Mikel Too Stubborn To Make Nigeria All-time Best XI – Siasia

Former Super Eagle coach Samson Siasia has left out Mikel Obi from his Nigeria all-time best XI because he is “too stubborn”.

Former FC Nantes striker Siasia himself won the 1994 AFCON in Tunisia and featured at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.

But now taking the role of coach, he has left out Mikel Obi, who won 2013 AFCON, many trophies with Chelsea and even led his team to win Olympic bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics, because of his attitude.

“He’s stubborn, I can’t tolerate people like that,” Siasia opened up in a special podcast by Elegbete1sports
“But at the Olympics (Rio 2016), he came out and played because I had warned him severally.

“He played as a captain, he led the team well, that was why we got to where we got to.”

For his all-time XI, it was not much of a surprise that Siasia picked the core of the team who headlined the Golden Generation of 1994, who won the 1994 AFCON and ruffled some top European teams at the World Cup same year.

In goal is Vincen Enyeama, who only came to prominence a generation,

The four-man defence has Ben Iroha at left back, Uche Ilechukwu and Taribo West as the centre-backs with Augustine Eguavoean as the right full back.

In the midfield are Sunday Oliseh and “The headmaster” Mutiu Adepoju, behind “the man who was so good that he was named twice” JayJay Okocha.

Up front, he picked Emmanuel Amuneke and Finidi George as wingers with Nigeria’s all-time leading international scorer Rashidi Yekini the top striker.