Revealed: Mikel Obi Might Not Play for Super Eagles Again as Feud with Coach Oliseh Deepens

If the Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh finally rejects entreaties from individuals who have intervened in the feud between him and Chelsea midfielder, Mikel Obi, the player may have played his last match under the National team manager.


The New Telegraph exclusively learnt that the coach was incensed after the Chelsea FC player refused to warm up when the coach told him to do so twice in the match against Swaziland in Port Harcourt.


Oliseh surprisingly dropped Mikel from the starting line up in the 2016 World Cup qualifying game against the Southern Africans but part of his plan was to introduce the experienced player in the course of the match, a member of the team revealed.

Mikel apparently did not take the matter in good faith and refused to come in as a substitute even when the coach was ready to introduce him.

It was also disclosed that Oliseh vowed during a meeting with officials of the team that he would never invite the midfielder again for the affront.

"I cannot say the coach is trying to weed out the senior players in the team but he does not want to give unnecessary privileges to anyone. For instance, Mikel may not play for Nigeria again as long as Oliseh is in charge because of his conduct.

"Can you believe Mikel refused to warm up during the game against Swaziland even when the coach told him to do so because he was not on the starting list? The coach has handled this in a mature way so that the press would not feast on it, but he has told everyone concerned that he was done with the player.

"Although a lot of people including the president of the Nigeria Football Federation have been talking to the coach, but he does not want to sweep the matter under the carpet," the source said.

The source added that some ex-internationals have also spoken with the coach to rescind the decision as that would generate more crisis and distractions for the team.

"If Mikel would play in this team, I think he would have to tender unreserved apology to the coach with an assurance that he would abide by the decisions of the technical crew. I trust the coach; he would listen to those who have been talking to him but he would apply sanction in the first instance," the source added.