Mikel hails Rohr for Kelechi Nwakali’s Super Eagles call-up, tips youngster for success
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Nigeria skipper John Obi Mikel says the invitation of on loan Arsenal midfielder Kelechi Nwakali by Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr is a step in the right direction and tipped the former Golden Eaglets captain to succeed.
Nwakali who is on loan to Porto from Arsenal was included in the Super Eagles squad for their African Cup of Nations Qualifiers against Seychelles on the 9th of September after impressing with the B team in a friendly game against Atletico Madrid, where he scored despite losing 2-3 with the B team of Nigeria.
Since moving to Porto, where his progress will be monitored for promotion to the main team, he has done enough to warrant a call up but Rohr according to Mikel has one eye on the future of the team.
“I was a little bit younger when I broke into the senior national team of Nigeria and that helped me in my career. My early introduction into the national team also means I didn’t look out of place when I became a senior player,” Mikel told Owngoalnigeria.com.
“Rohr has his eyes on the future despite the pressure on him to succeed in the immediate. Nwakali is a future project and hopefully he will come good because he has the ability to be succeed in a not too distant future,” he concluded.
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