Chelle is also sweating over the fitness of goalscorer Ilenikhena and two other Super Eagles stars.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has expressed concern over his players’ inability to get the required training sessions ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Guinea-Bissau.
The Malian tactician made this known on Monday during the pre-match press conference.
Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau will face each other at the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro in Bissau, with both teams seeking to build on their respective victories on opening matchday of the AFCON qualifiers.
Following their narrow win over Madagascar, Chelle’s men held a recovery session in Uyo on Saturday before intensifying preparations with an additional training session on Sunday ahead of their departure for Bissau.
On the eve of their encounter with the Djurtus, the Nigerian players were afforded the opportunity to acclimatise to the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro during their final training session.
Expressing concern over the insufficient time to prepare his team for the game, Chelle acknowledged that the Super Eagles had limited time to work on their tactics.
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He noted, however, that whilst he was not particularly impressed with his team’s performance against Madagascar, statistical data showed Nigeria deserved the victory.
“We didn’t have enough training sessions to work a lot. This is the problem with this kind of FIFA window. You have only one or two training sessions to prepare.
“Subsequently, you have one or two training sessions designated for recovery, and then you must travel,” Chelle said.
He added, “The paramount consideration is that we reviewed the previous match and conducted a thorough analysis. If you examine the statistical data, you can conclude that we deserved the victory against Madagascar.
“However, the performance was not particularly impressive. We conceded an early goal, and the match was very difficult for us, which explains my previous remarks.”
Chelle is also concerned about the physical condition of George Ilenikhena ahead of Tuesday evening’s fixture against Guinea-Bissau, whilst at least two other players are expected to undergo late fitness tests.
