SOCCER: Nigeria must bloc outside noise, coach Chelle says

Nigeria must block out outside distractions and remain focused on their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign after failing to qualify for next year’s World Cup, head coach Eric Chelle said on Monday.

The Super Eagles open their Group C campaign against Tanzania on Tuesday, and Chelle urged his players to move on from the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup playoffs following their defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo in November.

“We prefer to stay focused at all times,” Chelle said during a press conference. “I told the players to concentrate on themselves and on our development project. That is the most important thing for us.”

“We are our own first opponent. We need to focus on ourselves and block out outside noise. Of course, missing the World Cup is painful,” he added.

The Malian coach emphasized that Nigeria’s priority is starting the tournament strongly, saying there is no room to dwell on past setbacks.

“We are here to win our first game. We have a tournament to play, and we are here to be ambitious,” Chelle said. “I don’t have time to think about what happened before. I prefer to stay focused on what is happening right now.”

Nigeria enter the tournament with concerns in defense due to injuries and the retirement of veteran center back William Troost-Ekong ahead of the competition. However, the 48-year-old coach expressed full confidence in his squad.

The 2023 AFCON runners-up will also face Tunisia on December 27 before closing their group-stage matches against Uganda three days later.

-Reporting by Mohamed Yossry in Cairo; Editing by Ed Osmond/Reuters