Victoria Mbangwa
Newly-appointed Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle, is facing a delicate balancing act as he navigates his imminent transition to Nigeria while still fulfilling his responsibilities with Algerian club MC Oran.
Chelle, who was named as the new head coach of Nigeria’s national team on Tuesday, is yet to finalize his departure from MC Oran, where he signed a two-year deal in October 2024. Despite the announcement of his new role, the 47-year-old remains in charge of the Algerian side and is set to oversee their Algerian Cup Round of 32 clash against USM Setif on Saturday.
The MC Oran management in a statement released on Wednesday said it has opted to delay any decisions regarding Chelle’s contract termination until after the crucial cup tie.
The statement reads, “The management of MC Oran has learned that after the meeting held this afternoon (Wednesday) with the coach of the first team Eric Chelle, it has been decided to postpone the decision on the matter of staying away from him until after the meeting of the Republic Cup against Setif, to preserve the stability and focus of the team on an important match.
“Coach Chelle will supervise the team at the cup meeting as normal, the club management confirms. A final meeting has to be held after he returns to Oran for class on this matter.”
Chelle has been actively involved with the team, conducting training sessions as usual and traveling with the squad to Setif. The club also confirmed that a final meeting will be held upon his return to Oran to determine the way forward.
His potential exit poses a challenge for MC Oran, who are currently 10th in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 and seeking to appoint a new technical director. The club is at risk of losing a coach who has demonstrated resilience and competence, most notably during his stint with Mali, where he led the national team to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
