By Rasheed Adewuyi, New York
Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s success at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, stating that his full focus is on the present tournament, not past World Cup qualifiers.
Speaking to journalists after Nigeria’s hard-fought 2–1 victory over the Taifa Stars of Tanzania in their Group C opener on Tuesday, Chelle dismissed any distractions linked to previous setbacks.
“I have no time to think about what happened before,” Chelle said. “I prefer to stay focused on what is happening right now. After this tournament, we will have a meeting.”
The coach emphasized the importance of maintaining concentration, revealing that he has instructed his players to stay committed to the team’s development project — a long-term strategy he described as their “main priority.”
“We are here to win the first game. We have a tournament to play, and we are here to be ambitious. The most important thing is not Eric Chelle or the players — the main goal is Nigeria,” he added.
Describing the opportunity to lead the Super Eagles as an honour, Chelle expressed his desire to make a lasting impact with the national team.
“It’s a big opportunity to be part of this team and its history, but right now, my only focus is on the AFCON,” he said.
Nigeria will face 2004 champions, Tunisia in their second Group C match on Saturday, as they aim to book an early ticket to the knockout stage.
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