NFF Stopped Me From Quitting Super Eagles – Ekong Narrates How Peseiro Disrespected, Humiliated Him

Ekong who was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the AFCON made this known in an interview with Fozcat-The Ben Foster Podcast saying he made the decision after he was humiliated by the then coach of the Nigerian team Jose Peseiro.

He said he made up his mind to quit the team after two episodes, where he felt he was treated unfairly by the coach and confronted him leading to a fall out that saw him excluded from the team on three separate occasions before the AFCON.

“I had just come back from injury, was playing at Salernitana in Italy at the time. We just had a baby, our third child. I hadn’t been home so my wife was saying to me I would like you to be here. I called the coach, I would come to play, obviously it’s a big honour, but if I’m not going to play just let me know because I would prefer to stay home, I haven’t seen my family”, he explained.

“He said you need to be here, sat on the bench for two games. I had absolutely head loss and then we played again in September and we played in my home state which is Uyo so all the fans were excited to see me there to play.

“We were 6-0 up and people were chanting my name as I was warming up. I was looking at the gaffer, just put me on for five minutes, this is what the people want. He didn’t do that again so I got to a point, have you got a problem I don’t really understand.

“I don’t think he really liked that I confronted him. Then I got to a point where I thought I might actually stop playing international football.”

Explaining further he said after the persuasion by the NFF, Peseiro called him up to discuss camping for the AFCON and without apologizing for the manner which he treated him just told him to make sure he is at the team’s camp on a certain date.

At the AFCON Ekong who was by far one of the best in the Nigerian team said he didn’t know he will even start in the first game of the tournament, until after a test game when he was told by Peseiro, who made it known to him that he was getting into the team not because he is better than others but solely because of his experience.

“I left England again so I am away a lot. I’d written my resignation letter to thank anyone and then I spoke to the Federation one more time I am going to put this out a month before the Afcon list comes out, so it doesn’t look like I’m doing it because I’m not going to the tournament.

“They told me to hold on, so the manager called me and he said I need advice on how I need to do the training camp before the tournament and I was like why is he asking me? He said make sure you are there before January 3, we are meeting in Abu Dhabi. Not any chance for an apology.

“I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. We had the last friendly game before the tournament and all the subs played. I was in the team so I played, I had the game of my life, like when you’re angry and ready to destroy the world.”

Mohammmed Mowiz Suleiman