Omotayo Fashola
Nigerian football icon John Obi Mikel has shed light on the behind-the-scenes struggles late coach Stephen Keshi faced while assembling his Super Eagles squad, revealing disturbing attempts to sway team selection.
The revelations came as Mikel contrasted Keshi’s principled approach with Nigeria’s subsequent World Cup campaign dynamics.
During an emotional segment of his Obi One Podcast, Mikel shared a private conversation where Keshi confided about resisting heavy pressure from officials demanding favored player inclusions.
“Keshi pulled me aside and said, ‘These power brokers won’t stop calling, demanding I select their preferred players for the World Cup squad,'” Mikel recounted.
“‘But they should know me by now—I’ll only pick those truly deserving, players who’ll make our nation proud on football’s biggest stage.’ He stood firm against all that nonsense.”
As current Super Eagles ramp up AFCON preparations with 25 players already training in Egypt, the team prepares for a crucial warm-up against the Pharaohs before heading to Morocco.
Drawn in Group C alongside Tanzania, Uganda, and Tunisia, Nigeria’s tournament opener comes against Tanzania on December 23, followed by key clashes with Tunisia (December 27) and Uganda (December 30).
