Former Nigeria international Abiodun Baruwa believes Eric Chelle has what it takes to steer the Super Eagles to the 2030 FIFA World Cup — provided the country continues to back him.

"I think he is a good coach for Nigeria," Baruwa told Proudly Austin. "If we stick with him, trust him, he will qualify us for the next World Cup. I believe in that."

Chelle's reign so far

Chelle stepped into the role midway through the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. The Super Eagles narrowly missed automatic qualification, finishing second behind South Africa's Bafana Bafana. They advanced to the African playoff but fell to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in the final.

Since then, the coach has steered the team to two Unity Cup titles, a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, a 2-2 draw with Poland, and a narrow 2-1 defeat to Portugal in back-to-back friendlies.

Questions over Arthur Okonkwo

Chelle's tenure has also introduced fresh faces into the squad, most notably Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo. The former Arsenal academy product made his Super Eagles debut against Zimbabwe at May's Unity Cup, keeping a clean sheet in a 3-0 victory.

Baruwa, who was part of the Nigeria squad at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, offered a measured take on the young keeper. "I saw him briefly. Ball handling is okay but I need to see more of him because I never watch him with Wrexham," he said.

"He is decent, he is doing what he is supposed to be doing. But it takes time to build to this level."

AFCON 2027 qualification ahead

Attention now turns to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which kick off in September. The Super Eagles have been drawn into a group alongside hosts Tanzania, Madagascar, and Guinea-Bissau — a path that looks navigable, but one that demands consistency from Chelle's side.