Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze says erstwhile captain of the side, John Mikel Obi will be missed by teammates following his retirement from international football, reports Completesports.com.
Mikel announced his decision to quit international football on Thursday, ending an illustrious career with the Super Eagles that spanned 14 years.
He represented Nigeria at five Africa Cup of Nations finals and was part of the squad that won the 2013 edition in South Africa
Chukwueze heaps plaudits on the former Chelsea midfielder for his exemplary career and leadership qualities.
“Mikel is a role model for me and to other young players in the team. He was a fantastic captain on and off the pitch,” Chukwueze told Completesports.com.
“It’s pity that he has decided to quit the team at a time when someone like me is just coming into the team. I’m always around him and he always willing to help me in any way he can as well.
“I wish him all the best for the the remaining part of his career. We will surely miss him. Nobody is happy he is leaving the team, but we have to respect his decision.”
By Adeboye Amosu (pix: by Ganiyu Yusuf) in Cairo
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COMMENTS
Coach GR should look at this guy call Joe Aribo.
I thought d same way last week about Joe Aribo of Rangers of Scotland.
one mistake rohr made was not inviting kelechi nwakali just as chukwueze, onyekuru and osimhen were invited. Mikel and ogu didn’t play up to expectation and we were lucky etebo and ndidi never sustained any injuries. We need an offensive midfielder that’s skillful, could dribble, run, control the ball and give passes. We also need a strong central defender who plays regularly in his club.
Hmmmm. Mikel and Ighalo retiring at the same time! That’s serious! Though its accepted that the playing span of a sportsperson a la footballer is short. We have to respect their decisions because at their age, if they feel they can’t add anymore value to the team we have, fine and good.
What is to be done? Start preparing for life after them.
How? Blooding a lot of the potentials we have around. Who is in the league of the Okochas, Kanus, Mikels? That team needs leaders NOW! Someone who orchestrates the team. It may not necessarily be the captain. Has to be a person who has vision, reads the game well. A game changer. Who changes the game pattern according to what the opponents puts up on the field of play.
The coach needs to put on his thinking cap and invite to the team capable playing staff who can gel with the current the current team. For experience sharing, i will not be among those clamouring for the ejection of the old and experienced players except those who have gone.
Use them to build the young team till 2021 and they can be eased out eventually or else youthful exuberance of 1982, 1984, 1990, set at the Nations Cup proper will set in.
The above-mentioned periods were rebuilding periods. We couldn’t cross the group stage in 1982. It took a resolute Cameroonian team to dissect and expose us (same happened in 1990 where Algeria shows us the naivety of the young team at the group stage and the final)
So lets build with caution. We have talents abounding in Nigeria. Okocha, Finidi, Gentle giant Uche and his central defensive partner were bloodied by the Dutchgerian between 1990 and 1994. See what they turned Nigerian team into?A lot of the players were from the local league and we still have them still.
Finally, this brings me to the call for the local coaches to develop our players so we have a lot of local content in the national teams. Most of our local players are not polished at all. Check their performance in the Siasia team of U-20 in Netherland and 2008 Olympics (both against the mercurial Messi). Westerhoff faced the same thing in 1989 when he took over the team but thanks to God he had 5years to build a worthy team, which he did.
Long live Nigeria and all the National Teams!
Also we need to appreciate the two (Mikel and Ighalo) by arranging a worthy testimonial for them. NFF take note