William Troost-Ekong is confident Nigeria can qualify for the African Cup of Nations finals so he can then return to Watford and concentrate on the task of securing automatic promotion.
The defender is in the squad for games against Benin on Saturday and Lesotho on Tuesday, with the Super Eagles needing just one point to qualify from Group L and reach the showpiece event in Cameron next year.
“We are top of the table and need one point to qualify as group winners,” said Troost-Ekong. “I’m sure we are going to do it. I’ve got lots of confidence in our team. We have a very good team and I’m looking forward to playing. I’m really looking forward to the games and coming back having qualified for Nigeria. It’s massive for us.”
Troost-Ekong will win his 40th cap if he is selected by Gernot Rohr and he hopes the games will be more straight forward than caps number 38 and 39. In their previous two fixtures, Nigeria raced into a four-goal lead after just 29 minutes against Sierra Leone only to blow it and draw the game. They then, in a complete reversal of fortunes, played out a goalless draw against the same opposition two weeks later.
“Those games were a massive talking point,” said Troost-Ekong. “Drawing 4-4 after being 4-0 up is something unheard of and one of the strangest experiences of my career. I look at it as another experience in the bag.”
Troost-Ekong has been joined in the Watford squad recently by countryman Isaac Success. The powerhouse striker has featured in the last four games, starting his first match in more than two years against Birmingham City last time out.
“I knew Isaac from the national team,” said Troost-Ekong on a player who was last capped by his country in November 2018.
“He’s a player you don’t like to play against as he’s such a handful. He’s worked very hard to come back from injury and so I was really pleased to see him get some minutes. I hope he can kick on now and give us another attacking option. He is a great player and hasn’t really fulfilled his potential yet of what he can do and what he can offer. I hope it happens as he has got so much power and quality.”