Chelsea midfielder, Mikel Obi, finally arrived at the Metropolitan Hotel camp of the Super Eagles at lunch time on Wednesday, ending about 11 months wait for him to play for Nigeria under the current dispensation. It is Mikel’s first appearance for the Super Eagles under Stephen Keshi who took charge of the team in November 2011.
On arrival on Wednesday, the player confirmed that he was fit for the encounter against Liberia. Mikel became the last player to arrive in camp having been delayed by the visa processing to Ukraine for his club’s UEFA Champions League game next week.
Keshi said on Wednesday, “Mikel is here now and ready to play on Saturday if we pick him. He will play because he has shown enough national commitment.”
But just as the camp celebrated Mikel’s arrival, it became evident that the team captain, Joseph Yobo would miss the Saturday match against the Liberians. Keshi who confirmed Yobo’s unavailability for the game assured Nigerians that there was no cause to worry over the player’s injury. The player suffered knee injury in a game for his Turkish side at the weekend.
“There is no panic over Yobo’s injury. We are just motivated to secure the ticket and reassure him that we will all be together in South Africa for the 2013 Nations Cup,” Keshi said.
Keshi revealed that the medical team at Turkish side Fernabahce ruled him out of the match with a torn cruciate ligament and have put him on medical examination to determine whether he could travel to Nigeria to cheer the team to victory.
According to the Eagles coach, Yobo spent over one hour on the telephone with him to explain the development.
“If the medical team in Turkey clears him, we should be expecting Yobo on Friday, for the Saturday game,” Keshi added.
The former Everton defender may still turn up as a team supporter as he did during the last match in Calabar against Rwanda.
And in the absence of Yobo, his deputy and first choice goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, has stepped up as the team captain. The goalkeeper equally played that role in the match against Rwanda.
Nigeria needs a win to qualify ahead of Liberia in the Saturday match. The first leg of the clash ended 2-2 in Monrovia last month.
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