Nigeria coach Eric Chelle has insisted that he will stay true to his footballing beliefs when the Super Eagles face Mozambique in Monday’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) round of 16 encounter, despite injury concerns within his squad.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Eric Chelle was asked whether Nigeria might adopt a more subdued approach as the tournament enters its decisive phase.
With demanding fixtures against sides such as Algeria or DR Congo potentially lying ahead, the Nigerian tactician made it clear that caution is not part of his thinking.
“When you play a game, you have two options: try to score more goals or focus on defending throughout the match. At this moment, I can tell you what is on my mind. But for sure, I prefer to die with my philosophy and my idea,” Chelle said.
The coach also spoke about the balance between aesthetics and results, stressing that his ambition goes beyond simply edging past opponents.
“You know, I dream of winning a game 4-0 or 5-0 without conceding,” the coach said. “My ideal game is to have 80 per cent possession, create many chances, and score freely. This is perfection but it’s not always like that.”
Chelle acknowledged, however, that knockout football at the AFCON leaves little room for comfort, with every team desperate to extend their stay.
“Every opponent is different, they want to win,” he said. “This is the AFCON. Teams are ready to fight, ready to die for victory. Mozambique is a great team, they play well and have many strengths, but they also have weaknesses, just like us.”
He added that daily work on the training pitch remains focused on sharpening his team’s identity and edging closer to the performance he envisions.
“Every day in training, we work to improve and to move closer to the game I dream of, my ideal performance, like I hope to achieve on the left side of the pitch,” he said.
The clash between the Super Eagles and Mozambique, which is set to kick off at 8 p.m. (Nigerian time) later today, will mark only the second meeting between the two nations at the tournament. Nigeria won the previous encounter 3-0 at the 2010 edition.
