A former Sierra Leone international has launched a scathing criticism against Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong, labeling him a "social media leader" following the Nigerian team's recent training boycott over unpaid allowances.
Training Boycott Over Unpaid Allowances
The controversy began on Tuesday evening, November 11, when the entire Nigerian national team refused to train in protest of outstanding payments owed by the Nigeria Football Federation. Captain William Troost-Ekong confirmed the boycott through his official X account, emphasizing that the players were demanding resolution of long-standing payment issues.
The training boycott occurred just days before Nigeria's crucial World Cup playoff semi-final against Gabon, a must-win encounter that determines whether the Super Eagles keep their hopes alive for qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Troost-Ekong specifically denied claims that the players were making special demands, clarifying that they were simply asking for what had been promised to them. Within 24 hours of the boycott, the captain announced that the team had reached a resolution with the NFF, and the squad resumed training on Wednesday evening ahead of the vital match.
Leadership Qualities Questioned
Former Miami FC star Michael Lahoud, who represented Sierra Leone during his playing career, strongly criticized Troost-Ekong's leadership approach. The 39-year-old expressed his views in a viral social media post that has generated significant discussion among football fans.
Lahoud described the Super Eagles as a team that relies too much on individual brilliance rather than collective effort. He stated: "This team needs to be unified; they played like individuals but this is a team of divas. We have serious leadership, and the only leader in Nigeria right now is Victor Osimhen."
The former midfielder didn't mince words when assessing Troost-Ekong's captaincy, saying: "William Troost-Ekong, I am trying to be professional as I said this. I'll just say he hasn't stepped up as a leader, he's a social media leader. He's done this, he's tweeted things."
Mixed Reactions and Player Support
Lahoud did acknowledge one instance where he believed Troost-Ekong demonstrated proper leadership: during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification saga between Nigeria and Libya, when Nigerian players were reportedly left to sleep at an airport. However, he maintained that on-field leadership has been lacking.
The comments from the former Sierra Leone star have sparked diverse reactions across social media platforms. Many Nigerian fans and supporters have come to Troost-Ekong's defense, pointing to his consistent performances and previous leadership demonstrations.
One social media user @Real1_balogun responded: "There are so many Nigerian journalists of local and international repute who know the exact situation of things. This is really rude and disrespectful. It's also filled with misinformation and is quite lazy and lacking facts."
Another supporter, @4eljay, wrote: "This is very disrespectful to Ekong, if he did a bit of research he should've known that Ekong has been one of our most consistent players through the years. I hope the players use this as motivation to get to the World Cup."
The criticism comes despite Troost-Ekong's impressive individual achievements, including being named the Most Valuable Player at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations where Nigeria finished as runners-up. His leadership during that tournament was widely praised by Nigerian supporters and football analysts alike.
As the Super Eagles prepare for their crucial World Cup qualification match against Gabon, the team now faces additional pressure to perform both on and off the pitch, with leadership qualities and team unity under intense scrutiny.
