Eagles’ striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni yesterday lamented the absence of midfielder John Obi Mikel who was forced out of the World Cup by the knee injury he suffered during the course of the premier league season.
Yakubu said after the Eagles versus North Korea warm-up match that Mikel’s experience was needed by the team in South Africa.
“Mikel’s absence is a big blow for us. This is because he is a very good player who has the experience of playing on the big stage like the UEFA Champions League and that will be useful for us here,” Yakubu stated.

Eagles’ striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni

However, he was optimistic that former Eagles captain, Haruna Lukman will fill the void left by Mikel.

“As for Haruna, I’m not surprised with what he has so far achieved because he has been training with us since 2008.

“In Angola (2010 Nations Cup), we had so many defensive midfielders and it was difficult for the strikers. We needed a creative midfielder and with what we have already seen, we have found one. He will do more for the strikers.

“He can do more to help this team even though I do not wish to put pressure on the young player.”