TheCable

William Troost-Ekong, Super Eagles defender, says Austin Eguavoen has been “a breath of fresh air” since he took over as the team’s interim head coach.

Eguavoen — who was appointed after Gernot Rohr was sacked in December 2021 — has led the Eagles to impressive back-to-back displays at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The Eagles defeated Egypt 1-0 in their opener and recorded a comfortable 3-1 victory in the second game against Sudan.

Speaking with reporters in Cameroon on Tuesday, Troost-Ekong said Eguavoen has brought something “more special” to the squad.

He added that “everyone is really enjoying themselves at the moment” and “fighting to show themselves”.

“I don’t think there have been any surprises in our performances from the part of the team. I think we all kept that belief. We’ve had a couple of hiccups along the way in recent months, but in spite of that, and due respect to every opponent that we play against, we still managed to qualify for the AFCON and the playoffs of the World Cup qualifiers,” the Super Eagles defender said.

“Of course, we haven’t been satisfied the same way the fans in Nigeria have been, but that’s all part of football, and I believe you can’t guarantee the same great game all the time, but the only thing you can guarantee is for everyone to put their effort in to be a winner.

“And of course, with our new coach, it’s been a breath of fresh air. Everyone is fighting to show themselves, and everyone is really enjoying themselves at the moment. And maybe that’s more special than what it was before.”

Eguavoen will be hoping that his team will grab all nine points from the group stage when the Eagles face Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday.