Former Green Eagles winger, Adegoke Adelabu, says it is good decision
by Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, to drop team captain, John Obi
Mikel, midfielder Ogenyi Onazi and others from the squad that will begin
final preparation for the 2019 AFCON qualifier against South Africa and
a Russia 2018 World Cup eliminator against Cameroon.
“We cannot continue to relay on same set of players in our national team,” Adelabu said.
“Sometimes,
we don’t know when a player outlives his usefulness in our national
team. We need new blood and new attacking system in the Super Eagles,”
he stated.
The Eagles have a date with the Bafana Bafana of South
Africa at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on June 10.
Rohr left out Mikel, who was conspicuously absent in the last squad that
played a friendly game against Senegal in London. Mikel was recently in
London for a surgery.
However,
some football analysts are of the view that Rohr’s decision to leave
out Mikel, Onazi, Odion Ighalo and Brown Ideye may not be unconnected
with his decision to blank out players plying their trade in the Chinese
Super League, which is seen by many as a competition not good for
players who is still interested in continuing his international career.
But
Adelabu said in a chat yesterday that he was in full support of Rohr’s
decision to do away with some group of ‘old horses’ in the team saying:
“Let us wait and see what the coach can do with his new squad. As I
said, the Super Eagles should be a place for serious minded players, and
not those who have outlived their usefulness in the game.”
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