Super Eagles Need Structure, Not Talent Alone – Troost-Ekong

Former Super Eagles defender William Troost-Ekong has called for greater structure and consistency within the Nigeria national team, warning that the country cannot continue to rely solely on its abundance of talent.

Troost-Ekong made the remarks on Friday while featuring as a football analyst on beIN Sports, amid growing concerns over the state of Nigerian football.

The Super Eagles have endured an inconsistent run, including a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying fixture on Tuesday, just days after securing a 2-1 comeback victory over Madagascar in Uyo.

Speaking on the situation, Troost-Ekong said Nigeria has enough talented players but needs a stronger structure and greater consistency from the football federation, coaching staff and players.

“We are at a point where we need to see some consistency, I think from the top down, from the federation, to the coach, and to this group of players,” he said.

“The talent is there in abundance; what we are seeing is still some uncertainty about how things are prepared for the team.”

The former defender also welcomed the decision to extend the contract of Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, noting that his involvement with the Olympic team could help strengthen the pathway for younger 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 young players coming through,” Troost-Ekong said.

He stressed that Nigeria could no longer depend on individual brilliance to compensate for weaknesses within the team.

“I do think the team needs the structure, the backbone. We can’t just rely on the talent alone because I think we have been able to cover a lot of gaps over the years, but now, over time, those things will get exposed,” he added.

Troost-Ekong urged the team to take the AFCON qualifiers seriously from the outset, expressing optimism that greater consistency under Chelle could produce better results.

“They need to have the right structure around it because for any team playing in Africa, the levels continue to increase for other teams. So you need to make sure that you give yourself the best opportunity to win,” he said.

Nigeria currently sit second in Group L of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers with three points from two matches, three points behind leaders Guinea-Bissau.

Only the group winner will secure qualification for the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.