Éric Chelle, the head coach of Nigeria's national football team, has spoken out regarding the speculation linking him to the managerial position at Olympique de Marseille. He emphasized his involvement in the rumors but clarified the extent of his interactions.
During an interview on the podcast "Histoires de foot" (Football Stories), Chelle revealed that, despite his agency's outreach to the Ligue 1 team, he personally did not engage directly with the club's leadership.
"I had absolutely no contact with the OM management," Chelle stated.
He elaborated, "I signed with an agency to aid in my development as a coach, and my agents decided to reach out to several clubs in Europe, with a focus on France.
"At that time, OM was in search of a manager, and my agency contacted the club to offer my candidacy. However, no further actions were taken. Whether I was on a shortlist or not is beyond my knowledge, as I did not have any contact whatsoever.
"If you want to know whether I was considered, that is a question for my agent. Since I’m from the area, some friends asked me if I was interested in the position.
"As an OM supporter, I would obviously consider it if asked. However, I have never solicited any media attention regarding this matter. The situation escalated on social media uncontrollably."
Chelle began his tenure as the Super Eagles head coach in January 2025 under a two-year contract. He later led Nigeria to a commendable third-place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, held in Morocco.
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