Ex-Super Eagles Star Sends Message to Eric Chelle As Stanley Nwabali Remains Clubless
- A former Super Eagles star has sent a message to Eric Chelle over his selection process for the national team
- Chelle is currently preparing for the Unity Cup and friendly matches during May and June breaks
- The manager faces a selection dilemma as first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali remains without a club
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A former Super Eagles international has sent a message to head coach Eric Chelle over his selection process for the Nigerian national team.
Chelle has been in charge of the team for more than a year. He led the team to a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Source: Getty Images
Even though he failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was his primary responsibility when he took over, the NFF kept faith in him.
The Super Eagles will not be idle during the international break before the World Cup, with four matches lined up for the team in May and June.
Nigeria will defend their Unity Cup title in London in May against the national teams of Zimbabwe, Jamaica and India at Charlton Athletic’s stadium.
As noted by the NFF, the team will also face high-profile friendly matches against Portugal and Poland in June as Chelle assesses his team in preparation for the AFCON 2027 qualifier.
Duke Udi sends message to Chelle
Former Super Eagles midfielder Duke Udi has sent a message to Super Eagles boss Eric Chelle over the selection criteria for the Nigerian national team.
Udi advises Chelle to look at the selection criteria for successful teams in Africa and globally and try to emulate their merit-based system.
“We need to learn from the English and Senegalese national teams. With all due respect to Nigeria, how do they pick their players?” he 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.”
He added that every Nigerian footballer, regardless of where they are from or where they are playing, must be eligible to play for the national team.
The only selection criteria should be merit, and once any player proves that he is good enough, they should be given the opportunity to play.
Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali left Chippa United after AFCON 2025 and has been without a club since, a move many Nigerians frowned at.
Source: Getty Images
Udi warned Chelle not to invite Nwabali to the national team for the upcoming games, as he remains without a club.
“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,” he concluded.
Chelle dropped Nwabali in March. He invited Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho and Adeleye Adebayo, and now has Arthur Okonkwo in his pool of goalkeepers.
Chelle reiterates selection criteria
Legit.ng previously reported that Eric Chelle confirmed his selection criteria for the Super Eagles squad in the upcoming international games.
Chelle confirmed that there will be an opportunity for new dual nationality players and NPFL stars in the Unity Cup squad, but the Portugal and Poland friendlies are for top stars.
Source: Legit.ng
