New Nigeria Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, will face the biggest challenge of his managerial career when the Malian takes charge of 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers in March.

The 47-year-old, who makes history as the first non-Nigerian African to assume the role of Super Eagles head coach, gained the attention of his new employers when he led Mali to a rare victory over Nigeria last year.

After missing out on the last edition of the World Cup in Qatar, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) tasked Chelle with reaching next year's tournament.

However, he must hit the ground running given the Super Eagles have failed to win any of their first four games in Group C.

Some in the country are already criticising his appointment, with one student association describing it as "a slap in the face" of homegrown coaches.

Chelle has been described as a "kind, courteous and polite" man - but also as "a real fighter" and an ambitious coach by one pundit who has followed his career.

Having reached the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with Mali, will he be able to inspire one of the continent's footballing heavyweights?

Eric Chelle, wearing a red and white Valenciennes shirt, black gloves and a sweatband in green, yellow and red on his right wrist, runs during a football match on a rainy day

Most of Eric Chelle's professional appearances came during his spell with French side Valenciennes between 2003 and 2008

Chelle, born in Ivory Coast to a French father and a Malian mother, spent his entire professional playing career in France, beginning in the lower leagues with Martigues.

The centre-back moved to Valenciennes and helped win two consecutive league titles to reach the top flight in 2006, but then dropped back down to the second tier two years later to join Lens.

More success followed as his new club won the title in his debut season, with Chelle named in the Ligue 2 team of the year.

"Eric works with discipline and rigour," Malian sports journalist Salif Diakite told BBC Sport Africa.

"He has the fighting spirit [and] wants to win all his matches. He aspired to become a football coach.

"He quickly hung up his boots to devote himself to his coaching career. I'm not surprised to see Eric becoming [a] coach."

Chelle started that path in 2014 as an assistant with GS Consolat (now known as Athletico Marseille), a French amateur club.

He re-joined Martigues as head coach in 2017 before joining Boulogne in May 2021.

However, he was dismissed just seven months later by the third-tier outfit after one win in 10 games.

"Eric is a quiet coach out of the pitch, but on the pitch he is tough with his players," Diakite added.

Mali won their group at the 2023 Afcon finals under Chelle, finishing ahead of South Africa and Tunisia

Despite having only managed in the French lower divisions, Chelle next made the step up to international football.

Mali selected him to take charge in May 2022 - ahead of former Nigeria boss Gernot Rohr and ex-Cameroon coach Winfried Schafer.

Chelle, who also holds French citizenship, had won five caps for Mali between 2004 and 2006 but had never appeared at a major tournament. Yet he felt he was ready to manage his country.

"It is definitely a big challenge and I do like to challenge myself," he said after joining the Eagles.

Mali certainly impressed in qualifying for the 2023 Afcon, losing just one game and finishing as the second-highest scorers with 13 goals.

Yet, playing at attacking game with a 4-3-3 formation, Chelle could not lead a talented side past the quarter-finals at the tournament itself after a heart-breaking defeat by hosts Ivory Coast.

Mali seemed certain of victory but the Elephants scored a 90th-minute equaliser and then a 122nd-minute winner.

After a slow start in 2026 World Cup qualifying, with one win from their first four games, the Malian Football Federation fired Chelle in June last year.

Diakite says that decision was "badly received" by supporters and a section of the squad.

"Most Malian football fans believed that Eric could do something with Eagles," he explained.

"[He] had a very good relationship with his players. When he was sacked, some of his players had refused to come to the national team."

Since leaving Mali, Chelle's only job has been a short and unsuccessful stint with Algerian club MC Oran.

Now comes another big step up to manage three-time continental champions Nigeria, the runners-up at the 2023 Afcon.

Super Eagles fans had expected a high-profile coach to take charge, and Diakite accepts the challenge is "enormous".

"I understand the feeling of Nigerian football fans," he said.

"He (Chelle) is a young coach. His record is blank [at] the moment, but he is ambitious."

Results in the final six rounds of World Cup qualifiers will be crucial in deciding whether Chelle is kept on for the 2025 Afcon, which kicks off in December.

But Diakite suggests patience is required.

"Malian football fans have a lot of admiration for Eric Chelle.

"I hope that he will have the same consideration in Nigeria."

Chelle may well lead Nigeria at next month's African Nations Championship, the tournament for domestic-based players.

NFF president Ibrahim Gusau said the new Super Eagles coach would be the one to manage the side ? with the aim of "injecting" Nigerian Premier League players into the senior national team.

"Eric used to follow the local league (Mali Premier Division) a lot. We always found a local player in his national team," Diakite explained.

In order to win over demanding fans and deliver results with the Super Eagles, Chelle will need to draw on all the experience he has gathered so far. (BBC)

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