Rohr’s decision to drop Mikel, Onazi, others good for Super Eagles, says Adelabu

Former Green Eagles winger, Adegoke Adelabu says it is good decision by Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr to drop team captain, John Obi Mikel, midfielder Ogenyi Onazi and others from the squad that will begin final preparation for the 2019 AFCON qualifier against South Africa and a Russia 2018 World Cup eliminator against Cameroon.

“We cannot continue to relay on same set of players in our national team,” Adelabu told The Guardian. “Sometimes, we don’t know when a player outlives his usefulness in our national team. We need new blood and new attacking system in the Super Eagles,” he stated.

The Eagles have a date with the Bafana Bafana of South Africa at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on June 10.
  Rohr left out Mikel, who was conspicuously absent in the last squad that played a friendly game against Senegal in London. Mikel was recently in London for a surgery.

However, some football analysts are of the view that Rohr’s decision to leave out Mikel, Onazi, Odion Ighalo and Brown Ideye may not be unconnected with his decision to blank out players plying their trade in the Chinese Super League, which is seen by many as a competition not good for players who is still interested in continuing his international career.

But Adelabu said in a chat with The Guardian yesterday that he was in full support of Rohr’s decision to do away with some group of ‘old horses’ in the team saying: “Let us wait and see what the coach can do with his new squad. As I said, the Super Eagles should be a place for serious minded players, and not those who have outlived their usefulness in the game.