Two days after the Super Eagles B, popularly known as the home-based Eagles, crashed out of the African Nations Championship (CHAN), the dust is yet to settle.
Officially, Nigeria still has one game left in the competition, the last group tie against Congo Republic, but in the minds of many fans, the tournament is already over. The debate across all spectrum is not about what could still be salvaged, but about where it all went wrong?
Nigeria lost her first game to Senegal in the opening stage then went on to lose the second group game 4-0 to South Sudan. Since then, social media have been filled with many comments on what people think.
The reactions have been ferocious. “National disgrace” trended among fans, alongside calls for the coach to step down. Others lamented the absence of cohesion in midfield and the seeming lack of urgency across the pitch as well as many other issues of concern.
In this article we take a look at the people’s opinion while analyzing the reality to it.
Tayo Salaam (@TaySal007) on X wrote: “Why are NPFL advocates acting shocked about Sudan thrashing the HOME-BASED EAGLES at the CHAN like the Sudanese don’t have a far better league than Nigeria.”
Abdulkabir Olatunji posted on his social media handle(@maclatunji):”Many Nigerians don’t understand that other local leagues are bigger and important in other African Countries.
“We have Nigerians playing in countries like Zambia and DR Congo because of this. This makes their CHAN teams significantly stronger than the Nigerian Home-Based Eagles.”
Veteran Sport Journalist, Edafe Matthew wrote on Facebook and X: “Why can’t a Nigerian male team make 5 consecutive passes in a game? Our football must really be terrible from ground up on the male side. See this CHAN Eagles defenders ballooning every ball. We used to call it anywhere belle face. Kpoom kpoom ball. Not pace and tempo control.”
Popular Social Media punter in Nigeria, 39 (@39billion) wrote: “See home based players wey una say make we dey use instead of our foreign based super eagles.”
Social Media Influencer, Sir Dickson (@Wizarab10) sarcastically wrote: “Invite home based players to the Super Eagles”
Sport Journalist Atinuke Esan (@SucreMamito124) wrote: “More than two hours of football. We have never looked like scoring . But they said we should not blame Chelle. God will forgive all of you. #CHAN2024”
Joan Iwuchukwu (@iwuchukwu_joan) wrote: “This is what u get when you exchange quality to sentiments.”
Taking into consideration the above opinions and many others that did not make this article piece, everyone has a legit concern on who they have chosen to blame for the abysmal performance of the Home-based Eagles.
For some, the finger of blame points squarely at head coach Eric Chelle. His decision to deploy a 4-4-2 diamond system puzzled many observers.
The formation, with its narrow midfield shape, restricted wing play, a core strength of many NPFL players and forced the team into a style they were not comfortable executing. Instead of stretching the pitch, Nigeria was funneled into congested central channels, making them easy to defend against.
Even within that structure, Chelle’s player deployment raised questions. Raymond Tochukwu, a creative midfielder by trade, found himself operating in a deep defensive role.
Akanni Qudus, better known for his central attacking threat, was shunted wide. These adjustments dulled individual strengths and broke the flow of the team’s play.
Midfield creativity, already in short supply, all but vanished. Without a genuine playmaker to dictate tempo or unlock tight defences, Nigeria’s build-up was ponderous, predictable, and ultimately harmless. Possession too often went sideways or backwards, offering Sudan ample time to regroup.
At the back, lapses in concentration proved costly. An own goal from Leonard Ngenge and the concession of a soft penalty were the most glaring examples, but the defensive structure had been shaky from the start. Sudan needed no invitation to exploit the gaps.
The collapse came quickly and brutally. In a post-match admission, Chelle conceded that a catastrophic 20-minute spell decided the contest, four mistakes in quick succession leading to four goals. Even with all the pre-match analysis, the team seemed unable to regroup once the early blows landed.
By the time the final whistle went, the scoreline read 4-0; Nigeria’s heaviest CHAN defeat, equalling the margin from the 2018 final loss to Morocco. For a team hoping to restore pride after failing to qualify for the last two editions, it was a humbling blow.
For those faulting poor preparation, preparation had done little to inspire confidence. The squad had been hastily assembled, with key players unavailable due to overseas moves, injuries, or club commitments. A single training camp and two friendlies offered scant time to build chemistry.
Team selection further fueled controversy. Nine of the 23 players came from NPFL champions Remo Stars, a concentration that sparked talk of favouritism and non-merit-based inclusions. In a Country where selection politics often stirs suspicion, this detail was not overlooked.
Beyond the dugout, critics turned to the league itself. Former Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye didn’t mince words when speaking on Bet9ja’s Home Turf Podcast, lambasting the NPFL’s structure, football education, and administrative competence. “We’re not good enough, that’s the bitter truth,” he said, “We don’t have what it takes to compete on the bigger stage”.
The domestic league, many analysts have argued, is not producing players who can cope with the pace, physicality, and tactical demands of continental football. Youth academies remain underdeveloped, coaching standards inconsistent, and player progression stunted.
Chelle himself admitted the performance against Sudan was “the worst game I’ve overseen,” acknowledging the lack of ambition and intensity. While he spoke of a mental reset ahead of the Congo game, the damage was already done in the eyes of supporters.
Sudan, meanwhile, provided the kind of disciplined, compact football Nigeria could not match. Despite their own domestic league disruptions, they executed their plan with precision, exposing the gulf between the two teams on the day.
One can also admit that the poor administration of the NPFL played an indirect yet decisive role in Nigeria’s early CHAN exit. Years of poor governance, irregular league Calendar. Others are incessant boardroom disputes that have weakened the domestic game to the point where home-based players are ill-prepared for the pace and tactical demands of continental football competition.
Without a stable, competitive league to sharpen their skills, the Super Eagles B went into CHAN with players lacking match sharpness, proper conditioning, and the kind of high-level experience their opponents possessed.
Financial instability and a lack of long-term development planning have further compounded the problem. With few credible sponsors, delayed player wages, and no strong investment in youth systems or modern coaching, the NPFL has struggled to produce a steady stream of elite-level talent.
This meant that when Nigeria’s CHAN squad was assembled, the pool of players available was not only limited but also lacking the competitive edge needed to thrive at the tournament.
In effect, the team’s loss was not just about tactical errors on matchday, but the product of years of administrative neglect in the domestic league.
In previous CHAN campaigns, Nigeria had managed a third-place finish in 2014 and a runner-up spot in 2018. Those successes now feel distant.
The 2024 tournament played in 2025 was meant to mark a return to the continental stage; instead, it has exposed deep-rooted flaws that go far beyond one bad day at the Zanzibar’s Amaan stadium.
