Mikel laments Eagles’ Nations Cup absence

Super Eagles star, Mikel Obi, has expressed disappointment over Nigeria’s failure to defend the AFCON in Equatorial Guinea.
Champions Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2015 AFCON when they were upstaged in the final day of the qualifiers by South Africa and Congo in November, last year.
“It will be awkward for me to be at home to watch AFCON because I have always taken part in it, but at the same time, it is a good chance for me to be here and help the Chelsea team whenever I am needed,” Mikel said on Chelsea FC official website.
“As I said, if we want to be champions, we need every player. Though I am devastated, at the same time, you look at it in the positive way of being here (at Chelsea) and helping the team, and that is exactly what I like to do.”
Mikel won the AFCON with Nigeria two years ago and also clinched third-place finishes in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
After a disastrous AFCON 2015 qualifying campaign, the Eagles found themselves unable to defend the trophy. They crashed out on the final day of the qualifying tournament when they forced South Africa to a 2-2 draw at home in a match they needed to win and closest rivals Congo won in Sudan to qualify ahead of them.
However, Mikel Obi has vowed that the Eagles will come back in a big way. The midfield dynamo, who plays his club football with Premier League Chelsea said: “Of course, it is painful. We all wanted to be at the biggest stage in Africa, especially as we are the holders. But we all know many factors contributed to our inability to qualify, and the less said about it, the better.
“We as players know we could have done more, and especially in the match against South Africa which we needed to win at home. But that is history now.
“We have learnt from it. We hope the authorities will also learn from it and we can get better,” said Obi.