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Amoo lauds Mikel’s leadership qualities

By Maduabuchi Kalu on September 16, 2016

Fatai Amoo, assistant coach to the Dream Team VI to the recently concluded 2016 Rio Olympics, has commended the leadership qualities of Super Eagles’ and Chelsea of England midfielder, John Obi Mikel.

According the former Flying Eagles coach, Mikel, who captained Dream Team VI, exhibited good leadership qualities during and after the Games in Rio where the Nigerians won bronze to show for their efforts and commitment.

Amoo explained that he was quite impressed with the charisma which the Super Eagles’ captain showed both in the United States of America where the team prepared for the Games and in Brazil.

The former 3SC of Ibadan coach explained that it is not always easy for a player of the class of Mikel, one of the three over raged players as prescribed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to blend with a younger team. He said he was fascinated at the rate at which the Eagles captain bonded with the team despite arriving the Atlanta camp late.

Amoo made the commendation while fielding questions from sports writers on Tuesday in Lagos.

“I would like to stat by thanking God for his mercies which saw us through during the Games in Brazil despite all odds,” the Dream Team assistant coach began, adding:

“The Games has come and gone. We are happy that despite the difficulties that we encountered we were rewarded with a medal. Some people may say it was bronze medal that we won, but I must tell you considering what the team and the technical crew encountered before and during the Games, the bronze is like gold for us.

“It would have been every disappointing experience had been that after all the sacrifices we made individually and collectively we don’t have anything to show for it. That is why we are happy that we won bronze though that wasn’t what he aimed at but all the same it is said that half bread is better than nothing.”

Continuing, Coach Amoo said: “On the role played John Obi Mikel, I must say that he is a fantastic leader. I am personally impressed with Mikel’s leadership role in the team. He brought quality not only on the pitch but also outside the pitch, which is quite commendable.

“He has charisma which made all the players to obey him even as they look upon to lead them and I must say he never disappointed as he carried everyone along and that was why we had no problems to add to the ones that everybody was aware of.

“What is more important is the way Mikel blended with the team despite the fact that he joined the team late in Atlanta, the United States of America, from London.

“I was amazed with the rate he bonded with the players when he arrived. You know as the captain of the national team the Super Eagles and somebody who plies his trade in one of the biggest clubs in Europe to have come down to the level of other players in the Dream Team VI is worthy of commendation. He led well and his contributions to our success at the Games cannot be over-emphasised.”

Amoo described Mikel as inspiring leader, who contributed a lot to the success recorded by the team despite the very bad condition under which the team represented the country in Brazil.

Said he: “As far as I am concerned, Mikel was outstanding just like other players of the team played crucial roles because everybody gave his all and just like I said earlier we are happy that at the end of the day we were rewarded with the bronze medal. Every player member of the team contributed immensely to the success we recorded at the Games but Mikel was inspiring.

“Having said, it was the Dream VI that changed the country narrative by winning bronze at the football event of the Games; if not our Rio Games story would have been like that of London 2012 where we ended up not winning any colour of medal.”

•Photo shows skipper John Obi Mikel with Dream Team VI teammates.

Source Daily Sports

Posted September 16, 2016