According to a report by All Nigeria Soccer, Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has issued a firm and pointed response to former Watford teammate Troy Deeney and retired Sierra Leone international Michael Lahoud after both publicly questioned his leadership ahead of Nigeria’s 4-1 playoff victory over Gabon in Morocco.
The criticism, which centred on the team’s rift with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over unpaid bonuses and allowances, gained traction on social media hours before Nigeria’s crucial semifinal. Troost-Ekong, who came off the bench as the Super Eagles powered into Sunday’s playoff final against DR Congo, addressed the remarks after the match, describing them as baseless and disrespectful.
Speaking in a video shared by Victor Modo, the experienced defender dismissed Lahoud’s comments as ill-informed. “I thought it was very disrespectful. I had to Google who he was talking about me, and I think that if he had done his research about me, maybe he would have come out with a different explanation,” he told reporters in Rabat.
Troost-Ekong emphasized that the current Super Eagles squad is built on collective leadership, naming Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi and Moses Simon as influential voices within the camp. He underlined his own experience as well, pointing to his years of service and consistency with the national team.
“We have multiple leaders in this team. Victor Osimhen is a leader in his own right, and we also have Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Moses Simon,” he said. “We have players who are really coming of age and showing what they can do. I don’t think you can just wipe something away because someone is on the bench; I’ve got 83 caps for Nigeria.”
His strongest remarks, however, were directed at Troy Deeney. Troost-Ekong expressed disappointment that the former Watford skipper chose to question his leadership publicly rather than privately, despite the cordial relationship they shared during their time together in England.
“And also for my teammate, I was slightly disappointed because I supported him when he was the captain of my team at Watford. I’ve also gone on to captain Watford. So again, you could have just picked up the phone and called me,” he stated.
In a sharp closing remark, Troost-Ekong hinted at reclaiming a personal gift tied to his identity as a Nigerian international. “If he didn’t respect me, then maybe we should take away the Nigeria shirt that I gave him,” he added.
Nigeria now shift focus to Sunday’s decisive playoff final against DR Congo, where a victory will secure a place in the intercontinental playoffs set for March 2026.
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