CHAN 2024: Chelle explains Oyowah’s surprise inclusion as Super Eagles B bow out early
Super Eagles B head coach, Eric Chelle, has opened up on the controversy surrounding his decision to include midfielder Alex Young Oyowah in Nigeria’s squad for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Nigeria’s campaign in the tournament ended in disappointment after they finished third in Group D with just three points from three matches, crashing out behind Sudan and Senegal. The only bright spot came in their final group game, where goals from Anas Yusuf and Sikiru Alimi secured a 2-0 win over Congo. Oyowah, who only made the squad at the last minute, was named Man of the Match in that encounter.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Chelle admitted that many questioned the decision to bring Oyowah into the team at the eleventh hour. “The player who won the Man of the Match award today, Alex, was included in our list only a week before we travelled,” Chelle revealed through CAF’s official platform. “People asked why I selected him when he was barely known, but I saw qualities in him that I believed could help us.”
Chelle, however, went further to lament Nigeria’s lack of adequate preparation for the competition, admitting that the team was never truly ready. “Preparing for CHAN requires a whole year of planning. Unfortunately, our situation was different. Whoever attended our training sessions would have noticed that the players were not mentally prepared for this tournament. We went into it with gaps in readiness, and it showed in our results.”
Despite the positive performance against Congo, Nigeria’s earlier defeats left them with too much ground to make up, ensuring their journey ended at the group stage. The outcome has already fueled doubts over Chelle’s capacity to lead the home-based Super Eagles in future tournaments, with critics pointing to his tactical approach and the team’s lack of cohesion.
For Oyowah, the tournament provided a chance to showcase his ability on a big stage, silencing doubters who had questioned his inclusion. His standout display against Congo was one of the few positives in what was otherwise a frustrating campaign for Nigeria.
As attention now shifts back to the drawing board, pressure mounts on Chelle and the Nigerian Football Federation to address the shortcomings that contributed to another disappointing CHAN outing.
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