By Rasheed Adewuyi, New York
Former Super Eagles defender Ifeanyi Udeze has urged head coach Eric Chelle to enforce strict discipline in camp as Nigeria prepares for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with JerseyNumber12 on Monday, Udeze emphasized the importance of maintaining focus and avoiding distractions ahead of the highly anticipated tournament.
“During my time in the national team, discipline was the number one rule. You had to respect the senior players and follow camp regulations. It wasn’t optional,” Udeze recalled.
He cited the 2004 AFCON in Tunisia, where striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni and two other players were sent home for breaching team rules. He believes Chelle must uphold those same standards if Nigeria is to stand a chance of winning the title.
“The players must be fully concentrated. They should be warned against recording camp activities or creating social media content during AFCON. This is a serious tournament, not a content creation tour,” the former PAOK Thessaloniki defender said.
Asked about Nigeria’s chances of lifting the trophy, Udeze remained cautiously optimistic. “Don’t write them off. Anything can happen in Morocco. Winning the AFCON is the only way to truly console Nigerian fans after missing out on the 2026 World Cup.”
Nigeria will compete in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania. The Super Eagles begin their campaign against Tanzania on December 23.
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