By Toby Prince
Super Eagles Coach Sunday Oliseh has revealed why Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel is not on the list of invited players for the match against Tanzania on September 5.
The former Nigeria skipper said he has not been able to reach the Chelsea midfielder despite several efforts even after his messages and a visit to London.
“Till now I have not spoken with Mikel,” Oliseh began in his interview with the NFF official website.
He continued: “I have contacted him on several occasions with no reply; sent him an SMS with no reply, went to London where he plays in the same club with Victor Moses. Moses came to the meeting (and) we spoke but he (Mikel) didn’t come, I eventually told Moses to say hello to him.”
Oliseh was however quick to state that no player is indispensable and he would not go around trying to cajole any player.
The Super Eagles Coach said he would not hastily pass judgement on Mikel even though there have been outrage in several quarters over the player’s perceived lackadaisical attitude to national team matters in recent years.
“I cannot really pass judgement on a player I have not spoken with, so that is it for now,” Oliseh concluded.
Mikel has not played for Nigeria after the Super Eagles missed out of the 2015 Africa Cup Nations hosted by Equatorial Guinea but was listed as a sub in Chelsea’s last two Premier League games against Swansea and Manchester City.
