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by Frimbong Samuel
Even as the appointment of Eric Chelle by the Nigeria Football Federation is still generating mixed reactions from Nigerians, the former Mali coach appointment seems to have put the Malian Football Federation in serious problems with the Military Government of the Country.
While many Nigerians have not fully come to terms with the quality of the French born Coach , it just seems those who know his qualities are already biting their fingers for not holding on to him.
In Mali as we speak , Football fans in the country are bashing the Malian FA after the news broke that the NFF had signed their Former Coach .
When Eric Chelle left the Malian team after the 2024 AFCON, for many Malians and even the Malian players, it was a shock and a big mistake to have allowed him
to leave.
In Eric Chelle’s two year stint in Mali, his Team played one of the best attacking football any Malian national team has ever played. And his results were very visible for everyone to see on the continent with 14 wins , 5 draws and just 3 losses in his 22 games in charge.
He was on the verge of leading Mali to a semi-final place in the last AFCON before losing narrowly to the eventual winner ,the host, the Ivory Coast in the Quarter finals in Extra time.
This was why an average football fan in Mali loves him so much and still found it absurd that he was allowed to go in the manner in which he left.
It was later that Malians discovered that the reason why he left was because the FA were tired of his toughness and none interference principle when it comes to manipulations and selection of players.
Many top football people in the Malian FA never liked him for this and this was why when the Malian FA announced his departure, the Malian Government persuaded him to come back but he was very reluctant to go back .
And now that the biggest black Nation in Africa , Nigeria appointed him , the reality of the mistake of letting him go last year , just suddenly dawn on the Malian Government once again.
Unfortunately it is too late now because it has been a long term ambition of Eric Chelle to manage the Nigeria Super Eagles which he strongly believes have the best players and talents on the continent to dominate the AFCON and even make history at the World cup.
