Former NFA Secretary-General Alhaji Sani Toro has strongly advised Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle to concentrate on qualifying Nigeria for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Chelle was appointed in January and was given a clear directive to ensure Nigeria qualifies for the next World Cup.
Following his arrival, the 46-year-old began his tenure in March with a solid start, securing a victory against Rwanda.
However, he drew against Zimbabwe in his second game in charge, which has put Nigeria’s World Cup qualification in jeopardy.
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Eric Chelle warned
Sani Toro believes that Chelle still has an opportunity to qualify Nigeria for the World Cup but cautioned about the potential repercussions if unsuccessful.
Speaking to the Nation's Sports, he said, “They have given the coach (Eric Chelle) a target. Let him work towards it and qualify for the World Cup.
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“Let’s give him enough support to achieve it. He should be given a free hand to select the players he knows can help him. We should not be dictating to him.
“If he succeeds, well and good, then his contract will be renewed. If he doesn’t succeed, definitely, he’s going to be fired. So, there’s a need for us to be positive about it to make sure we qualify.”
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After six group matches, the Super Eagles have only accumulated seven points, placing them six points behind group leaders South Africa, sitting fourth in their group, behind Benin and Rwanda, with only four games left.
Only group winners in the qualification format secure automatic entry. The four highest-ranked second-place teams will proceed to an intercontinental playoff for a final opportunity to qualify for the tournament.
Nigeria's most recent FIFA World Cup qualification was in 2018, during Gernot Rohr's tenure as the Super Eagles' coach.