TheCable

Super Eagles midfielder, Nosa Igiebor has backed his under fire teammate John Obi Mikel, saying the Chelsea player does not deserve all the criticism he gets.

To fans and pundits, the former Lyn Oslo playmaker is to be blamed for Eagles poor showings against Congo and South Africa. But Igiebor, who has been in the national team since 2011 albeit as a bit-part player, knows a thing or two about Mikel’s ability.

“I don’t think he deserves as much blame as he’s getting because he has done well in my opinion,” Igiebor said.

“I know it’s natural for the fans to criticise you when the team isn’t doing well and they probably have the right to do so, but it happens when you don’t win.

“But I would say he did well really, maybe not his best but he has done well.”

The Maccabi Tel Aviv player ascribed the blame to fatigue, though, he reckons things would have been viewed differently had the team won both games.

“I think maybe he got tired in the second half of the games, but it wasn’t just him; it was the entire team. It affected everybody, not just Mikel.

“I think it would’ve been different if we had won. It’s easy to see faults when you don’t win and that exposes you to criticism but to me Mikel did well and that’s it.”