By Rasheed Adewuyi, New York
Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh has condemned the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for reportedly owing national team head coach Eric Chelle three months’ salary and bonuses ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off (today) Sunday in Morocco.
Speaking on his podcast, the former Juventus midfielder described the situation as “a crime,” insisting that it is disrespectful to owe a coach who has delivered results since taking charge of the national team.
“It’s unacceptable. If Chelle is not treated well, he will pack his bag and sue the NFF,” Oliseh warned. “FIFA will order the NFF to pay every kobo they owe him, with interest.”
Chelle has managed 13 games with the Super Eagles, recording eight wins, three draws, and just two losses — a run Oliseh says deserves respect, not negligence.
Oliseh argued that the financial strain on Chelle could affect his mental focus during the tournament. “He has to feed himself, take care of his family, and pay his assistants. If people working in the NFF weren’t paid for three months, would they still be at their jobs?” he asked.
He further emphasized that the trend of failing to honor contracts with national team coaches must stop, citing late coaches like Stephen Keshi, Joe Erico, Christian Chukwu, and Shuaibu Amodu — all reportedly owed by the NFF.
Oliseh concluded that Nigeria should “stop playing football” altogether if the country is not prepared to respect contractual agreements with its coaches.
Meanwhile, a senior NFF official who spoke under anonymity told JerseyNumber12 that Chelle would be paid before Nigeria’s AFCON opener against Tanzania on Tuesday.
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