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Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Mikel declares self fit for Chelsea, S'Eagles
- Okonkwo wants to play for Nigeria again
CHELSEA and Super Eagles' midfielder, John Mikel Obi, has declared that he is fit to play for his club this weekend and Nigeria on November 14 when it confronts Kenya in a crucial World Cup qualifier.
Mikel has missed the last three games for Chelsea after suffering an ankle injury, but says he will return to the pitch against Manchester United this weekend. Mikel, who was named in Nigeria's 23-man squad to face Kenya in Nairobi on November 14, told KickOffNigeria.com: "I will start playing again this weekend. It is very important for us to get a win, and we all have to work hard and pray that the result favours us."
Meanwhile, out-of-favour midfielder Onyekachi Okonkwo believes that his sterling displays for FC Zurich will force Eagles' handlers to look his way again. Okonkwo's Zurich tackled Taye Taiwo's Olympic Marseille in a UEFA Champions League group game yesterday, and the Enyimba of Aba former star hopes that his performances will help him get a recall to the Nigerian side.
Okonkwo was a member of Berti Vogts' squad to the Africa Nations Cup in Ghana, but has been frozen out since Shaibu Amodu's current coaching team replaced the German, though he featured regularly as Zurich won the Swiss title, and all through its UEFA Champions League campaign.
"I have been playing regularly for my club and doing well," he said. "We have played against some of the biggest clubs in Europe and I was a part of it, including when we beat the great AC Milan in Italy. But I don't understand why I have not been invited to the national team.
"I want to play for my country and I know I can help, but there is nothing I can do if I am not invited. We showed against Milan that we can play ball with the best teams."
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