Former Watford striker Troy Deeney has questioned the leadership suitability of Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong, calling him “too gentle” to lead Nigeria in their crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying playoff against Gabon.

Deeney, who shared the dressing room with Troost-Ekong at Watford 15 times across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, told CBS Sports Golazo:

“I worked with William Troost-Ekong at Watford. I don’t think he’s the one kicking down the doors and saying this is what is going to happen. Totally take your point to the social media point of it, he’s a good guy, he’s a good person. But in this moment, you need that nasty person, that one who’s going to be like, ‘No, we’re not training, we are moving, and if any of you players do it, you’re going to fall out with me’.”

The comments come amid recent off-the-pitch issues over unpaid match bonuses, which saw the Super Eagles strike on Tuesday ahead of their semi-final clash in Rabat, Morocco. Reports indicated the team resumed training on Wednesday after Troost-Ekong announced the issues were resolved.

Nigeria reached this stage after victories against Lesotho (2-1) in South Africa and a 4-0 thrashing of Benin Republic in Uyo. The winner of the semi-final will face either Cameroon or DR Congo for a place in the World Cup Intercontinental playoffs in March 2026.

With millions of Nigerian fans watching, a defeat in Rabat could end the Super Eagles’ dream of returning to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.