The new coach of newly promoted English Premier League side Watford is already making plans to ditch Super Eagles defender William Ekong from his starting lineup.
Claudio Ranieri took over from Xisco Munoz with a sole mandate of ensuring that Watford stay in the league in their first season following promotion from the English Championship.
The coach has gone about fixing the defence of the team and Ekong appears to be one of the players who might be dropped from the starting lineup by the Italian coach.
Aside from the fact that the coach is looking at the exit of the Nigerian for the African Cup of Nations in December, he feels he doesn’t fit his style of play per an article published in The Athletic.
Yesterday against Arsenal, Ekong was dropped for new signing Nicolas Nkoulou and he put up a spirited display even though they were beaten 1-0 at the Emirates.
Rainieri was coy when he was asked if he thinks the current crop of defenders at the club will improve enough to keep the team up. He said he can’t say for now if they will improve or if he needs to sign when the transfer window opens in January.
