
📅 March 25, 2025: Nigeria 🆚 Zimbabwe (Uyo)
Final Thoughts: A New Dawn for the Super Eagles?
Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles shake-up is a bold and necessary move for Nigerian football. By prioritizing *form over reputation, he could finally unlock the team’s *full potential ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
🔥 Could Akpom, Tella, and Uche be the missing pieces for Nigeria?
🔥 Will Chelle’s strategy bring back the glory days?
Fans won’t have to wait long to find out. March 2025 will be a defining moment for Nigeria’s World Cup dreams.
