CHELSEA midfielder, John Obi Mikel, has told Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, that he would be available for next month’s Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Kenya and Namibia, as well as the Confederations Cup scheduled for Brazil.
Assuring Keshi that he is ready and determined to help the Super Eagles in the major battles ahead, Mikel disclosed that he would be at the Brazil Embassy in London on Monday to process his visa for the Confederations Cup.
Mikel, who spoke to Super Eagles’ secretary, Enebi Achor, also assured Keshi that he has shaken off the injury that had troubled him in recent times, adding that his main aim is to ensure that Nigeria qualifies for the 2014 World Cup.
Meanwhile, Super Eagles’ acting captain, Vincent Enyeama, was among the latest players to arrive at the team’s training camp in Germany.
Enyeama arrived at the team’s camp on Friday, while Sporting Braga defender Elderson Echiejile was expected to arrive yesterday.
Others already with the team, which leaves for the US on Tuesday, are Chelsea-bound Kenneth Omeruo and Nnamdi Oduamadi, both joined their mates on Thursday.
Ogenyi Onazi and Ambrose Efe, whose clubs were involved in separate FA Cup finals, are expected in camp today.
Ukraine-based Brown Ideye will join the team in Texas, USA while Ahmed Musa and Fegor Ogude will join the squad in Frankfurt after the friendly with Mexico in America, also due to club commitments.
The Eagles have a test game against an adidas XI tomorrow and then fly out to Houston, Texas, thereafter.
They face Mexico in a friendly on May 31 before they make their way back to Europe on their way to Kenya for a 2014 World Cup qualifier. The match in Nairobi will be played on June 5.
They will also battle Namibia a week later in continuation of the World Cup qualifiers before they jet out to Brazil for the FIFA Confederations Cup.
The Super Eagles have been troubled by a spate of injuries to key players with Scotland-based Reuben Gabriel, Emmanuel Emenike, Kalu Uche and Victor Moses, all out of the squad for the World Cup qualifiers and the Confederations Cup.
But Keshi says he is committed to leading Nigeria to next year’s finals in Brazil, no matter the challenges.
Speaking on the late arrival of the players to camp, Keshi says, “most of the players have just concluded very gruelling seasons and have need to sort out personal issues, and of course there are talks to hold ahead of next season.
“These talks have to be done now considering that the players would be away for about seven weeks, on duty for Nigeria.”
The team will fly out of Frankfurt on Tuesday morning aboard a Lufthansa Airline aircraft, and will arrive in Houston, Texas in the evening. They will stay at the classy The Westin Galleria and Westin Oaks.
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