It was a massive gamble for William Ekong to quit Serie A club Udinese and join Watford in the English Championship, but that move has since paid off handsomely after Watford won automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
Ekong was a pillar in the back four as Watford fought their way through a grueling 46-game schedule to finish behind champions Norwich City.
The 27-year-old central defender started 31 of his 32 appearances in the league and even managed a goal.
The decision by Ekong to take a step backwards before moving forward again was fully justified.
“I thought about that (decision) for a long time and discussed with the family,” he revealed.
“I was ready to put in the work and take on the challenge.
“I took a step back to make progress.”
Incidentally, he started his football career in England with Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur.
“It was a long way coming. Eight years ago, I came close to doing that with Spurs, but the dream (to play in the Premier League) is now a reality,” Ekong celebrated.
“The Premier League is the best league in the world. There is a lot of prestige as everyone follows the league and you test yourself against some of the best players in the world.”
Ekong has remained a consistent performer for the Super Eagles and in the absence of Ahmed Musa, he wears the captain’s armband to underline the remarkable progress he has made in his career.
The Eagles will again count on his leadership and effectiveness in defence to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Qatar, just as he had done all the way to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
