William Troost-Ekong explains why he doesn't want to coach Nigeria

Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has revealed that he has no immediate plans to become a football coach after retirement, instead expressing his ambition to help transform Nigerian football through administration.

The experienced defender, who captained Nigeria to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and was named the tournament's Best Player, said he believes former footballers can create a greater impact in governance than on the touchline.

Speaking in an interview with Brila FM, Troost-Ekong admitted that although many people have encouraged him to pursue coaching, it is not a career path that appeals to him.

"I have had so many people ask me about coaching the team, but I'm not sure that is something that I really want to do," Ekong said.

Instead, the Al Kholood defender revealed he is already learning about football administration and governance as he prepares for life after his playing career.

Troost-Ekong said he hopes to contribute to the growth of Nigerian football by working with major football governing bodies, including the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and FIFA.

He added, "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, or the NFF.

“I think that's probably where you can make the biggest change."

The former Watford and PAOK defender believes experienced ex-internationals should play a bigger role in shaping football policy and improving the administration of the game in Nigeria and across Africa.