Rohr Responds To Mourinho On Mikel: Maybe He Wants Us To Play Three No. 6, Etebo & Ndidi Good

Published: June 20, 2018

Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr has strongly hinted that his captain John Obi Mikel will continue his role as an attacking midfielder amid calls from a section of the supporters that the former Chelsea ace should be deployed as a defensive midfielder in Friday's match against Iceland.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has suggested that Mikel is a great number six but a bad attacking midfielder or number ten, but Rohr is having none of it.

The Tianjin Teda star has mostly played as a number ten for the national team, starting from his days with the Golden Eaglets.

''What does he mean by sacrifice? Etebo played as a number six he is doing very well, Ndidi also played number six, he did very well, perhaps he wants us to play three number six.

''Mikel in this offensive position gives incisive passes, remember against Cameroon we won 4-0, it was exactly the same organization (formation).''

Looking ahead to the game vs Iceland, Rohr did not provide any clues on the starting XI and has berated Nigerian journalists for leaking the lineup against Croatia days before the match.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel