Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has insisted that Nigeria have moved on from their disappointing failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, as the team turns full focus to the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Despite boasting a squad rich in talent, Nigeria missed out on a place at the Mundial for the second consecutive time, a setback that sparked widespread disappointment among fans.
Speaking ahead of the team’s next AFCON fixture, Chelle made it clear that dwelling on past failures is not an option for his players.
“We are here and we have a game tomorrow and also we have a tournament, so we don’t have the time to think about what has happened before,” Chelle said.
“This is not the moment to talk about the World Cup qualifiers. For now, the most important thing is this tournament.”
The former Mali national team coach also stressed the importance of starting the competition on a strong note, describing the opening match as crucial to Nigeria’s ambitions.
“Our first game is a big game and the first game is very important, and for sure we want to win this game,” he added.
Nigeria will be aiming to put the World Cup disappointment behind them by making a strong statement in the tournament as they chase continental glory.
