Former Super Eagles left back Celestine Babayaro has praised John Obi Mikel’s effort in trying to convince Chelsea teen prospect Ola Aina to switch allegiance to Nigeria.
Aina was born in London to Nigerian parents, and he presently represents England at youth level but Mikel confirmed he is talking the youngster into switching allegiance to the Super Eagles.
Celestine Babayaro believes the Super Eagles captain is clearly doing his job as captain and leader of the team, in trying to persuade Aina, something former captains of the team, notably Joseph Yobo failed to do while at Everton with Ross Barkley.
Barkley is already a full fledged senior international for England, but Babayaro believed that if the Everton star, who confessed to having a Nigerian father and once voiced his intention to opt for Nigeria before making the switch to England, was put under pressure at a young age, he could have succumbed.
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” Mikel is doing a captain’s job with Aina, he knows his worth and clearly wants him to play for Nigeria, it’s nice to see a captain of the national team getting involved in serious issues” Celestine told Owngoalnigeria.com.
” When Yobo was at Everton with a young Barkley back then, I stand corrected though but I think, if he had applied a little bit of pressure, he could have been playing for Nigeria instead of England”.
