Super Eagles Boss Gernot Rohr has expressed happiness over Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel’s move to EFL Championship side Middlesbrough.
Super Eagles technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr is eager to see other players step up for the team in the absence of captain Mikel Obi from Friday’s friendly against Poland.
Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel should feature in the two training sessions lined up for the national team on Wednesday have finally linked up with his teammates in Rabat, Morocco.
Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has named team captain Mikel Obi, forward Odion Ighalo and Israel–based marksman Anthony Nwakaeme as squad members ahead of the battle against Cameroon on 1 September.
It is possible that former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel will be named in the Super Eagles squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Cameroon in Uyo next month.
Mikel, 30, has finally recovered from injury and lasted the distance in Tianjin Teda’s 2-0 loss to Hebei CFFC in the Chinese Super League yesterday.
Before yesterday’s meeting at Tianjin Tuanbo Soccer Stadium, Mikel last kicked a ball in a competitive fixture on April 2 in his team’s 2-0 win over Chongqing Dangdai Lifan.
The team’s current situation is not good, but there are 14 rounds to play and there are a lot of points at stake. I spent several years at Chelsea and as an old player I have a lot of experience regarding this so I can help the team change the mentality and ideological aspects of the problem.
“We will start winning that’s no problem.”
Mikel has made only three appearances for Tianjin since joining them in January due to a lengthy spell out injured and has scored one goal. His last game was in their 2-0 victory over Chongqing Lifan in April in a Chinese Super League clash.
Mikel’s return is also a huge boost for the Super Eagles who face Cameroon in a World Cup qualifying double-header in early September.
In his absence, Tianjin Teda are in relegation troubles after winning only two games from a possible seventeen, while the Super Eagles were beaten 2-0 by South Africa in an African Cup of Nations qualifier.
Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr is expected to announce his roster for the World Cup qualifier against the African champions this week
Mikel is set to return as the Captain of the Nigeria National team after Eagles disappointing defeat to Bafana Bafana.
John Obi Mikel missed out on the 2019 AFCON qualifier game against South Africa as a result of an injury and Super Eagles’ Manager, Gernot Rohr, is hoping to have him back in the team before the country’s Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier against Cameroon in August.
Chairman of the NFF technical committee, Chris Green met with his colleagues on Tuesday were a decision was made on the team list being reviewed before its publication.
According to a source in NFF glass house, Green also stated that the federation has resolved to employ everything at its disposal to ensure Nigeria maintained its position atop Group B of the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying series.
Rohr who was summoned by the Green and his team admitted that he missed forceful strikers and hopes to call on China based players like Odion Ighalo and Brown Ideye.
Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has said he’ll beef up his squad ahead of the game against Cameroon.
Rohr also said though the youngsters who represented Nigeria played well in the first half, he admitted that they lacked composure and experience when things became tougher in the game.
The NFF and Coach Rohr are looking to beef up the Eagles team before their clash against Cameroon on August 28.
Nigeria and Tianjin Teda FC captain, Mikel Obi