Super Eagles defender, William Troost-Ekong has revealed how his mother wept when she was told by Tottenham youth coach, Matt de that he would never make it as a footballer.
Ekong, who is expected to be in the Super Eagles line up against Cape Verde in today’s 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, told Baller Talk’s Femi Ilesanmi, James Alabi and Doe E that the news got his mum upset.
The Watford defender said that those degrading words from the coach helped him become what he is today.
“I remember one time he had a meeting with my mom, I think it was after my first year as a scholar and he was like I’m going to be really honest to my mom. Will’s miles off it and at this rate I can’t see him playing even non-league football, League Two, League One.
“I felt like crying and I remember seeing my mom , my mom was upset, I’ve never seen her like that because she backed me against my dad’s will to sign for Spurs at the time.
“I came to England originally to go to school, I went to boarding school which is thoughtful, so was already like a big deal that she did that for me, and then all of a sudden after one year, she’s hearing like this is not really working out so that was the biggest motivation.
“From that moment on, I was like Will you need to sort yourself out and that was the chip on my shoulder every time to be like I am going to show everyone, I’m going to show everyone.”
