William Troost-Ekong backs long-term Chelle project as Nigeria urged to fix administrative issues

Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong believes Nigeria’s decision to hand Eric Chelle a long-term contract could provide the consistency needed to revive the national team, but insists meaningful progress must begin at the administrative level.

Nigeria’s start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign has been anything but convincing. The three-time African champions recovered from a goal down to beat Madagascar 2-1 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo before suffering a damaging 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau.

The performances have triggered criticism of the players, head coach Chelle and even the playing surface, but Troost-Ekong believes those issues are symptoms of a deeper problem within Nigerian football.

The Al-Ahli defender, speaking during his punditry duties for beIN Sports, called for stability from the top of the football structure to the national team.

“We are at a point where we need to see some consistency from the top, downwards,” the 33-year-old said.

“I’m talking from the Federation, to the coach, to this group of players. I think the talent is there, but there’s still uncertainty how things are prepared for the team.”

Troost-Ekong welcomes Chelle commitment

Troost-Ekong, who was named the best player at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, believes one of the most important decisions already made is the commitment to Chelle.

The Franco-Malian coach was appointed to lead the Super Eagles and has also been handed responsibility for Nigeria’s Olympic team, giving him a broader role in developing the country’s emerging talent.

“Appointing Eric Chelle for the long term was a great thing to do, he’s also been put in charge of the Olympic team,” Troost-Ekong said.

“He understands the young players coming through, he had some great players who showed themselves on their debut, especially against Madagascar and then scored the winning goal.”

The former Watford defender was referring to Nigeria’s use of emerging players during the Madagascar victory, a game in which debutant George Ilenikhena scored while fellow newcomer Moses Usor also made a decisive contribution.

For Troost-Ekong, however, keeping Chelle in place is only one part of the solution. He believes Nigeria need a stronger system around the coach and cannot rely solely on the quality of their squad.

“So, that consistency is number one, but I think the team needs structure but we can’t depend on the talent alone,” he added.

African rivals are catching up

Nigeria’s defeat to Guinea-Bissau further exposed the danger of assuming that individual quality and reputation will be enough to overcome opponents on the continent.

The Super Eagles have traditionally possessed one of Africa’s strongest squads, but Troost-Ekong believes the gap between Nigeria and other African nations is narrowing.

“I think we’ve managed to cover a lot of gaps over the years, but over time those things will get exposed,” he said.

“They need to have the right structure around it because the levels of all the other African teams are increasing and they need to make sure they give themselves the best opportunity to win.”

His concerns come at a turbulent period for Nigerian football. Former Nigeria Football Federation president Ibrahim Gusau resigned last month, shortly before an election, while the NFF is also facing an investigation by FIFA.

Those developments have added to concerns over the stability and direction of the country’s football administration.

The Super Eagles are also under increased pressure after Nigeria missed qualification for two successive World Cups, while the Super Falcons failed to qualify for the Women’s World Cup earlier this year.

Troost-Ekong believes the situation demands a more serious approach to international football, particularly with Nigeria’s AFCON qualification campaign still in its early stages.

“With this coach, I hope they find consistency and take their qualifiers seriously from the beginning, and then maybe we’ll see some great things from Nigeria again,” he concluded.

Nigeria currently have little room for error in Group L and must avoid further setbacks if they are to secure their place at the 2027 AFCON tournament.

The Super Eagles are scheduled to face Russia next Tuesday before meeting Tanzania twice during the November international window.