Eric Chelle explains reasons for demanding huge pay rise

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has defended his demand for a pay rise from $50,000 to $130,000, a move that sparked outrage in Nigeria.

Chelle explained that the proposed increase is meant to cover the salaries of his support staff, who help him cope with the pressure of managing a national team in a country of over 250 million people. He also noted that the figure remains negotiable.

“What people don’t know is that in Africa, with the national team where I was, I have to pay my staff — my technical staff,” he said on the Histoires de Foot Podcast.

He added, “So, in the $130,000 offered, potentially, if those numbers are confirmed, you have to pay your staff from that. Yes, we are five.”

The coach listed his team as including his assistant coach, physical trainer, goalkeeper coach and personal assistant.

According to Chelle, modern professionals build support structures around themselves to handle pressure, noting that many players employ personal coaches and mental trainers.

He stressed that managing a national team of more than 250 million people comes with intense pressure, which he cannot handle alone, hence the need for a structured support system.

“All these people have to be paid,” he said, adding that contract negotiations are about seeking the best possible terms. “It’s a negotiation. We’re getting there.”