Obi Mikel has been super – Amaju Pinnick

Mikel and Nigeria celebrate again

Thursday Dec 07, 2017. 12:30

According to the Nigeria Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick, the national team captain John Obi is a 'super leader'.

Pinnick said they had problems in the squad in the past where there were many leaders, but Mikel has been able to mould the team into one Super Eagles outfit.

The NFF boss added that they are busy sorting out the papers to tie down the Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr beyond the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

On the other hand, he also confirmed that they have given the players a document regarding the 2018 FIFA World Cup bonuses.

"Mikel Obi has been super. He has carried the team so well and they believe in him," Pinnick said to the BBC.

"We are very happy with what we have been able to mould together because it is very rare in Nigeria. In the past, you've had several leaders in the Super Eagles but now we have just one Super Eagles.

"The team spirit is what has been counting for us on the field and off the field.

"The players were part of it from the beginning. We sat down and negotiated, we didn't just say - 'put your signature on this'.

"We gave them the document to go and study and they spoke among themselves and made a little adjustment before they signed it.

"We want to make sure we don't have any mistakes going to the World Cup. We are going to have a press conference (on December 11) to reveal our roadmap to Russia - all the friendly games that we have earmarked.

"We will play a minimum of five games leading up to the World Cup. They will all be strong technical teams and we have based our choices on some of the teams in our group."

The West Africans will open their World Cup Group D account against Croatia on June 16, followed by Iceland on June 22, before finishing with Argentina four days later.