Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle has defended his request for a substantial salary increase, saying the proposed $130,000 monthly package is intended to cover the wages of his entire technical team, not just his own remuneration.
Speaking on the Histoires de Foot podcast, Chelle addressed the controversy triggered by reports that his pay could rise from $50,000 to $130,000 per month, a figure that has drawn criticism from sections of the Nigerian football public.
The coach said that within African football, national team managers are often responsible for funding their backroom staff from their own contracts.
He explained that his current support structure comprises an assistant coach, a physical trainer, a goalkeeper coach and a personal assistant.
“In the $130,000 offered, potentially, if those numbers are confirmed, you have to pay your staff with all that behind. We are five,” Chelle said.
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Chelle likened the scale of his responsibility to managing a country far larger than France, arguing that the pressures of leading Nigeria national football team, a side representing a nation of more than 250 million people, necessitate a strong professional framework.
He added that just as elite players increasingly rely on personal trainers and specialists, coaches also require similar support systems to cope with the demands of the role.
“Sometimes I can’t manage the pressure alone. So, I put a structure in place around me that will allow me to manage this pressure. All these people, well, you have to pay them,” he said.
Chelle stressed that the figure being discussed remains part of an ongoing negotiation and should not be viewed as a final or fixed demand.