Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has defended his request for a salary increase, insisting the move is aimed at improving his working conditions and not a threat to walk away from the job.
A recently leaked document revealed that Chelle asked the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to raise his monthly salary from $50,000 to $130,000 — a figure he says would also cover the wages of his technical staff.
Reports also linked the Franco-Malian tactician with French giants Olympique de Marseille following Nigeria’s third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. However, Chelle did not land the Marseille job, and the NFF has clarified that his reported 19 demands are still subject to board approval.
Speaking on the Histoires de Foot Podcast, Chelle denied issuing any ultimatum or threatening to resign.
“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.
He reaffirmed his commitment to the Super Eagles, noting that he still has one year remaining on his contract and is actively preparing for upcoming fixtures.
“At the moment we’re speaking, I am still the coach of Nigeria. I was in a meeting via video with my technical staff to work on the squad list for the March matches,” he added
Addressing the reported salary increase, Chelle explained that the figure would not solely be for personal earnings.
“When you talk about $130,000, it’s dollars, not euros. In Africa, with the national teams I’ve worked with, I have to pay my technical staff myself. Those requests are simply to ensure I have the right conditions to do my job.”
Among his reported demands are a private SUV with chauffeur and security, secure accommodation with stable electricity, a fully equipped office for tactical analysis, flight tickets for his immediate family, influence over friendly match selection, autonomy in squad decisions, structured access to domestic league matches for scouting, and inclusion of his personal assistant in the bonus framework.
Chelle also confirmed that while his agency contacted Marseille during their coaching search, he had no direct involvement in the approach.
“My agents decided to approach certain clubs in Europe, particularly in France. At that time, OM was looking for a coach. We didn’t do anything more than that. I had no contact,” he explained.
He admitted he would welcome the opportunity to coach Marseille one day but stressed that he never asked for the speculation to be made public.
