Chelle and his players will face CHAN defending champions, Senegal at the Amman Stadium, Zanzibar, next Tuesday.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle has justified his decision to name nine players from a single Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) team for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
He made a case for his action recently during an interview with Super Eagles media.
The Malain tactician selected nine players from NPFL champions, Remo Stars, in his final 24‑man squad for the competition.
The decision led to criticisms by some fans and pundits, who argued that he took the decision because one of his assistants, Daniel Ogunmodede, is currently serving as head coach of Remo Stars.
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Reacting to the accusations during a chat, Chelle insisted that he picked players who fit into his style of play.
He said, “My only thinking is I have a philosophy. I want to keep the ball, and when we don’t have the ball, I want us to press high. So I need to bring some players who can play in my philosophy.”
Meanwhile, the Home Eagles, also known as CHAN Eagles, played two friendlies against Zanzibar this week as part of their preparations for the CHAN 2024 finals.
The first friendly ended in a 0‑0 draw, while they were held to a 2‑2 draw in the second game on Thursday.
They will open their CHAN 2024 campaign against defending champions Senegal at the Amman Stadium, Zanzibar, next Tuesday.
