They will be exposed — Ex-Super Eagles captain Troost-Ekong sends warning to NFF

Nigeria have endured a difficult period in recent years, failing to qualify for the last two FIFA World Cups.

Their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign has also started poorly, with a laboured 2-1 home win over Madagascar followed by a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau.

Speaking to beIN SPORTS, Troost-Ekong stressed the need for greater consistency across all levels of the national team setup.

“We are at a point where we need to see some consistency, I think from the top down. From federation to coach to this group of players,” he said.

“I think the talent is there in abundance. What we see now is still some uncertainty about how things are prepared for the team.

“Appointing Eric Chelle for the long term has been a great thing to do. He’s also in charge of the Olympic team. He understands the young players coming through.”

The former defender warned that relying solely on individual talent is no longer enough.

"That consistency is number one. But I do think the team needs the structure and the backbone, and we can’t just rely on talent alone,” Troost-Ekong added.

“I think we’ve managed to cover a lot of gaps over the years. But now, over time, those things will get exposed. They need to have the right structure around it.”