A former Super Eagles international has sent a strong message to head coach Eric Chelle regarding his selection process for the Nigerian national team. Chelle, who has been in charge for over a year, led the team to a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco but failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Despite this, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has retained him.
The Super Eagles will be active during the upcoming international break, with four matches scheduled in May and June. Nigeria will defend their Unity Cup title in London against Zimbabwe, Jamaica, and India at Charlton Athletic's stadium. Additionally, the team will face high-profile friendlies against Portugal and Poland in June as Chelle evaluates his squad ahead of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
Duke Udi's Message to Chelle
Former Super Eagles midfielder Duke Udi has publicly advised Chelle to reassess his selection criteria. Udi emphasized the importance of learning from successful national teams like England and Senegal, which prioritize merit and current form over reputation.
"We need to learn from the English and Senegalese national teams. With all due respect to Nigeria, how do they pick their players?" Udi told Brila FM. "Sometimes when you do things your own way, and it's not working, you have to look at those doing it better and learn from them. If you look at the Senegal national team, they pick players based on merit and who is in form. You must prove yourself to get called up."
Udi stressed that every Nigerian footballer, regardless of origin or club, should be eligible for selection, with merit as the sole criterion. Once a player proves his worth, he deserves an opportunity.
Warning on Stanley Nwabali
Udi specifically warned Chelle against inviting goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, who has been clubless since leaving Chippa United after AFCON 2025. Many Nigerians have criticized Nwabali's decision to leave his club without securing a new one.
"Nwabali isn't a bad goalkeeper, but for now, he is clubless. So how do you bring a clubless player into the national team? As I always say, 'I get am before no be property.' You should always pick based on form," Udi concluded.
Chelle had already dropped Nwabali in March, instead calling up Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho, Adeleye Adebayo, and Arthur Okonkwo for goalkeeping duties.
Chelle's Selection Criteria
Earlier, Chelle confirmed his selection approach for upcoming games. He stated that the Unity Cup squad would include opportunities for new dual-nationality players and Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) stars, while the friendlies against Portugal and Poland would feature top-tier players.
