Watford centre-half William Troost-Ekong believes he has thrived since the arrival of Head Coach Slaven Bilić, having featured in every fixture he has been available for under the tutelage of the Croatian boss.
Lining up as the Hornets’ skipper on six of those occasions, including most recently against Bristol City in the final match before the World Cup-induced break, the Nigeria international - currently away with the Super Eagles - believes Bilić has been a major factor in his upturn of form.
Diving into this current campaign, and with the defender’s eyes firmly on returning back to the top-flight, the 29-year-old has enjoyed rising to the challenge of the second-tier under the Head Coach.
Troost-Ekong began: “I’ve been working very hard, and it was a difficult time for some months, but the first game I felt happy with my performance [this season] was the Sunderland game.
“After that, I had a small injury and then when I came back it was nice to get a chance straight away with Bilić. I’m just trying to repay him now.
“I think that the most important thing is that the team are more settled now, including myself, and with that calmness it’s easier to perform. I’m happy with how things are going, but we always have to keep doing the same thing. Now the biggest thing for us is to not get complacent.”
Watford’s number five further explained the qualities that Bilić brings to the squad, and how he and the team have benefited as a whole from his arrival.
“The first thing that comes to mind when I think of him is experience,” Troost-Ekong said. “Working with him for seven weeks or so - we’ve all seen that - and it’s what we needed.
“He doesn’t try to do anything over the top or re-invent football, he knows what works for him and looks at the team to try and put everyone in a position to perform. There’s a lot of confidence coming with results, everyone believes in him and his playing style, and we can see the benefits when it works.
“We’ve had glimpses of form but not enough all the time, and those glimpses are turning into spells. I’m very confident in the group of players we have here, and I think the players really like working with the Head Coach. The most important thing is to stay in the mix, and get results even when we’re not playing well.”
To adapt to Bilić’s approach the defender has had to adjust his own playing style, which he believes is not only making himself stronger, but the team as well.
“He talks to me a lot; he knows exactly how he wants us to play,” Troost-Ekong continued. “He wants us to carry the ball, pass it more, take on responsibility.
“Everyone has their own style and ideas, but he’s very much about trying to dominate the striker and being confident on the ball. He gives us licence to play, which we are reaping the benefits from. He’s very keen on that, and it’s something we have to adapt to, but it’s worthwhile.
“It took a bit of getting used to but we’re now all accustomed to it. When we receive the ball, the midfielders and attackers do very well to create space and give us an angle.
“The most frustrating thing as a defender is if you haven’t got the next pass you have to take a risk that shouldn’t be taken. The boys are doing very well to move into those positions, so that when we’re on the ball we have a pick of three passes, which makes it a lot easier. There’s a good balance of good movement and we’re willing to take the ball and make passes.”
