Gara-Gombe to Chelle: Bench Osimhen, heaven won’t fall

Former Chairman of the Gombe State Football Association, Alhaji Shuaibu Gara-Gombe, has sparked debate in Nigerian football circles with a strong call for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle to bench Victor Osimhen, insisting that the team can thrive without the star striker. In a social media post, the Chief Executive Officer of Green White […]

Former Chairman of the Gombe State Football Association, Alhaji Shuaibu Gara-Gombe, has sparked debate in Nigerian football circles with a strong call for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle to bench Victor Osimhen, insisting that the team can thrive without the star striker.

In a social media post, the Chief Executive Officer of Green White Green (GWG) Sports Center Ltd argued that no player is bigger than the national team, drawing comparisons with other African giants. According to him, Morocco left out Hakim Ziyech at critical moments and “heaven did not fall,” just as Cameroon once sidelined Vincent Aboubakar without catastrophic consequences.

Gara-Gombe accused Osimhen of excessive arrogance, warning that such an attitude could hurt team harmony.

He referenced the tense incident involving Osimhen and Ademola Lookman during Nigeria’s AFCON campaign, where visible disagreement on the pitch raised concerns about discipline and unity within the squad.

“This is Nigeria, not Napoli or Galatasaray,” Gara-Gombe said, stressing that commitment to the badge must outweigh individual status.

 He maintained that Chelle should show courage by making tough decisions in the interest of the team. “If Eric has liver, he should not start him in the next match,” he said.

The former FA boss expressed confidence in Nigeria’s attacking depth, noting that players like Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, and Paul Onachu possess enough quality to dismantle any defence at the Africa Cup of Nations—provided the midfield supplies quality passes.

“Lookman, Chukwuweze, Simon, And Onachu can demolish any defence in AFCON, provided the passes are coming,” he noted