Nigeria coach Eric Chelle justifies salary increment

Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has clarified the reasoning behind his request for a salary increase, insisting that his focus remains on the Super Eagles despite reports suggesting otherwise.

According to a leaked document, Chelle submitted new terms to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), including a rise in his monthly salary from $50,000 to $130,000, a package also intended to cover his assistants.

Speaking on the Histoires de Foot podcast, the Franco-Malian coach said the proposed increase is aimed at improving his working conditions rather than serving as an ultimatum.

The document reportedly lists 19 requests, including a private SUV with a chauffeur and security detail, secure accommodation with reliable electricity, a fully furnished office with a projector for tactical analysis, flight tickets for his wife and two children, specialized equipment, influence over friendly match selection, and autonomy in team selection.

“I have never gone to Nigeria to say I was going to leave for Marseille or to renegotiate everything. There is no interview or statement where I said I would go to Marseille or that I was threatening anyone,” he said.

“At the moment we’re speaking, of course, I am still the coach of Nigeria. I still have one year left on my contract. In fact, I was in a meeting via video with my technical staff to work on the squad list for the March matches. So yes, I am still the coach of Nigeria.”

Chelle added that the $130,000 figure, paid in dollars, reflects the fact that he covers his technical staff’s salaries himself.

“When you talk about $130,000, first of all, it’s not euros, it’s dollars. And what people don’t know is that in Africa, with the national teams I’ve worked with, I have to pay my technical staff myself. So all those people have to be paid — and those requests are simply to ensure I have the right conditions to do my job.”

Other demands reportedly include structured access to domestic league matches for scouting players for the senior team as well as the U-23, U-20, and U-17 squads, and inclusion of his personal assistant in the bonus and allowance system.

The requests, submitted on January 22, have fueled discussions about his potential contract renewal, with Chelle expressing surprise over the leak of the document.

“Today, if I’m being honest, I don’t really know. The first question I ask myself is how this document could have ended up in the media. That’s the question I’m asking myself.”

Chelle is expected to announce his squad ahead of next month’s international window, in which Nigeria will compete against Iran, Jordan, and Costa Rica in a four-nation tournament in Amman, Jordan.