AXE DANGLES ON MIKEL

The days of Chelsea's midfielder, John Mikel Obi, in the Super Eagles are numbered, as the player may be on his way out of the team. There was rumour in the Eagles' camp that the Holland 2005 World Cup silver medallist has incurred the wrath of the Technical Committee of the NFF with his non-commitment to national call-ups.

Daily Sunsports was reliably informed by a source close to the NFF that the federation is fed up with Mikel's non-commitment and basket of excuses each time he comes to camp for national assignments and may not invite him for further matches.

The source disclosed that last weekend international friendly against Botswana, Mikel refused to train with his team-mates in Abuja in the main bowl and feigned injury was the last straw that broke the camel's back.

'Mikel refused to train with his team mates in Abuja before the players came down to Benin for the game against Bostwana.

'The Technical Committee and the new Super Eagles coaching crew were not happy with his behaviour. From the look of things, every one is tired of Mikel's antics and the NFF is seriously disposed to shunning him.

'In fact Mikel claimed that he was injured without even training with the other players. It was only Obinna Nsofor whose excuse was genuine because it was clear to every one that he was nursing injury.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, has assured that his game against the Chipolopolo of Zambia would be better than the one against Botswana last weekend.

Keshi said that with the kind of support the fans in Kaduna showered on his boys when they trained yesterday evening, he was happy and confident that the Eagles would come out the stronger side today.

The big boss reminded Nigerians that the list of players he is using in executing this match was not his own, explaining that the two matches are geared towards identifying players he would work with as Nigeria prepares to face Rwanda in the 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Keshi further said that there would be no automatic shirt for any body as he is looking at the players on display from all technical ramifications, so that when he starts building his team, he would be better equipped to know which players to invite for future matches.

'I am here to take note on the players and their performances so that by the time I begin planning for the new Eagles, I will know whom to invite.

'As you know, this is not my list and I just have to make do with what I have on ground now'. Keshi said.