The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should not extend Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle’s contract according to Ahmed Shuaibu Gara-Gombe who used to serve as Gombe State Football Association chairperson.
Chelle who earns approximately $50,000 each month has less than a year left on his existing contract. The coach implemented 19 conditions for contract renewal which included his request for a salary increase to $130,000 per month according to current reports.
Gara-Gombe considered the potential renewal an improper decision which would damage Nigerian football. The Guardian interview provided him with evidence which showed Chelle made demands because he wanted to profit from his position as Nigeria national football team head coach.
Gara-Gombe showed that Super Eagles players have greater international football status than their coach because he said that national team activities raised Chelle’s professional standing. He further claimed that, given the quality of players available to Nigeria, the federation should not entertain what he termed excessive financial requests.
Gara-Gombe rejected the rumors that connected Chelle to French club Olympique de Marseille because he believed those stories needed further examination. The federation should let the coach leave if he wants to because according to him the financial costs of continuation are not worth it.
He explained that keeping Chelle under the proposed conditions would create long-term harm for Nigerian football operations.
