Give Us A Local Coach - AFCON 2023 Best Player Troost-Ekong Tells NFF

William Troost-Ekong, the first defender to be named AFCON Player of the Tournament since 2002, has shared his thoughts on the debate surrounding Nigeria's next permanent head coach appointment.

Pulse Sports Nigeria reports that the Super Eagles vice-captain enhanced his reputation amongst Nigerians after he played an important role in his side's run to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final in Ivory Coast.

He believes a local coach could be the "ideal situation" due to their inherent understanding of the country's culture and players.

"I said that because I have seen Senegal, for example, what they achieve with their coach. Ivory Coast now, they changed their coach in the middle of the tournament," Troost-Ekong told Eagles FM, as per Daily Post.

"There is something that has to be said about a coach understanding the culture of a country, players, and daily route having been there before as a player, playing at the AFCON."

However, the 30-year-old defender, who plies his trade for Greek side PAOK, was also quick to acknowledge the merits of foreign coaching expertise, drawing from his positive experiences under former Super Eagles boss Gernot Rohr.

"On the other hand, I can't dismiss having a foreign coach because my experience under Gernot Rohr was so very good. We went to the World Cup and AFCON semi-finals in Egypt," Ekong added.

Ultimately, Troost-Ekong advocated for an open-minded approach, insisting that the best decision should be made for the team, irrespective of nationalities or political leanings.

With interim manager Finidi George and Emmanuel Amuneke among the frontrunners for the vacant role, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has a crucial decision to make as they aim to build on the Super Eagles' impressive AFCON 2023 campaign.