By Onochie Anibeze
The Nigeria Football Federation Tuesday  clearly stated that they were in no way mounting pressure on Eagles coach Stephen Keshi to invite Chelsea player Mikel Obi for the remaining international duties.

There had been reports in the media that the federation was frowning at the exclusion of Mikel from the national team. But they maintained that Mikel was part of his team and would be invited when there was need for his services. Keshi listed him for the match in Liberia but Mikel opted out on the grounds that he was not disposed to playing on artificial turf earlier chosen to host the match.

Mikle Obi

Many had criticised Mikel for lacking patriotism and said that choosing the matches he could play for Nigeria underscored this. But there are also many followers of the game whoinsist that the decision to leave Mikel was not good for the team.

And recently, NFF Executive members were said to have joined this school. Chairman of Technical Committee of NFF Chris Green reacted this way yesterday: “Nobody in the federation has raised this matter with Stephen Keshi what more insisting that he must invite Mikel. We have not done so. And we will not do so. This is official. Keshi is in charge and he decides on the players to be invited. He is free to invite anybody he deems good enough. Our job could be  advisory on such issues but nobody has insisted on Mikel being invited. “

When Keshi was appointed Eagles coach he had Mikel in mind as one who would take over from Joseph Yobo as Eagles captain.

But in his very first outing, a friendly against Malawi Mikel opted out of the match after Keshi had told him he would be allowed a free role to express himself and possibly make attempts at goal. And since then the Chelsea player had not shown enough commitment to the national team, the last issue on astro turf being a pointer.

”It will be counter productive for anybody to mount pressure on Keshi to use any player. It will mark the beginning of failure. Mark my words,” Nwabufo Obienu, a one time NFA vice chairman said yesterday.

He warned Keshi over some players he said might not fit into his plans now and told him to learn from the problems his predecessor, Samson Siasia faced which led to his disengagement.

”If Keshi is not firm on players it will cause his sack. They will sack him and move on, laughing at him later. Recall the Vincent Enyeama, Osaze Odewengie and Mikel Obi issues with Siasia and how Siasia eventually lost out and you will appreciate this caution I’m asking Keshi to embrace,” Obienu offered.