Super Eagles talisman Victor Osimhen has offered a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the coaching style of Nigeria’s coach, Eric Chelle, revealing why players give everything for him.
The Super Eagles, who missed out on 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification, have looked like a different team at the ongoing AFCON.
In their five games leading up to Wednesday night’s semi-final, they have scored 14 goals and kept two clean sheets. As they gear up for their high-stakes AFCON 2025 semi-final against host nation Morocco, Osimhen has shared Chelle’s relentless drive to win.
The ‘new gaffer’ has brought a level of demand that even the world’s top stars find ‘scary’. Osimhen was quick to credit former Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro for laying the groundwork during the team’s journey to the 2023 final in Côte d’Ivoire.
“You have to give props to the former manager, Peseiro,” Osimhen told CBS Sports Golazo. “He actually did a great job and had his way of bringing the best out of the players. I think he and Eric have something similar; they demand a lot. They have this way of communicating to let you know the mistakes you’ve made and what you did right. Both of them have a winning mentality, regardless of the situation.”
While the foundation remained, the Galatasaray striker admitted that Chelle, the former Malian tactician appointed in January 2025, had raised the physical and mental demands to a new level.
“The intensity with which the new gaffer demands from the whole squad is actually really scary. Many of us are not really used to coaches demanding this kind of intensity in a national team setting.”
‘IF WE CONCEDE, WE GET PUNISHED’ – OSIMHEN
Perhaps most surprising was Osimhen’s revelation about Chelle’s disciplinary methods on the training pitch. The former Mali coach has implemented a system in which conceding goals in matches results in immediate consequences for the entire group.
“For every goal we concede, we get punished the next day in training, like, in a good way,” he explained. “He’s really a demanding coach, and from the first day he spoke to me, I knew he was a person with a vision for our country. Now, he’s Nigerian also.”
Despite the ‘scary’ demands, Osimhen emphasised that Chelle’s human approach has won over the dressing room. He described a manager who balances tactical rigour with genuine affection, often following a stern lecture with a big hug.
“The way they communicate, the way they joke… there’s no better way to try to give your all for a manager. Of course, we make mistakes, and at the end of the day, he’s angry; he’s getting his point across, but then he will come to you and let you know what you did right. This kind of manager, as a player, you want to give everything for him.”
The Galatasaray star has been in fine form at the AFCON, scoring four of Nigeria’s 14 goals so far. He has also added two assists to his tally. Formerly with Napoli, the 27-year-old will be hoping to power his nation into the AFCON final on Sunday in Rabat.
Senegal and Egypt clash in the other semi-final set for Tangier on Wednesday night.
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