Mikel shocked by Keshi snub
Mikel shocked
Mikel: My greatest moment
New Champions League winner Chelsea star Mikel Obi was shocked
to be overlooked by Nigeria for next month’s qualifiers, close friends said.
Mikel was one of several big-name stars Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi did not call up for 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Namibia and Malawi as well as a 2013 Nations Cup qualifier against Rwanda.
The other dropped stars were Osaze Odemwingie (West Bromwich Albion), Taye Taiwo (Queens Park Rangers) and Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Blackburn Rovers).
“Mikel was shocked that Keshi left him out of his squad for the matches next month,” a close confidant revealed to MTNFootball.com
“But at the same time, he resolved not to allow that affect him going into the Champions League final against Bayern Munich.”
And the Eagles snub did not seem to work against Mikel as he posted a stellar display for his London club to beat Bayern 4-3 on penalties after scores stood at 1-1 even after extra-time.
The Chelsea midfielder has yet to feature for the country since Keshi took over from Samson Siasia in November.
MTNFootball.com scooped that Keshi has tried to contact Mikel in respect of the Super Eagles but met a brick wall before he named his latest squad on Thursday.
The former Eagles skipper demanded for assurances from the country’s top stars on their availability for a hectic schedule of qualifiers next month before he would consider them for his squad.
The player’s agent, John Ola Shittu, reached out to Keshi but the Eagles boss stuck to his guns.
Mikel was one of several big-name stars Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi did not call up for 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Namibia and Malawi as well as a 2013 Nations Cup qualifier against Rwanda.
The other dropped stars were Osaze Odemwingie (West Bromwich Albion), Taye Taiwo (Queens Park Rangers) and Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Blackburn Rovers).
“Mikel was shocked that Keshi left him out of his squad for the matches next month,” a close confidant revealed to MTNFootball.com
“But at the same time, he resolved not to allow that affect him going into the Champions League final against Bayern Munich.”
And the Eagles snub did not seem to work against Mikel as he posted a stellar display for his London club to beat Bayern 4-3 on penalties after scores stood at 1-1 even after extra-time.
The Chelsea midfielder has yet to feature for the country since Keshi took over from Samson Siasia in November.
MTNFootball.com scooped that Keshi has tried to contact Mikel in respect of the Super Eagles but met a brick wall before he named his latest squad on Thursday.
The former Eagles skipper demanded for assurances from the country’s top stars on their availability for a hectic schedule of qualifiers next month before he would consider them for his squad.
The player’s agent, John Ola Shittu, reached out to Keshi but the Eagles boss stuck to his guns.
This is the most reasonable thing Keshi has ever done. Keshi is a good coach and i am glad he understood the need to drop Mikel. I have always stated that any coach that uses a player that's not committed to the national team like mikel will fail, Siasia failed because he continued using Mikel. Mikel is proud, very proud, he does not love Nigeria, why should a coach call him? We don't need Mikel ever in the national team, he is useless. Let him get lost.
I hope this gamble of using the so called local eagles to execute our qualifying works out for my man Keshi. Or else he should be shown the door with the rest of them. i understand that chekwube needs time to rest after hectic schedule and winning the Uefa championship trophy. But i believe that kalu uche of espanol should have been called up for these matches. We need esperience midfielders to execute these games.
I also would like to say congrats to my boy JMO for lifting the UEFA championship trophy with mighty Blues Chelsea Fc.
Long live nigeria , Viva Super Eagles... Chelsea 4 life.
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