Soccer
John Obi Mikel, Daniel Akpeyi and William Troost-Ekong in action for the Super Eagles. Copyright: Imago
Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has revealed his ambition to move into football administration after retirement, insisting that Nigerian football can only improve if more former players become decision-makers, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 32-year-old centre-back, who retired from international football in 2025 after earning 83 caps for Nigeria, admitted he has already started preparing for life away from the pitch through educational programmes provided by the English Football Association.
Ekong’s comments come at a time when criticism of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has intensified following the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Former Nigeria striker Peter Ijeh recently blamed the country’s football administrators for the team’s decline, claiming a lack of structure and accountability has held Nigerian football back.
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Soccer Super Eagles: Troost-Ekong eyes role beyond coaching
Unlike many former players who transition into coaching, Ekong revealed he is more interested in influencing football from the boardroom.
“I have had so many people ask me about coaching the team, I’m not sure that is something that I really want to do,” Ekong told Brila FM.
“I think there also need to be players that think about going one level above that whether it is going to be in the boardroom, whether it is going to be working with federations – with FIFA, with CAF, whether the NFF.
“I think that’s probably where you can make the biggest change.”
The former Watford defender acknowledged that administrative roles in African football are often complicated by political interests.
“It is a difficult landscape because in African football there is also a lot of politics involved.”
Ex-Super Eagles stars pushing for change
Ekong’s comments appear to align with recent criticisms from Ijeh and Mikel Obi, who argued that Nigerian football’s problems stem from poor governance rather than a lack of talent.
Complete video of Mikel Obi criticising Nigerian football, and telling us why Morocco is ahead, lack of corruption. https://t.co/ED6xeE6BK8 pic.twitter.com/pomCWueJDY
— TobyWrites (@tobyasky) July 16, 2026
The former Vikings FK striker suggested that certain individuals benefit from the existing system and therefore have little interest in implementing meaningful reforms.
Ekong, however, believes former players possess valuable experience that could help reshape Nigerian football if given opportunities at the highest level.
“We have so many ex-players that have a great understanding of the game.
“I don’t think we have seen enough ex-players getting involved from the top.
“For me in Nigerian football, it’s about finding ways that we can collaborate and enhance the federation because we’ve been there, we’ve seen it.”
Following a growing trend
The idea of former players entering football administration has gained momentum across world football in recent years.
Several ex-internationals have successfully transitioned into executive roles, using their experience as players to influence policy, youth development and long-term planning.
Ekong looks keen to tread a similar path. Andriy Shevchenko and Samuel Eto’o both became the President of their country’s football federation, while the Brazilian Zico was once the minister of sports.
“What I would love to do now and the way I am preparing this part of my career is to try and find ways where I can be part of the solution to see Nigeria reach bigger heights than we have done when I’ve been a player.”
The former PAOK defender enjoyed one of the most decorated international careers of his generation, featuring at the 2016 Olympic Games, the 2018 FIFA World Cup and multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
He captained Nigeria to a runners-up finish at AFCON 2023 and won the tournament’s Best Player award.
Whether his future eventually lies within the NFF remains to be seen, but his comments will undoubtedly reignite conversations about the role former players should play in shaping the future of Nigerian football.
Adefolahan Guerreiro
Adefolahan is a multilingual CAF-Accredited sports journalist and football writer whose work spans outlets like Soccernet Nigeria, Pure Football UK, and Royalsportz.
With a sharp eye for detail and a background in college sports, he tells the African football story with depth, flair, and global perspective.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and German, he brings a cross-cultural voice to his coverage, blending insight with accessibility for readers around the world.
His portfolio includes interviews with top Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, Sikiru Alimi, Sodiq Ismaila, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.
A devoted Borussia Dortmund fan, Adefolahan thrives on the emotion and rhythm of the beautiful game. Away from work, he’s a sci-fi enthusiast and series lover who enjoys exploring how sport, storytelling, and culture collide.
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