If Eric Chelle had an offer to join Real Madrid’s coaching staff, while in the middle of a contract extension with the NFF, he’d be on the next available flight to Madrid.
The Super Eagles head coach recently revealed his biggest dream is to coach Los Blancos and even more so to become only the first African to do so.
Albeit he was born in Cote d’ivoire and holds a French citizenship, Chelle’s Malian ancestry also means he holds multiple nationality.
With a rising profile following his team’s blitzing run at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, the 58 year-old coach has caught the attention of teams after Nigeria finished third.
However, while the Nigerian FA is working on an improve contract for Chelle, his mind might just be elsewhere.
Asked about his dream job, Chelle did not hold back
Speaking in French, Chelle told After Afrique podcast a Real Madrid job will fulfill his coaching ambitions.
Real Madrid fired head coach Xabi Alonso last month, and are in search of a permanent replacement for the Spaniard.
At the moment, Raul Arbeloa has been named interim coach of the Spanish club.
Meanwhile, about Chelle’s proposition, the former Mali international was born in Abidjan and holds French citizenship.
If he were to get his dream job, the complexities of citizenship in sports would mean he can’t be considered the first African to coach Los Blancos.
Real Madrid have appointed 52 managers since the inception of the club and two have officially been identified with African roots.
Also read: Former Super Eagles Reacts to Calvin Bassey’s Bench Role After AFCON
In 2003 Carlos Queiroz was appointed as head coach. The Portuguese who was in-charge of 46 official matches was born in Mozambique.
Thirteen years later, the club appoint Zinedine Zidane as their 48th manager and the World Cup winner, who is wildly regarded s one of the most successful Manager in the Club’s has Algerian ancestry.
So technically, Eric Chelle will find that however it is sliced, he will have to settle for third place.
