Super Eagles defender William Troost-Ekong has revealed how he convinced Heracles striker Cyriel Dessers to switch allegiance to Nigeria.
Dessers, 25, was born in Belgium to a Belgian father and a Nigerian mother.
The Dutch Eredivisie top scorer (15 goals) switched allegiance to Nigeria early this year and was included in the Eagles’ list for their 2021 AFCON qualifiers against Sierra Leone before the coronavirus outbreak.
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Ekong who was speaking in a live Instagram session on Tuesday however revealed that Dessers contacted him for advise before, making his decision.
“I spoke with Cyriel Dessers before his call up. He asked me questions about being part of the team. We both speak Dutch. It was normal for us to talk, I said he should take the opportunity with both hands.
“I told him there is a tough competition in the striker role and that playing for the Super Eagles is the best decision I have ever made myself playing football.”
Troost-Ekong added: “I’m really happy he decided to play for Nigeria. He is really looking forward to it. It is great now that more and more young and talented players want to play for the Super Eagles as we are one of the biggest teams in Africa.”
Ekong was born in the Netherlands, to a Dutch mother and to Nigerian father.
He joined the youth Academy at Tottenham Hotspurs, but failed to make a single appearance at senior level for the club.
He has played in the Netherlands with Groningen, in Norway with Haugesund, featured for Bursaspor in the Turkish league.
He currently plays for Udinese in the Italian Serie A.
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COMMENTS
Good move Troost. Proper man n proudly Nigerian. You have always remained a decent player n will continue to be such. I’m very convinced your comments about defence partnership have been maliciously taken out of context, just to create problems within the great mix Rohr has made of SE. Evil people are working really hard to destroy his good work but we are wiser now than ever before. Any fan buying into their game plan is either ignorant of the evil plot or a active enforcer of the plot.
Good Job Ekong-Troost!! for convincing Dessers. I want you to however be careful when u make preferences on who you want to partner in the defense because u might be sending wrong signals.
Mr. Rohr knows best why he plays who he plays. You will do your game a lot good if you learn to adapt and play with whoever the coach plays in central defense. I know that on current form Ajayi is by far ahead of u all competing for the role namely Balogun, Awaziem, Omeruo, and yourself.
Mr. Troost you need to work on your ball distribution and passes because u are the worst of them all in this regard. Ajayi is the best in this area closely followed by Omeruo then Awaziem before you and Balogun.
It will be better you switch to the role u played at the olympics which is the sweeper role where u can use your strength (marking , interceptions and tackling ) to good use.
Mr. Rohr should play Omeruo more as No 5 since he excelled in that role in 2013 Afcon and against Guinea in 2019 Afcon. But i know that you Troost is the best in other areas as you posses the steel and courage to stand up against bully strikers as legendary Italian NESTA . Your interceptions and leadership at the back is also second to none.
However, Please work on your ball distribution around your radius as well as transitional play from defense to midfield. Watch video clips of R. Keoman, F de Boer. I see bright future for you.
@ike, you said it all, Such a comment of ekong is capable of causing a problem f
I
in the team if left unchecked.
Troost Ekong, I wish you all the best, and thank you for your services, for all those of you talking like you the coach and know it all, he never meant to step on no one toes, even his colleagues like Kenneth Omeruo, Awaziem and Ajayi will laugh over it, because he only made that comment not not malicious to stab no one,after all chkwueze is also clamouring for Nwakali like he is the gaffer, and no one is crying, Troost keep it, up. Thank you. Nigeria people know it all they think, so don’t mind them.
Good talk @ Presh. It gets irritating to read some comments here, cos all you sense is evil scheming. Troost is a very good player n no one can take it away from him, so also is Omeruo, Balogun, Awaziem, Ajayi. .. They are all very decent players. WE SHOULD LET THE COACH DECIDE N NOT DICTATE TO HIM. There are clubs looking for managers all over the place, why don’t these internet coaches go to these clubs to prove their expertise baffles me.