Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has called for greater consistency and a stronger structure around the national team to help Nigeria compete successfully at the highest level.
Nigeria have failed to qualify for the last two editions of the FIFA World Cup and made a difficult start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
The three-time African champions narrowly secured a 2-1 home victory over Madagascar before suffering a 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their second qualifying match.
Speaking to beIN SPORTS, Troost-Ekong stressed the need for greater consistency from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), coaching staff and players.
“We are at a point where we need to see some consistency, I think, from the top down. From federation to coach to this group of players,” he said.
The defender acknowledged that Nigeria have considerable talent but expressed concern about uncertainty surrounding the team’s preparation.
“I think the talent is there in abundance. What we see now is still some uncertainty about how things are prepared for the team,” he added.
Troost-Ekong welcomed the decision to appoint Eric Chelle on a long-term basis, noting that the coach’s involvement with the Olympic team could help him identify and develop young players.
“Appointing Eric Chelle for the long term has been a great thing to do. He’s also in charge of the Olympic team. He understands the young players coming through,” he said.
The former captain stressed that the Super Eagles could not depend solely on individual talent and needed a solid foundation to compete consistently at the highest level.
“That consistency is number one. But I do think the team needs the structure and the backbone, and we can’t just rely on talent alone,” Troost-Ekong said.
“I think we’ve managed to cover a lot of gaps over the years. But now, over time, those things will get exposed. They need to have the right structure around it.”
His comments come as Nigeria seek to strengthen the team under Chelle and improve their results in international competitions and qualifying campaigns.
