‘Local coaches deserve equal pay’ – Former NFF official questions Eric Chelle’s reported salary increase

A former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board member, Barrister Christopher Green, has called for equal treatment for local and foreign coaches handling the national team amid reports that Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has received a lucrative new contract.

According to reports in Nigeria, Chelle has signed a fresh deal with the NFF that will see him remain in charge of the Super Eagles despite the team’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The reports further claim that the Malian tactician will now earn between $80,000 and $100,000 per month.

Reacting to the reported salary increase, Green, who also serves as the Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, insisted that indigenous coaches should receive the same remuneration when appointed to lead the national team.

“I have always advocated for equality. It does not matter where you are coming from, whether you reside in the country, whether you are a national or an expatriate. It is the same job,” Green told Pan Africa Football.

“If you are paying Chelle $80,000 or $100,000 per month, the day you are no longer comfortable with him, or the day you fire him, I also want you to pay the same thing to any local coach you want to take over. It is the same job,” he added.

Green also questioned the rationale behind the reported salary increment, arguing that results should remain the key benchmark for such decisions.

“What has made him deserving of this increment? Are the Super Eagles at the World Cup? No, we are not there. That is the benchmark,” he said.

“He has taken charge of a team that did not go to the last World Cup, but he saw the job before he took it. Is he deserving of that? That is the question for everyone to answer.”

Chelle was appointed as Super Eagles head coach earlier this year, with expectations high that he would guide Nigeria back to major international success.

However, reports of his improved contract have sparked fresh debate over the remuneration of foreign and local coaches in Nigerian football.