Super Eagles skipper, Mikel Obi has maintained that he is ready to play as a defensive midfielder at the 2018 FIFA World Cup if demanded by the coach. Mikel played as a defensive midfielder during his time in England with Chelsea but has been handed a more attacking role by Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr.
After the Super Eagles suffered a 2-0 defeat in their World Cup opener against Croatia, there were massive reactions about the team’s performance on the day. Mikel’s performance and position for the game was called into question, as even Super Eagles legend Jay-Jay Okocha suggested that he should be deployed as a defensive midfielder giving license to Alex Iwobi to play from the middle.
Mikel has however come out to state that he is ready to do whatever it takes to get the Super Eagles to function better as a team. In a press conference before their next game, he said, “If I have to sacrifice for this team to progress, I will. If I have to sacrifice a position, go play wherever, I will do that for this team to win games.”
The talented midfielder former manager Jose Mourinho also highlighted that he is a bad ‘No 10’ for the Super Eagles and the former Chelsea star responded to the criticism, saying: “It is very fascinating. I played in this position for the last 1 ½ years. Nobody complained. I feel comfortable to play on both positions and I do everything I can for the team to win.”