By Dorcas Francis Koji
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has appointed Ikorodu City technical adviser Bright Osehai Ozebagbe and Flying Eagles assistant coach Deniran Ortega as his assistants as he begins preparations to lead Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles in the qualifiers for the men’s football event of the 2028 Olympic Games.
Chelle was handed responsibility for the U-23 national team in June following renewed contract discussions with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), with the Franco-Malian coach now tasked with guiding Nigeria back to the Olympic football tournament for the first time in two decades.
Speaking through a statement released by the National Sports Commission on Tuesday, Chelle described Ozebagbe and Ortega as two of Nigeria’s brightest young coaches, praising their impressive coaching profiles.
“I am happy to work with them in the Olympic team,” Chelle said.
Ozebagbe currently serves as the technical adviser of Nigeria Premier Football League side Ikorodu City. The Lagos-based club narrowly missed out on a continental qualification spot on the final day of last season.
Ortega, meanwhile, is a UEFA-licensed coach who received his coaching training through the Scottish Football Association. He is also part of the coaching staff of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles.
The Olympic Eagles are expected to open camp in Abuja soon as preparations intensify for the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
Nigeria have received a bye into the second round of the qualifiers and will face either Mauritania or the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mauritania and DR Congo will meet in the first round, with the winner earning the right to face Nigeria. The first-round matches are scheduled for September 28 and October 6.
Nigeria’s second-round fixtures will take place on November 9 and 17, with the Olympic Eagles scheduled to play the first leg away from home.
Should Nigeria advance to the final qualifying round, they will face the winner of the tie between Burkina Faso and either Sierra Leone or Zambia.
The decisive third-round matches are scheduled to take place between March 22 and 30, 2027.
The 2027 U-23 AFCON will be hosted by Egypt and will also serve as Africa’s qualifying tournament for the men’s football event at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Seven teams will qualify for the U-23 AFCON finals alongside hosts Egypt, with the eight-team tournament determining Africa’s representatives at the Olympic Games.
For Chelle, the assignment represents a major opportunity to restore Nigeria’s presence on the Olympic stage after a 20-year absence.
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