Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has voiced his preference for an indigenous coach to take charge of the Nigerian national team, Soccernet.ng reports.
Troost-Ekong made his Super Eagles debut under the late Stephen Keshi in 2015 and has since flourished under Gernot Rohr, Augustine Eguavoen, and Jose Peseiro.
The Super Eagles have, however, been without a substantive head coach since the departure of Peseiro on the first of March.
While the Nigeria Football Federation is inclined towards appointing another European coach for the national team, there is a significant section of the populace that demands an indigenous coach for the three-time African champions.
The NFF appears to have flowed in that direction as reports suggest that the football body is set to announce former international Emmanuel Amunike as the new Super Eagles head coach.
Troost-Ekong, who won the best player award at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, has put to bed any fears that the Super Eagles superstars may not be willing to work with a local coach.
The PAOK Salonika defender insists he is a big fan of a fellow Nigerian leading the coaching crew for the national team.
“I think that will be the ideal situation for our team to be honest,” Troost-Ekong told Eagles FM, as per Daily Trust.
“I said that because I have seen Senegal, for example, what they achieve with their coach. Ivory Coast now, they changed their coach in the middle of the tournament.
“There is something that has to be said about a coach understanding about the culture of a country, players, and daily route having been there before as a player, playing at the AFCON.”
Troost-Ekong’s biggest successes for the Super Eagles have come with a European coach in charge of the team.
With Gernot Rohr, Troost-Ekong won a bronze medal at the 2019 AFCON and plated at the World Cup for the first time.
Troost-Ekong claimed silver at the 2023 AFCON and was named Player of the Tournament with Peseiro in charge.
The former Watford defender maintains he will be willing to work with a foreign coach should the NFF decide to get one for the team.
“But on the other hand, I can’t dismiss having a foreign coach because my experience under Gernot Rohr was so very good. We went to the World Cup and AFCON semi-finals in Egypt,” Ekong added.
“Under Jose Peseiro, there were a lot of criticisms before the tournament and the year leading after it. And for him to take us to the AFCON final, it’s a lot of achievement for him.
“For me, I like to think beyond nationalities and political positions. I like to think whatever decision that will be made will be the best for the team.”
William Troost-Ekong is the first defender to win the AFCON MVP award since Rigobert Song in 2002.
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NFF SHOULD EMPLOY A COACH THAT IS HIGHLY TECHNICAL & BE RESPECTED BY PLAYERS.
THE REASON WHY SOME EX-PLAYERS AND SOME PRESENT SUPER EAGLE PLAYERS ARE IN SUPPORT OF INDIGENOUS COACH(especially Finidi, Amuneke) IS BECAUSE THAT, IT WILL BE VERY EASY FOR THEM TO PENETRATE IN HIM, CONTROLLING HIM & DICTATING TO HIM WHEN IT COMES TO PLAYERS SELECTION, WHICH IT CANNOT BE POSSIBLE ON FOREIGN COACH. ALSO, IT WILL BE VERY EASY TO DO BUSINESS BY INTRODUCING PLAYERS TO INDIGENOUS COACH AFTER COLLECTING BRIBE FROM SUCH PLAYERS.
** NOTE: We should not be deceiving ourselves in this country because of the way things work for other countries (e.g. Democracy work well in America, S/Africa, Ghana but it doesn't work well in Nigeria).
THE WAY THINGS WORK FOR COACH H. SHEHATA(EGYPT), COACH ALIOU CISSE(SENEGAL) BY WINNING AFCON FOR THEIR COUNTY (and also qualified for next AFCON easily) MAY NOT WORK IN NIGERIA DUE TO CORRUPTION, IMPROPER PLANNING, LACK OF STRUCTURES, BAD MANAGEMENT.
IN NIGERIA, WE ARE TOO RELIGIONISTIC, REGIONISTIC, TRIBALISTIC & SENTIMENTAL.
EVEN when Keshi won AFCON in 2013, he failed woefully to qualified for next AFCON due to bad management(Pinnick VS Giwa), sentiment, jealous, hatred towards some players (e.g. Yobo, I.K. uche, V.moses).
**** NFF SHOULD GO FOR THE BEST COACH.***
What matters most is to move our football forward & not celebrating FLUKE WINNING again. We struggle/manage to beat CIV by penalty in group stage. But E/guinea beat CIV 4-0 convincingly.
*** KESHI WON AFCON IN 2013, BUT WE CANNOT BOAST OF PLAYERS, THE TEAM FOR THE FUTURE (for instance: Sunday MBA, Uzoenyi, Oshaniwa, Agbim are nowhere to be found in future football). AND NIGERIA FAILED TO QUALIFIED FOR NEXT TWO CONSECUTIVE AFCON.
WHAT A SHAME!!!!
**** WESTERHOF WIN AFCON IN 1994, BUT NIGERIA CAN BOAST OF FUTURE FOOTBALL (for instance: Oliseh, Okocha, Amokachi, Amuneke shine for future football).
WHAT A BRIGHTER FUTURE!!!!!
### NFF SHOULD EMPLOY A GOOD DISCIPLINE, TACTICAL, HIGHLY RESPECTED COACH ###
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Ekong speaks on foreign vs local coach for Super Eagles
Score Nigeria Editor by Score Nigeria Editor April 20, 2024 1:42 pm
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Super Eagles stand-in captain William Ekong has lend his voice to the debate whether a foreign or local coach should head the national team.
Ekong was first capped by Stephen Keshi had he has played under several other local coaches like Augustine Eguavoen and Samson Siasia.
He also worked with foreign coaches like Gernot Rohr and Jose Peseiro.
“The ideal situation is for a Nigerian to lead our team,” he told Eagle7fm
“Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire have done well under their own coaches.
“The coaches already understand the culture and players and can easily relate to the team.
“But you cannot also dismiss a foreign coach.
“My experience with Rohr was very good, also Peseiro.
“It (appointment) should not be based on nationality and identities.
“We should decide on what is best for team because we want to win the AFCON and go farther at the World Cup.”
Tags: 2023 AFCONAustin EguavoenGernot RohrJose PeseiroSamson SiasiaStephen KeshiSuper EaglesWilliam Ekong
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Comments 2
Akogun Femi Jimbola JP 20 hours ago
Good and supportive advice from Ekong. Anything contrary to this advice is going to be excise in futility. If the minister of sport sacrifice his conscience for tribalism that will be horrible for the country at this time. Amunike is very rebellious and tribal bigot.
Reply
Bestsport 6 hours ago
Amuneke! Former Africa footballer of year, Former nation Cup and Olympic Gold medal winner, played and scored world Cup goals for Nigeria, played in Nigeria local league and knows our league, won multiple trophy in Africa and European league as a vital player, Former Barcelona winger, sporting Lisbon player, Has seen it all as a player and manager, has tasted success and failures and learned from them to become solid and better manager, brand and styles of football is like Barcelona and exciting,! Nigeria under 17 world Cup winning coach against world class coaches from other countries, Former Tanzania manager and qualified them for afcon after over 40 years of failure, No present Nigeria players is bigger than amuneke to become a problem, they will sit and listen and learn from the best ever Nigeria has to offer presently, A lovely living legend, Give him just 2 years contract let us observe him,, westerhof needed 5 years to win afcon, rohr dubiously was given 5 years of failure, peseiro got 2 years of disappointment result and style of play, Keshi was a success, siasia was successful and now amuneke will follow that trend,, the answer to Nigeria winning again and to our domestic and international football success is in amuneke hands and head of oil and grace that brings back victory and trophies! NFF PRESIDENT JUST GIVE HIM 2 YEARS UNA HEAR? God and thunder go fire those nff members and officials and technical incompetent committee that were negotiating and soliciting for a foreign failure coaches after taking bribe and lining up oyibo salary kick back, amuneke, Michael nsien and finidi as coaches! Nigerians are very satisfied and happy with that trio!!!! God bless Nigeria and Nigerians oh! Our own na our own oh!