Troost-Ekong namechecks Arsenal, Remo Stars as he insists Super Eagles call-up isn't about club

Nigeria captain for their November internationals, William Troost-Ekong has emphasized that national team call-ups are determined purely by merit, regardless of whether a player represents clubs like Arsenal, AC Milan, Galatasaray or Remo Stars.

Now a seasoned player for club and country, having played for the likes of Watford, Udinese, Gent and PAOK and representing the Super Eagles in the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup, Troost-Ekong recalled that he received his first invitation to the national team during his time at unfancied Dutch club Dordrecht.

Since Stephen Keshi's tenure, during which he included six home-based players in his squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, subsequent national team coaches have favored inviting foreign-based stars over those from the Nigeria Premier Football League.

Interim Nigeria coach Augustine Eguavoen named just one NPFL player in his squad, Victor Collins, for this month's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and it is thought the left-footed centre-back from Nasarawa United was called up to make up the numbers, given he was on the bench against Benin's Cheetahs last Thursday.

Responding to a question during Sunday's pre-match press conference about whether he supports the inclusion of grassroots players in the Super Eagles squad, Troost-Ekong responded: "My take on that is everyone who is here with the team deserves to be here, everyone who is here got selected because they are here on merit. 

"So whether you play for AC Milan or you play for Arsenal or Galatasaray or you play for Remo Stars, it doesn't matter.

"The best players will play and we are all here to up our level, to give competition to whoever is playing. I'm a big fan of the players getting drafted into the team because everybody starts from somewhere.

"My first team when I got my first call-up was in the Netherlands and we were just getting relegated that season. 

"Now if I see the level of NPFL, it's a good level so there's not a big difference anymore between maybe some of the smaller clubs, smaller teams in Europe and the big teams in Nigeria.

"Everyone has to start somewhere and they will have my full support. If they are good enough to play, then that's for the coach to decide. Everyone has a fair opportunity."

It remains to be seen whether Augustine Eguavoen will hand debuts to Victor Collins and former Bendel Insurance goalkeeper Amas Obasogie on Monday evening when his side take on Rwanda in a dead-rubber Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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