The Super Eagles crashed out in the Round of 16 to France with the 31-year-old divulging what wrecked the team’s journey in Brazil
John Obi Mikel has revealed the details behind Nigeria’s failed expedition at the 2014 Fifa World Cup claiming there was ‘no good vibe’ in the team.
After being held to a 0-0 draw by Iran in their first game, Stephen Keshi’s men defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina in their second match before bowing 3-2 to finalists Argentina in their last group fixture.
The Super Eagles progressed to the Round of 16 but bowed 2-0 to France courtesy of late strikes from Paul Pogba and Joseph Yobo.
Before the team’s exit at Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha, they had shunned training owing to pay dispute with the Nigeria Football Federation.
And with few 14 days to the 2018 World Cup, where the Tianjin Teda midfielder will lead Gernot Rohr’s team against Croatia, Iceland and Argentina in Group D, he revealed what led to the 2014 set’s failed expedition.
“There were a lot of problems in the camp which a lot of people didn’t see, the media didn’t see – we kind of hid it under the table,” Mikel told TheGuardian.
“The relationships between the players were not good and there was no discipline. There was no good feeling, no good vibe.
“It almost got to people being pinned up against dressing-room walls, although not quite. It was confrontation and arguments. Players wanted to do their own thing and they didn’t think about the team.”
Before the below-par outing in Brazil, the Super Eagles had same issues in South Africa 2010 – which led to then president Goodluck Jonathan suspending the senior national team to allow a reformation.
“There were massive problems in the camp and that’s why the president got upset,” he continued.
“He said: ‘Until you guys fix yourselves up, that’s it. No more.’ The public were upset but they were in support of it because they also wanted whatever was going on to stop.
“We couldn’t keep going to tournaments and making a mockery of ourselves.”
The three-time African kings square up against England in Saturday’s international friendly before taking on the Czech Republic on June 6.
