Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has suggested he could rotate his squad for the Super Eagles’ Group C encounter against Uganda at the Africa Cup of Nations, stressing that his priority remains managing the entire group rather than relying on a fixed starting eleven.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference at Fez Stadium on Monday, Chelle said several players in the squad deserved opportunities, with his final decisions to be taken after the last training session or on matchday morning.

“Once again, there are many players in this group who deserve to be part of the team, for this game and for the next games,” Chelle said.

“The only real question is what I have in my head at this moment, what my vision is for this AFCON, the picture of the tournament in my mind. I have to protect some players and I also have to give opportunities, because everybody knows that if you want to win something, it is not only about eleven players. It is about the group.”

Nigeria faces a Uganda side desperate for points, knowing victory would take them to four points and boost their qualification chances.

Chelle acknowledged the perception that rotation could be seen as weakening the team but insisted squad depth was essential in tournament football.

“The most important thing is the group. This is not a competition for eleven starters or eleven players,” he said.

“Everybody deserves a chance to show something, because sometimes the player who only plays five minutes in an AFCON match or in a tournament can bring victory, can score the last goal, or make the decisive contribution.”

He added that rotation would not be a sign of complacency or disrespect.

“This is a question of management. It is not a question of a lack of respect for the tournament. I want to put the best team on the pitch at this moment. Yes, of course, I want to win. The players want to win. Everybody wants to win this game.”

Chelle also defended his substitution decisions following criticism after Nigeria conceded goals late in their previous match, arguing that context and tactical balance must be considered.

“I have a question first. Did we concede the goal before the substitution or after the substitution? We conceded the first goal before the substitution,” he remarked.

“When I make a substitution, I try to analyse what is happening during the game. In this match, we played in a 4-4-2 diamond, which means the full-backs are free, and the pressure is on them, so you have to protect the wide areas. At that moment, my choice was, for me, the best choice.”

While admitting the team would like to close out games more comfortably, the coach pointed to Nigeria’s attacking output as a positive.

“The fact is that we won 3-2. The fact is that maybe we wanted to win 3-0 and, yes, perhaps we missed something. But the reality is that we won, and the reality is that there were five goals in the game,” Chelle said. “In the last four games, we have scored maybe ten or twelve goals. That is good, very good.”

Uganda and Nigeria will meet today, with kick-off at 5pm local time. It will be their second meeting at the finals, 46 years after Uganda’s 2-1 semi-final victory at the 1978 tournament.

Historically, Uganda holds a slight edge, winning four of eight meetings across all competitions, with Nigeria claiming two victories and two draws. Uganda is also unbeaten in the last three encounters between the sides.

Despite the history and the stakes, Chelle said his focus remained on progression.

“We do not need to do calculations now. We just need to project ourselves into the next round. But we still want to win.” he said. (The PUNCH)

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