WHY MIKEL OBI IS EXCLUDED FROM SOUTH AFRICA, UGANDA MATCHES

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

The exclusion of Mikel Obi from the list of players to prosecute Super Eagles’ twin assignments next month is by mutual agreement by Gernot Rohr and the team’s skipper.

A source close to Mikel Obi informed www.sportsvllagesquare.com that Mikel and Rohr spoke and the player’s club, Tianjin TEDA is battling against relegation in the Chinese Super League.

The club is third from the bottom in the 16-team league and will need to win its remaining two matches to stay afloat. Despite Mikel Obi’s goal against Shangahai Shenhua on Sunday, Tianjin TEDA still went down 2-4 at home.

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Tianjin TEDA will be at home again on Wednesday November 7 against ninth placed Dalian Aerbin and away to second placed Guangzhou Evergrande on last matchday, November 11.

The invited Super Eagles players are supposed to report in Asaba on November 12. Considering the rigours of playing two crucial league matches and the time difference as well as the long distance, Mikel will not be able to get back into Super Eagles training schedule for the encounter in South Africa.
As the captain of the Chinese club, he has the responsibility of steering Tianjin TEDA out of relegation waters and to avoid a situation Nigerian skipper will be playing in Chinese lower division.

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