Chelle Targets Russia Weakness Ahead Of International Friendly
By Saheed Afolabi
Nigeria head coach, Eric Chelle has challenged his players to match Russia’s intensity and aggression when both sides meet on Tuesday, October 6 at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
The Super Eagles will hope to put the disappointing defeat to Guinea Bissau behind them as they take on Russia in a competitive friendly game.
Chelle said Russia’s approach without the ball is one of the qualities he expects his players to replicate, particularly after Nigeria’s disappointing result against Guinea-Bissau in their previous outing.
“The Russian team plays with a lot of intensity too. When they don’t have the ball, they are always aggressive. I want my team to play the same way too,” Chelle said.
“If we play that way tomorrow, I will be very happy. I want to see a good game and a good performance from the players.”
The coach also dismissed suggestions that the team facing Russia would be the same side that struggled against Guinea-Bissau.
“This is not the same team. We lost the game against Guinea-Bissau because our intensity was not good. It’s going to be a different game.”
Chelle also revealed that the availability of some players has been complicated by their clubs, forcing the coaching staff to manage the situation ahead of the international fixture.
“Some clubs don’t want the players to come, so we have to manage the situation,” he said.
Chelle believes the Russia game would provide an opportunity for new players to demonstrate their abilities and make a case for more involvement with the national team.
“We lost our last game, and the expectation for this game is to give the new players the opportunity to show what they can do.”
Despite the challenges surrounding preparations, Chelle said the Super Eagles remain determined to respond positively, with the players eager to represent the country strongly.
“We are motivated. The players want to win, and they want to give their best for the jersey and the country.”
The clash with Russia therefore presents Chelle and his squad an opportunity to respond to their Guinea-Bissau setback while testing a number of players ahead of future competitive assignments.
