Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle, has indicated that he may rotate his squad for the Super Eagles’ Group C clash against Uganda at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, insisting that effective squad management, rather than reliance on a fixed starting XI, remains his priority.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference at the Fez Stadium on Monday, Chelle said several players in the squad deserved opportunities, noting that his final selection would be determined after the team’s final training session or on matchday morning.
“Once again, there are many players in this group who deserve to be part of the team, for this game and for the next games,” Chelle said. “The only real question is what I have in my head at this moment, what my vision is for this AFCON.”
The coach stressed that success at a major tournament depended on the entire squad, not just the starting eleven.
“I have to protect some players and I also have to give opportunities, because everybody knows that if you want to win something, it is not only about eleven players. It is about the group,” he added.
Nigeria face a Uganda side desperate for points, with victory potentially taking the Cranes to four points and boosting their qualification hopes. While acknowledging that rotation could be interpreted as weakening the team, Chelle insisted that depth and balance were crucial in tournament football.
“The most important thing is the group. This is not a competition for eleven starters or eleven players,” he said. “Everybody deserves a chance to show something, because sometimes the player who only plays five minutes in an AFCON match can make the decisive contribution.”
Chelle was also keen to dispel any suggestion that rotation would amount to complacency or disrespect for the competition.
“This is a question of management. It is not a lack of respect for the tournament. I want to put the best team on the pitch at this moment. Yes, of course, we want to win,” he said.
The Nigerian coach further defended his substitution decisions following criticism after the team conceded late goals in their previous match, arguing that tactical context was often overlooked.
“Did we concede the goal before the substitution or after the substitution? We conceded the first goal before the substitution,” Chelle said. “When I make a substitution, I analyse what is happening during the game. At that moment, my choice was, for me, the best choice.”
While admitting the Super Eagles would prefer to close out games more comfortably, Chelle highlighted the team’s attacking output as a positive.
“The fact is that we won 3-2. Maybe we wanted to win 3-0, but the reality is that we won, and there were five goals in the game,” he said. “In the last four games, we have scored maybe ten or twelve goals. That is very good.”
Uganda and Nigeria will meet later today, with kick-off scheduled for 5pm local time. It will be their second meeting at the AFCON finals, 46 years after Uganda’s 2-1 semi-final victory at the 1978 tournament.
Historically, Uganda hold a slight advantage in the fixture, winning four of their eight meetings across all competitions, while Nigeria have recorded two wins and two draws. The Cranes are also unbeaten in the last three encounters between both sides.
Despite the history and the stakes, Chelle insisted his focus remains on progression.
“We do not need to do calculations now. We just need to project ourselves into the next round. But we still want to win,” he said.
