Super Eagles vice-captain Williams Troost-Ekong has admitted Nigerians were right to be concerned about his decision to move from the top flight in Italy, the Serie A to the second-tier of English football, the Skybet Championship after switching Udinese for Watford at the end of last season.
The defender acknowledged the concerns but revealed his desire to play in the Premier League was greater and was prepared to make the sacrifice to get where he wanted to be: “I’m very proud because for me and my family, it means the world that I can play for the Super Eagles, and also have the pleasure of managing to captain the team, countless times, I think in the last few years, whenever Ahmed Musa hasn’t played with us.
“Then again, that’s not one thing that I wanted to allow to get to my head. I don’t feel like I’m any better than anyone else because I have the privilege to do that.
“But for me to improve, and to get where I wanted to get, I had to take this step. And if that was going to be at the cost of me not being the captain of the national team then so be it.
“I knew that if I just wanted to sit back and try to enjoy that responsibility, I wouldn’t get any progress in my career. So, yeah, I think you always have to respect people that want to do things to better themselves.
“And if it wouldn’t have worked out this season, for Watford, then at least I would be able to look myself in the mirror and say that I did everything I could and I’m sure there would have been options to make different moves again.
“But I think once you do something that you’re proud of and you stand behind, you have to do it wholeheartedly. When it does pay off then you know you have all the right to then enjoy that moment,” Troost-Ekong told ESPN.
“When I made the decision to come to Watford, of course, that was something that I thought about very carefully and discussed with Gino Pozzo, who is the owner of Watford, and my family, too.
“Because this is the kind of decision where you have to kind of swallow your pride, because, of course, there’s the prestige of playing in Serie A. And that was one of the biggest leagues in the world.
“I was really enjoying myself there, and my family was at home as well. But to come back to England and to the Championship, where there’s the prospect of living my dream of being able to get to the Premier League, was a chance I felt I had to take.
“But there were no guarantees. I think anyone knows how difficult the Championship is, and how relentless this league is. So, yeah, that was a real big decision for me. And one that I’m very happy turned out the way it did.
“And to all the people [who] had their questions when I made that move, here is their answer. So, I don’t have to explain myself any more for that. But I think that’s kind of been the story of my life.
“I’m just very proud that I’ve managed to demonstrate to myself and to anyone that if you really want to do something, set your mind to it and be ready to take on a challenge because that’s the only way you’re going to get better in life.”