goal.com
Haugesund defender, William Troost-Ekong was a late call up to Samson Siasia’s team for Rio 2016 and he proved himself a capable addition with performances that caught the eye as the Dream Team VI won a bronze medal.
In this interview with Goal , Ekong opens up about the challenges that the team faced as he looks forward to his future with the Super Eagles and his Belgian club Gent amidst interest from bigger clubs.
Goal: What was the general experience of competing in the Olympics like?
William Troost-Ekong : It was a great experience. To be able to represent Nigeria on a world stage and to go on to win something is a dream come true.
The Dream Team experienced troubles – especially in getting to Manaus from Atlanta before the first game, as well as reports of player unrest before the quarterfinals against Denmark, can you give us an insight into what happened exactly?
Yeah it was very hard for us. The stress before the first game was not the ideal preparation for a big tournament. I was already in Manaus as I flew in from my club side and I was getting worried that they wouldn't turn up on time.
And of course as you must have read, the players were on strike before the Denmark game because of the unpaid allowances.
Do you think Nigeria would have performed better in Brazil without the distractions?
I think it would have helped. But at the same time we got a lot of support from the people of Nigeria because they understand what we went through and that was of greater value.
There has been a lot of praise for Mikel’s role as the leader in camp; give us details of how he provided steady leadership to the rest of the squad, particularly the young lads.
He is a legend and leader of Nigerian football. He has a very big presence and he has a lot of experience that he brings with him. All the players look up to him and to see him really try his best made me want to give everything I’ve got in each game.
You turned your back on the Dutch national team, is winning Olympic bronze with Nigeria enough compensation for that key career decision?
Yeah it has definitely been worth it so far. I'm aiming to win and achieve more things in my career for Nigeria. I am very happy with my decision from one year ago.
How motivating was the promise from Japanese dentist Katsuya Takasu in fighting till the end? Did the team feel like a foreigner rescued it after being largely abandoned by its own government?
It was very generous of him and it might have motivated some players to do more. I always knew money would come if we just focused on getting the results, but it wasn't the main factor for me. I came to the Olympics to win a medal and compete at a big tournament.
With the Olympics done, attention turns to World Cup qualifying; what are the Super Eagles 'chances of making it to Russia considering you’ve been drawn in a tough group with Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia.
We have a good chance. It's a hard group but I think the challenge will help to prepare us and bring our best game to the qualifiers. If we want to do well at the World Cup we have to be comfortable with taking on good teams.
Are you looking forward to getting started under Gernot Rohr? Has he reached out to you with his plans?
Yes, I'm looking forward to working with him next week. I have heard some good things about the coach but haven't spoken to him personally yet.
With your impressive performances at the Olympics, it is safe to say that you’ve caught the eye of scouts, will you be leaving Gent if that big opportunity shows up?
It has been a good summer for me but I'm keeping my feet on the floor. I'm an ambitious player and person but I just take it as it comes. For now I am happy that I have extended my contract at Gent and I'm looking forward to getting to work there in November. But we will see what happens in the upcoming months.
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