Tag: Mikel

The Chelsea holding midfielder rolled back the years when he was given a free attacking role in midfield by coach Samson Siasia as Nigeria won a bronze medal at last month’s Rio Olympics.

The Eagles skipper will score a goal and prompt several attacking forays at Rio 2016.

Rohr had initially planned for Mikel to play as a defensive midfielder, but the player would rather be given freedom upfront, just as he did when he was named behind Lionel Messi in the race for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

“Mikel will play in an attacking position under the new coach, not the holding midfield role he plays for his club,” an official, who watched the team’s training behind closed doors on Thursday.

In the meantime, the Eagles skipper has said today’s match against Tanzania will be a fresh start as the country’s team aim to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

“This is a new team and a new direction as we want to make sure we qualify for the World Cup,” he said.

TEAM Nigeria captain Jon Obi Mikel in the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Saturday attributed the team’s victory over Japan in their first group match to the goodwill of Nigerians who were solidly behind the team and the grace of God.

Given their arrival to the venue a few hours before the game, many gave an outside chance of winning the match, the best they hoped on was a draw but Mikel inspired his mates to post a dramatic 5-4 win over the Japanese.

“We thank God and millions of Nigerians who stayed awake till late to cheer us. It was not an easy match, we are grateful for their goodwill and support that gave us victory, our focus is now on the next match against Sweden” said Mikel.

Nigeria will play Sweden on Sunday at 11pm at the   40, 549 capacity Arena da Amazonia, Manaus, the same stadium where they defeated Japan.

Mikel, who is also the captain of the Super Eagles, urged athletes representing Nigeria at the Olympics to always put the nation first

”In a country of about 180 million people, majority of whom are not just passionate about sports, but are also talented, it is a great honour to be selected. Wearing the national colours at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games gives me great joy.

“I am appealing to all my fellow athletes to see the opportunity to serve our fatherland as a once in a lifetime time opportunity that must not be toyed with. Representing Nigeria at any level comes with huge benefits that cannot be quantified.”

Most of you are probably aware of my story; I was a budding player in Nigeria when God gave me the opportunity to represent my fatherland at the Finland 2003 FIFA U-17 World cup.

“My priority at the championship was to give all for my country on the field of play and be a good ambassador off the field.

My commitment to the national assignment paid off as I became the darling of some of the best football clubs in the world and some of the world’s best managers after the championships.

I am appealing to my fellow athletes to give their best for our fatherland on the field and be the nation’s best public relations officers off the field by being good ambassadors.”

Mikel urged fellow athletes to continue their good conducts and abstain from all forms of anti-social behaviors that could tarnish the image of our dear fatherland like romancing performance enhancing drugs, fighting and any abnormal behavior.

Mikel thanked President Mummamdu Buhari, the Vice President Prof. Yemi Oshibajo, the Honourable Minister of Youths and Sports Development Solomon Dalung and Nigerians in general for their support to the Nigerian contingent at the Rio Olympics.

Captain of the Dream Team VI, Mikel Obi may have told the officials that he would not travel in an aircraft that he considered unfit for the 8-hour journey from Atlanta to Manuas in Brazil.

A source told SportingLife that Obi reminded the officials of his phobia for flying small planes. The Chelsea player had to voice out his feelings following arrangements by the National Sports Commission (NSC) to hire a chartered plane for the team.

However, the NSC were unable to secure one as a result of the high cost.

“He told us pointblank that he would not board the plane if he sees that it is a small aircraft and he really meant it but thank God the Presidency came to our rescue,”” said a highly placed source.

It would not be the first time that the Chelsea player who since his arrival in Atlanta has been picking up some of the team’s bills would be voicing out his feelings to the authorities.

Under the leadership of Sanni Lulu as President of the Nigeria Football Football (NFF), Obi it would be remembered refused to board the aircraft that the NFF chartered to convey the team to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup which prompted the Nigerian government to send another plane for the team.

John Obi Mikel and Odion Ighalo are now huge doubts for the Rio Olympic Games, it has been revealed.

It has now emerged that while Chelsea are yet to give the green light on Mikel playing for Nigeria at the Games, Watford have said in no unclear terms that they will not be releasing Ighalo for the event.

Mikel is listed as one of the over-aged players for the Games, but his participation has now been thrown into serious doubt with Chelsea reportedly yet to get back to the Nigeria Football Federation on whether he will be released or not.

While for Ighalo, Watford have stated categorically that he will not be available for selection, a development which Nigeria U23 coach Samson Siasia has described as a big disappointment.

“I’m not sure of Mikel because Chelsea have not got back to us on his availability, while Watford said they won’t release Ighalo.

“It’s a big disappointment,” Siasia was quoted on AfricanFootball.com.

It now remains unclear what the next step will be, as both players had been penciled down as two of the three over-aged players that will represent the country in Brazil.

Fresh facts have emerged that Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi actually insisted he will only feature in the AFCON qualifiers against Egypt, if he were made Super Eagles captain, and coach Samson Siasia and top officials thereafter pressured Ahmed Musa to relinquish the armband.

Mikel was assistant captain to Lille goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama when former coach Sunday Oliseh picked Ahmed Musa as the country’s new captain in October.

AfricanFootball.com has now scooped that Mikel demanded the Eagles captaincy when he spoke with care-taker coach Siasia prior to the matches against Egypt.

“Mikel made it very clear to Siasia he be made captain if the coach wanted him to play the crucial matches against Egypt,” a top source informed.

Pressure was thereafter mounted on Ahmed Musa to surrender the Eagles captaincy.

AfricanFootball.com specially gathered that a top official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) advised Ahmed Musa “to give them their captaincy”.

Siasia would then hold a private meeting with Ahmed Musa in his hotel room in Kaduna on the same matter.

“The meeting was for 30, 40 minutes, just Siasia and Ahmed. And it was in that meeting that it was made clear to the player to give up the captaincy,” a top source further told AfricanFootball.com.

Immediately after this tete-a-tete, coach and player headed to the press conference where Ahmed Musa announced Mikel as new Eagles skipper while accepting that there was “a mix-up”  when more senior players were overlooked for the leadership of the team.

Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has moved quickly to dismiss reports in the local media that he pressured Ahmed Musa and interim coach of the Super Eagles Samson Siasia to be appointed skipper of the national team.

Based on the reports, Mikel had threatened not to honour the African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Egypt if he was not given the armband.

But his representative has picked holes in the story, stressing that the player would have featured in both games prior to his appointment.

“The story is false and I don’t know what the writer wants to achieve,” Mikel’s adviser told allnigeriasoccer.com.

“Mikel did not even know he was going to be appointed captain before he arrived the Super Eagles camp. He only came to camp based on his invitation, they are only trying to create trouble.”

Just last week, CSKA Moscow frontman Ahmed Musa revealed that he willingly gave the armband to Mikel and stated that seniority was overlooked by Sunday Oliseh when he was appointed skipper.