Former Super Eagles captain Joseph Yobo has stated that current team captain John Mikel Obi’s experience is needed in the Eagles despite their impressive form during the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Mikel has been out of the national team setup since the World Cup in Russia and was not part of the players that featured for the team during the second half of the 2019 AFCON qualifiers where the team qualified for the biggest national team football tournament in Africa with a game to spare.
The former Everton FC player who captained the Super Eagles to win the 2013 edition in South Africa insists that the influence of a player such as Mikel cannot be overemphasized. “You can never rule out a player if he is performing. As much as this team has done well, the experience still matters. If I was the coach I’d have my own different ideology and what I will like to do.”
Despite getting results without Mikel, Yobo insists that the former Chelsea midfielder will always be an important addition to the team and he should be given a recall. “Mikel has been there. The team has done well with and without him. He has been there for a long time now he is doing well with Middlesbrough in England so if he is fit and ready he should be called back.
To say he is going to start every game I’m not in the position to state that but is he going to be in the squad, I think with his current performance I think he deserves a call-up.”
It is unsure if the head coach of the team Gernot Rohr will invite the Middlesbrough star for the double fixture between Nigeria and Seychelles in an AFCON qualifying dead rubber game and a friendly against Egypt this March in Asaba.
