Former Nigeria international Peterside Idah in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa stated that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) mishandled William Troost-Ekong’s exit from the national team, suggesting the defender may have been forced out.
Talking exclusively to Footy-Africa, Idah criticised the circumstances surrounding Ekong’s retirement, which came shortly after the centre-back was named in Nigeria’s provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Ekong’s retirement raises questions
Ekong announced his retirement just weeks after Nigeria missed out on qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following a playoff defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo in Morocco.
The Super Eagles squad — captained by Ekong — had earlier boycotted training before the decisive playoff match over unpaid bonuses, a move that split public opinion. Some accused the players of lacking commitment, while others blamed the federation for long-standing administrative failures.
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Idah says the fallout was avoidable:
“The Nigeria Football Federation did not handle Ekong’s situation well,” he told Footy-Africa. “They handled it badly—absolutely badly. I’ve been in and around that team, and even before he announced his retirement, I knew they were going to sacrifice him.”
“How can your central defender and one of your best players want to retire before the Nations Cup, and you simply let him go? It is absolute madness. They should have told him to wait until after the tournament so he could go out on a high. But due to bad leadership, I don’t think he retired voluntarily. I believe they pushed him.”
Leadership void in the Super Eagles
Ekong’s departure has sparked debate about leadership within the squad ahead of AFCON. Idah, however, believes there are capable replacements.
“Wilfred Ndidi is obviously there and could replace him. There is also Victor Osimhen and Alex Iwobi. These are experienced players, and leadership should not be a problem,” Idah added.
AFCON Preparation ‘Not Good Enough’
Nigeria’s AFCON build-up has been troubled, with injuries, administrative disputes and the shock retirement of Ekong dominating the headlines. The team has also been criticised for a lack of warm-up matches, while reports surfaced of unpaid salaries owed to coach Eric Chelle.
Idah expressed concern over the team’s mentality:
“I don’t think we are psychologically ready for AFCON, and I don’t even know why I feel this way. Maybe it’s because we didn’t qualify for the World Cup. Look at the atmosphere in the country—nobody is talking about AFCON, nobody really cares. Whenever the Super Eagles qualify for the World Cup, you can feel the enthusiasm and joy all over the streets, but it’s very low now. Hopefully, the players can change things. I’m a strong Super Eagles fan and I hope they win it, but they need to do something special; if not, I doubt they can.”
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Nwabali fitness concerns and transfer rift
Idah also addressed the uncertainty surrounding first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, after his club Chippa United declared him injured and ruled him out of AFCON.
He believes the issue may be tied to a transfer dispute.
“Nwabali has to come out to say he is injured, although sometimes a player might have a knock and still be ready to play. We heard there was a fallout between him and the club because another club came to sign him and they refused.
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Nwabali was reportedly unhappy, refused to train or play, and even went on strike. He’ll report to camp, so we have to wait for the doctor to run tests and determine what actually happened,” he concluded.
