The Super Eagles defeated Tunisia 1-0 to clinch the bronze medal at the recently-concluded Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Opinions of Nigerian fans were divided about the third position finish of the team. Many believed the country had the potential to do better while a few others appreciated the bronze medal won in a competition that had host Egypt, defending champion Cameroon, crashed out in the last 16 stage. Other top teams like Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Morocco also failed to make it to the last four stage.
While talks were on about the overall standard exhibited by the team, there were issues about the manager, Gernot Rohr, but interestingly, the retirement of former Chelsea player, Mikel Obi, changed the whole discourse.
The Eagles’ skipper came out to officially throw in the towel after 13 years of active service to the country. We salute the industry of Mikel and believe he gave his best to the national team over the years. It is clear this is the best time for the skipper to take a bow as the team secured the ticket to Egypt without him and, at the tournament, we observed Mikel was not his usual self in the two games he took part in at the AFCON.
He said: “Egypt is a country where I started and have finished my national team career. In 2006, I played my first official competition for my country. And now in 2019, the Africa Cup of Nations marks my last championship for national team with Super Eagles.
“Thank you to all my Nigerian supporters and to my country for all the trust, support and love you’ve shown me over the past 13 years.” We recall that at U-20 level in 2005, Mikel won the Silver Ball behind Argentine Lionel Messi at the end of the FIFA U-20 World Cup where Nigeria finished also with a silver medal. Before he began his career in the Eagles as a teenager, his first break at club level is still fresh in the minds of many fans of the game.
He was a subject of a transfer imbroglio between two English giants – Manchester United and Chelsea – but he later settled for the London club where he enjoyed trophyladen 11- year spell in the colours of the Blues. He won domestic and continental titles, including the prestigious UEFA Champions League gold medal. Mikel is now with Turkish club Trabzonspor.
Nigerians will never forget his philan-thropic role in the country’s bronze-winning U-23 team’s campaign at the Rio 2016 Olympics where he displayed a patriotic act by footing the bills of the team that had run into hitches due to administrative lapses during the preparations for the Olympic Games. After 88 games for the Super Eagles, including two World Cup appearances at Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018, five Nations Cup appearances with one win in 2013, Mikel made a huge impact in the national team.
We appreciate the immense contribution of Mikel over the years and urge the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to organize a befitting farewell game for the former Eagles skipper. We recall that other former football greats in the country like Nwankwo Kanu, Austin Okocha and Joseph Yobo were not properly celebrated by the Football Federation after retirement. Sad enough, it was friends that staged valedictory games for these football legends. We are aware that Mikel’s influence in the team was fantastic and it is important for the team handlers to get another leader in the team. We make bold to say it is not automatic for the assistant captain, Ahmed Musa, to take over the skipper’s band.
Rohr should look at a skipper that can grow with the team in the next six to eight years just like Yobo and Mikel. Rohr should also work hard on the replacement of the former skipper in terms of creativity and overall presence on the pitch. Again, the Mikel situation has brought to the fore the lack of policy in every area of sports in the country.
There is no template at the ministry of sports on what to be done when an athlete is taking a bow. Same goes for the NFF. It is indeed a shame. We have to acknowledge that Eagles’ striker, Odion Ighalo, also retired, but this is not same situation like Mikel’s. Ighalo emerged highest scorer at the AFCON and he left due to the bad reaction of fans to him and his family over his performances at the Russia 2018 World Cup. It is a story for another day.
Back to Mikel’s exit from Eagles. The Football Federation should work with the ministry to give him a befitting send off and also ensure there is a style for players taking a bow from the national team. We see how top players abroad are always celebrated after national team exit and it will be good to embrace similar style in Nigeria.
