By Faith Akindele
Nigerian Switzerland -based football tactician, Coach Antony Adeyemi Adedeji, has expressed unwavering confidence in the ability of Super Eagles Head Coach, Eric Seko Chelle, insisting that Nigeria is on course to qualify for the 2030 FIFA World Cup if the Franco-Malian tactician is allowed to continue his work and receives the necessary support.
Coach Adedeji made the remarks while speaking with Faith Akindele (Mr Stereo) on Sport Gallery, a sports programme on Crowther FM 88.5, Oyo.
According to him, he has “100 percent confidence” in Chelle because of the coach’s commitment to rebuilding the Super Eagles through the introduction of new players and the continuous scouting of talents both within Nigeria and abroad.
“If Eric Seko Chelle remains the Super Eagles coach until the 2030 World Cup qualifiers are completed, I believe qualification is guaranteed, provided he gets all the support he needs,” Adedeji said.
He noted that bringing new faces into the national team would create healthy competition among players, while providing the coach several quality options.
“Everyone saw what helped Spain succeed in the just concluded FIFA World Cup. They had quality players both on the pitch and on the bench. That is the same direction Eric Seko Chelle is taking with the Super Eagles. The team is on the right track,” he added.
The Swiss-based coach also lent his voice to the recent comments of former Nigerian international Seyi Olofinjana on football administration. He agreed that ex-footballers who intend to move into football management must equip themselves with the necessary administrative knowledge and practical experience.
“Being a former footballer is not enough. Anyone who wants to work in football administration should undergo proper education in both theory and practice to prepare for the responsibilities of the job,” he said.
Coach Adedeji concluded by calling for mandatory annual refresher courses for coaches in Nigeria, explaining that such programmes are compulsory in Switzerland and have helped improve coaching standards.
“Here in Switzerland, coaches attend refresher courses every year. Introducing the same system in Nigeria will improve the knowledge of our coaches and also earn them greater respect from players,”
