At a pre-match press briefing on Monday at Fez Stadium, Chelle stressed that multiple players in the Super Eagles squad deserve game time, with final selections to be confirmed after the team’s last training session or on matchday morning.
“Once again, there are many players in this group who deserve to be part of the team, for this game and for the next games,” Chelle said. “The only real question is what I have in my head at this moment, what my vision is for this AFCON, the picture of the tournament in my mind. I have to protect some players and I also have to give opportunities, because everybody knows that if you want to win something, it is not only about eleven players. It is about the group.”
Nigeria face a Uganda side eager for points, knowing a victory would boost their qualification chances to four points.
Chelle acknowledged that rotating players could be perceived as weakening the team but insisted that depth is crucial in tournament football.
“The most important thing is the group. This is not a competition for eleven starters or eleven players,” he explained. “Everybody deserves a chance to show something, because sometimes the player who only plays five minutes in an AFCON match or in a tournament can bring victory, can score the last goal, or make the decisive contribution.”
He added that squad rotation is about strategic management, not a lack of commitment. “This is a question of management. It is not a question of a lack of respect for the tournament. I want to put the best team on the pitch at this moment. Yes, of course, I want to win. The players want to win. Everybody wants to win this game.”
Chelle also defended his previous substitutions after Nigeria conceded late goals, saying tactical context must guide decisions.
“I have a question first. Did we concede the goal before the substitution or after the substitution? We conceded the first goal before the substitution,” he said. “When I make a substitution, I try to analyse what is happening during the game. In this match, we played in a 4-4-2 diamond, which means the full-backs are free, and the pressure is on them, so you have to protect the wide areas. At that moment, my choice was, for me, the best choice.”
Despite admitting Nigeria could finish games more comfortably, Chelle highlighted the team’s attacking form as a positive. “The fact is that we won 3-2. The fact is that maybe we wanted to win 3-0 and, yes, perhaps we missed something. But the reality is that we won, and the reality is that there were five goals in the game,” he said. “In the last four games, we have scored maybe ten or twelve goals. That is good, very good.”
Nigeria and Uganda will kick off at 5 p.m. local time, marking their second meeting at AFCON finals, 46 years after Uganda’s 2-1 semi-final victory in the 1978 tournament. Historically, Uganda hold a slight edge with four wins in eight encounters, while Nigeria has won twice and drawn twice. Uganda have also remained unbeaten in the last three meetings.
Despite the historical context and stakes, Chelle insists his focus is firmly on progression in the tournament. “We do not need to do calculations now. We just need to project ourselves into the next round. But we still want to win,” he concluded.