Eric Chelle Breaks Silence on Maduka Okoye’s Late Super Eagles Arrival, To Make Tough Decisions
- Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle confirmed Okoye's absence from camp was linked to a club request, not personal reasons
- Chelle revealed he will make a tough call on whether Okoye starts against Madagascar on Friday
- Nigeria head into the AFCON qualifier without several key players, including Victor Osimhen and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, due to injuries
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Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has broken his silence on goalkeeper Maduka Okoye's late arrival at the national team's training camp ahead of Nigeria's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
Okoye, who previously played for Watford, was named in the goalkeeping squad alongside Stanley Nwabali and Arthur Okonkwo.
Source: Getty Images
His failure to report to camp when preparations began on Tuesday raised questions, and the situation drew even more attention after a viral video showed him at a nightclub in Milan alongside American rapper Cardi B.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, September 24, Chelle offered clarity on the matter, saying Okoye's club had asked for him to handle some club-related duties before travelling to join the squad, per Football Fans Tribe.
"I can tell you the truth. He was supposed to come [earlier], but he had to do some things for his club," Chelle said.
"I will manage the situation and make my decision."
Whether Okoye will feature between the posts when Nigeria face Madagascar on Friday remains uncertain, given that he missed training sessions on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Chelle confident of victory despite injury blow
Beyond the Okoye situation, Chelle is dealing with a significant injury list going into the Madagascar fixture.
Victor Osimhen of Galatasaray, Brighton pair Zadok Yohanna and Femi Azeez, Lazio midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and MLS player Alhassan Yusuf are all unavailable for the game at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
Despite the absentees, the Franco-Malian manager insisted the Super Eagles squad has the depth and the mentality to cope.
"We have a lot of injuries, Femi Azeez, Zadok Yohanna, Victor {Osimhen}, Alhassan Yusuf, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru," per Mighty George on X..
"We have a lot of injuries but this is not a problem for us. Of course, I prefer these guys to be with us."
Chelle warns players about Madagascar threat
Chelle was equally measured in his assessment of the opposition, warning his players not to underestimate the Barea side.
He pointed to Madagascar's famous win over Nigeria at the 2019 AFCON as proof of what the island nation is capable of.
"It is going to be a difficult game because Madagascar is a big team. I think they won against Nigeria in 2019," he said at the press conference.
"We have to work on it, so we are ready to play the game."
The French-born coach described Friday's encounter as a fight and urged his squad to bring the right attitude from the first whistle.
"We have to be ready. It is going to be a fight. The players have a good state of mind and we will be ready tomorrow," Chelle added.
Nigeria kick off their AFCON qualifying campaign against Madagascar on Friday before turning their attention to Guinea-Bissau in the second group match.
Chelle sends message to Super Eagles stars
Earlier, Legit.ng reported about Chelle’s message to the Super Eagles ahead of their 2027 AFCON qualifier against Madagascar.
The coach urged Nigeria’s players to show aggression, intensity and ambition as they begin the new campaign in Uyo.
Source: Legit.ng
