By Ben Efe 3.7.2026
Former Super Eagles coach Jo Bonfrere said the Nigeria Football Federation rewarded mediocrity by giving Eric Chelle a new contract.
Bonfrere who coached the Super Eagles to a silver at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations and also guided the Nigeria U-23 to Africa’s first Olympics football gold medal, said the NFF was not serious about bringing success to the country and make Nigeria football fans glad.
He argued that Chelle failed to win the AFCON and also qualify Nigeria for the World Cup and so he shouldn’t have been rewarded with a new contract.
“Not going to the world has cost Nigeria millions of dollars, they didn’t have a good coach that could have taken them to the World Cup,” Bonfrere stated in an interview with Eagle 7 FM.
” And it is unbelievable to reward Chelle with a new contract when he failed to win the AFCON or qualify Nigeria for the World Cup. How can a coach stay when he doesn’t bring results?
“Germany is changing their coach for not taking them to the next round
“Something is wrong with NFF, I don’t know what they expect from the national teams, maybe they don’t want success and they are fine with mediocrity.”
He stated that the NFF needs to revive the youth teams, get good coaches, a good technical director and start building a new national team if they hope to make any impact at qualifying for the next World Cup.
The NFF recently approved a $100,000 a month contract renewal for Eric Chelle, they argued that had he taken charge of the Super Eagles soon enough, the national team would have qualified for the World Cup.
Jo Bonfrere with the Nigerian U-23 team at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.
Photo: Bob Thomas Sports Photography via Getty Images)