Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has expressed confidence in new Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle, stating that the team is fully behind him as they prepare for their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Rwanda.
Chelle was appointed as Nigeria’s head coach following the unexpected resignation of Finidi George.
Tasked with leading the Super Eagles to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the former Mali manager has quickly begun implementing his ideas within the squad.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Troost-Ekong highlighted the team’s willingness to adapt to Chelle’s philosophy and their determination to impress under the new leadership.
“We have new ideas, and whenever you have a new manager, it’s always a situation where players want to prove themselves to the coach. They want to give their best,” Troost-Ekong said.
“So, there is a new level of focus. All the players respect the coach very much. We’ve seen what he did with the previous team, and like I said, we are trying to understand as quickly as we can in three training sessions what he expects from us.
“It’s a work in progress. Hopefully, it will be continuous growth, and this first game will be a test straight away, maybe as early as us working together.
“Like I said, I have full confidence in the team. The team has confidence in the coach, and it’s left for us to execute and do the job.
“And I know that Rwanda will be in the same situation. They will be motivated to show themselves to the new coach.”
