Super Eagles coach explains why I drop Onazi & Mikel

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has explained why he drop Tianjin Teda enforcer John Mikel Obi and Trabzonspor midfielder Ogenyi Eddy Onazi for next month's crucial 2019 Afcon qualification against South African in Johannesburg.

The 31-year-old former Chelsea star has not featured for Nigeria in four successive matches in a row since after the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, while the ex-Lazio man who picked a knock in training ahead of the doubleheader victory over Libya this month.

Onazi was in action Trabzonspor in all their matches since returning to Turkey and was exceptional in the 1-1 draw with Antalyaspor last weekend but omitted from the roster for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa plus the friendly match by the German coach. Rohr told Kwesé ESPN that the decision was down to the player as he said: "Mikel told me that he will tell me when he will be ready to come back. He didn't tell me yet. So Iwait."I hope that we can go with him to Afcon and win it for him."As for Onazi, Rohr pointed to medical reasons, shutting down suggestions of a rift with one of his senior players: "Onazi had a problem with injury.

He left Uyo before the match against Libya [earlier this month]."I have to be aware of the health of our players. We didn't want to do injections on Achilles' tendons before the games."Rohr has called on Mikel Agu who was drop from Super Eagles World Cup squad with Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu stake their place in the 23 man roster, while Leicester City's Wilfred Ndidi was omitted after receiving a yellow card, his second leg of the closing minutes of Nigeria's 3-2 win over Libya in Sfax.

Nigeria, top of the Group E with nine points battle second-placed South Africa at the FNB Stadium, Johannesburg on Saturday, 17th November in one of the Match day 5 fixtures.