You need Mikel ...Iroha tells Keshi not to discard Chelsea player

Mikel Photo: Sun News Publishing

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Former Nigerian international, Ben Iroha, has told the Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, to recall Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi and Nigeria's best legs in Europe for the crucial Nations Cup qualifiers’ second leg encounter against the Amavubi of Rwanda in Nigeria scheduled for June.

The former Nigerian defender, who made the appeal while fielding questions from Daily Sunsports in Abuja yesterday, equally absorbed the foreign-based players from the blame of the Eagles not playing well in Kigali, attributing their poor performance to jet lag and fatigue.

Iroha urged the Eagles’ gaffer, who is currently holidaying in the US, to consider including some of the Dream Team V players into his squad. The former Golden Eaglets’ assistant coach, warned that it would be counter-productive to prosecute the upcoming crucial encounter with home-based players alone.

“The mixture of the home and foreign-based players in the Kigali tie was okay and it shows that Keshi knows what he is doing. But it won't be the best for him to leave out the entire professionals. It is left for him to determine who will come back among those ones he used in Kigali,” he said.

“The good thing is that we have an ample chance to finish off the game at home. The coach knows where he needs to reinforce. I have already told him about players like Oduamadi (Nnamdi) and some of the Under-23 Eagles’ players that will help him in the second leg,” he said.

Iroha continued: “I know that the performance of players like Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Dickson Etuhu and Osaze Odewingie among others have come under severe criticisms, but we should understand that the travelling arrangements affected them in Kigali. They played for their clubs that weekend, came in on Sunday and by Monday, they travelled at night and played the game on Wednesday. They are playing very well for their clubs, but it was just fatigue that affected them in Kigali.

“Keshi should bring them back and he still needs Mikel Obi and our best players for the return leg. He should not be carried away by the clamour for the home-based players. I know they are good, but we need the services of experienced players. He must work hard to blend the home and foreign-based players,” he said.