Mikel to ‘likely’ miss Poland game… work permit to blame

John Obi Mikel, Super Eagles captain, will most likely miss Nigeria’s friendly match against Poland owing to his inability to renew his work permit in China, where he plays for Tianjin Teda.

Mikel’s potential absence for Friday’s game was disclosed in a statement made available to TheCable on Tuesday.

“We all had been hoping that the renewal would come in good time for him to fly to Poland,” Dayo Enebi, Super Eagles team administrator, said in the statement.

“As it is now, it is not likely that he would make the trip.”

According to the statement, Oghenekaro Etebo, who is injured, and Junior Ajayi, who was unable to secure a visa to Poland, will fly directly to London for Tuesday’s clash with Serbia.

Meanwhile, 22 players have arrived the Super Eagles’ Radisson Blu Hotel camp in Wroclaw.

Goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho, defenders; Kenneth Omeruo, Elderson Echiejile, Stephen Eze, Abdullahi Shehu and Chidozie Awaziem are presently in camp.

Other Eagles in camp are Joel Obi, John Ogu, Ogenyi Onazi, Uche Agbo, Wilfred Ndidi, Ahmed Musa, Moses Simon, Odion Ighalo, Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Moses.

Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Daniel Akpeyi are expected to report to camp on Wednesday.

The team trained twice on Tuesday and will repeat the same schedule on Wednesday before Thursday’s training inside the Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw.

The friendly match will kick off at 8.45pm on Friday.