Nigeria Olympic team coach Samson Siasia has said Chelsea star Mikel Obi was a natural choice to lead his team as he is also the captain of the Nigeria Olympic contingent as well as the Super Eagles.
He takes over from Turkey-based midfielder Azubuike Okechukwu, who led the Dream team VI to win the 2015 U23 AFCON in Senegal.
Making the announcement on Saturday while meeting with players and other officials, Siasia said: "It's just natural for me to pick Mikel as our captain. Aside the fact that he is the captain of the Super Eagles, he is also Team Nigeria captain, so after meeting with both of them and explaining my position, I am pleased to say Azubuike (Okechukwu), who has been our captain understood and was happy to hand over the captain’s band to Mikel.
"It is a thing of joy for my team to produce the first footballer to captain Team Nigeria to the Olympics. This, to me, is more than gratifying."
The players unanimously accepted Mikel Obi as their captain and expressed delight at the role he has been playing since he joined the team.
On his part, Mikel expressed joy at being made the captain of the Dream Team and said he sees it as an honor that must yield result in Brazil.
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... Mikel will be the source of your natural failure with thus team. If Mikel currently the mega player and star you people want us to believe, why has big clubs across Europe not coming form with bigoney for him. Compare the valuation of Mikel with Pogba or Mane.Yet you will not allow us hear word. Mikel this, Mikel that.It shows that Nigeria lacks first class or A grade or world class players.Mikel may have won everything in football but winning laurels in the bench those not tell well of a player and it does no good to the players career too.
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