Chelle’s Face, Unity Cup & World Cup Qualifier Headache

BY IKENWA ASHIBUOGWU NNABUOGOR

Eric Chelle’s face wore a mixed bag of joy and thoughts of the remaining World Cup qualifiers as his men soaked up in ecstasy Saturday holding the Unity Cup trophy aloft.

Troubled was the expression on his face as his wards brought alive the Unity Cup flavours they enjoyed 21 years ago also in London.

Eagles blew hot and cold to edge Jamaica in the lottery of penalties to win the Unity Cup, albeit, with a second team mixed with a few of the Eagles’ established legs.

Chelle’s face suggested the bigger pictures in September and October mattered most to him and he celebrated with a bit of “caution” with his men.

Eagles face Russia on June 6 in Moscow, for their first ever friendly game as Chelle takes another look at his team before wrapping his head in the remainder of the qualifiers in September and October.

It will be left to be seen if Chelle will be gone to the USA, Canada and Mexico in October or cut short his association with the Nigerian football to look elsewhere.

Chelle and his men will have to win their four remaining games and wish South Africa drop points both on the pitch and technically for breaching FIFA rules to give his face full joy and ecstasy.

FIFA will help him a bit as the expected hammer on South Africa for fielding an ineligible player falls on them. With three points expected to be docked from South Africa’s 13, Chelle’s onerous task of hitting the tripartite arrangement may not be a distant reality.

The Unity Cup win is a huge booster and a good result against Russia will be a bigger one as Chelle is expected to go guns blazing with 12 maximum points, dividends of the expected wins from the remaining games.

Eagles lie a disappointing fourth on the table with seven points and should the hammer fall on South Africa, Lesotho, currently in fifth place will swap positions with Eagles.

There’s no way Chelle will get his face well lit up with the huge challenges he faces as the Eagles’ chance hangs badly on the balance.

Chelle’s smiling, joyous face could be the most sought after by the corporate bodies for product adverts should be flight the Eagles to USA, Canada & Mexico.

He may not be dusting up his coaching papers again for moving on in October after all.