By Onochie Anibeze
Mikel Obi may start in Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against Tunisia on Saturday.The Chelsea midfielder was one of the key players coach Amodu Shuaibu left out from the tie against Kenya that they eventually won 3-0.
Mikel
Joseph Yobo, Taiye Taiwo, and Chidi Odia were also dropped from the team for not showing commitment during the preparation for the Abuja match. For flimsy excuses, they failed to show up for the two friendly matches Nigeria played in Europe before the Abuja match.
The action by Amodu appears to have changed the players, at least, for now. Mikel, always nonchalant about national team calls, was the first to report to camp in Lagos before the team travelled to Malta where they have been training for Saturday’s crucial match that may determine who, between Nigeria and Tunisia, qualifies for the World Cup finals.
It did not end there. Mikel showed hunger in their two training sessions in Lagos before they left.
“Mikel was unbelievable in training in Lagos,” team’s spokesman Idah Peterside said.“We did only fitness training and he was on his toes, even going the extra mile. He said he was ready to run from Lagos to Oturukpo (a town in Benue State) and it speaks volumes of the hunger in him.”
Reports from Malta say Obi has maintained the trend. Taiwo and Odia have also been displaying great strides in training. Yobo has, however, faced the misfortune of not training with the team in Malta due to visa problems. But he was also training in Lagos. Himself, assistant coach Daniel Amokachi, Dele Ayenugba and John Utaka missed the training camp in Malta but left for Tunisia last night. They were expected to arrive the North African country today, about the same time
I think Olofinjana should be axed. He lacks skills and looses the ball too easily. He is a ZERO as a defensive midfielder…
IT DOESN WORK THAT WAY.ITS ALL ABOUT THIS COUNTRY IT DOSENT MATTER WHO PLAYS.ITS ALL ABOUT THE TEAM.MIKEL OR DICKSON OE SEYI ALL ARE VERY STRONG AND TALENTED PLAYERS
You dont punish a player twice or more for a most recent lapse. What should determine who starts for Nigeria is how ready a player is, based on the coach’s observation in most recent training. If Mikel is responding well and is slightly better than others competing with him for a jersey in terms of skills and attitude, he should be allowed to start. If any player is not doing well he can be changed we all know. My advice to our forwards and in fact every one facing the Tunisians on Saturday is that they should shoot at goal frequently and tire the keeper and the defence. You do not shoot, you do not score in an away match.
Mid-field play is important, Coach Amodou. That is where Tunisia plans their onslaught. Populate the mid-field and throw the opponents into disarray.
I think it’s wrong for Dickson or Seyi to be excluded at the expense of AWOL mikel. Commitment to country ought to be rewarded…. and indifference sanctioned.