Former Super Eagles striker, Victor Nosa Ikpeba has come out with a daring declaration that the Nigerian national team can cope without their captain, John Mikel Obi and retired winger, Victor Moses.
Speaking against the backdrop of Moses’ decision to quit the Eagles right after the World Cup and Mikel’s continued non-invitation for recent matches ever since, sports247.ng reports that ‘The Prince of Monaco’ insists the squad must move on without both stars.
Ikpeba, who made top marks at club level with RC Liege of Belgium and AS Monaco in France, but had a lukewarm Eagles’ career, said Mikel and Moses have paid their dues over the years, but stressed that no player should be indispensable to the national team.
The African Footballer of The Year 1997 stated further that there should not be any cause for alarm that Mikel is yet to play for the Eagles since captaining the country at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Ikpeba, who is now a television pundit and soccer ambassador, said: “Mikel is not a must in Eagles.
“I understand that the skipper and the coach have a great relationship but we don’t know why he was not invited.
“Mikel has been a fantastic player for the national team for more than a decade.
“But this is great for the team and great for the young set of players that they can do without Mikel and without Victor Moses.
“The team has been brilliant without them and the coach has been apt with the decision,”
