Ifeanyi Ifeanyi perfect replacement for Mikel Obi

Nearing the twilight of the Jay Jay Okocha era, Nigerians began a frantic search for the perfect Jay Jay replacement. From Nosa Igiebor, to Rabiu Ibrahim, Nigerians have seen false messiahs who have failed to impress or hold down slots in the National teams and have struggled for game time at their various clubs.

Mikel Obi eventually stepped into the Nigerian creative hole, though a variation of the 2005 Mikel Nigerians hoped for(thanks to Mourinho). A slower and less flamboyant player than Jay Jay, Mikel exerts the same influence over the middle of the park and has a hand in every good thing the Super Eagles do up front.

At 30, Mikel has refined his game to depend more on intelligence than pace, a move that reminds us that the mercurial midfielder will soon be nearing the end of his National team playing career and the search for Mikel's successor would soon commence.

Blessed with an abundance of talents in Kelechi, Iwobi, the Nwakali brothers and even Etebo, Nigerians are a tad bit more relaxed about the impending exit of John Mikel Obi. However, for the skills and perceived vision all above listed players have, a ready-made Mikel Obi replacement plays in the Nigerian Professional Football League for Akwa United and deserves a genuine chance to understudy the maestro.

Slightly shorter than Mikel, he plays with a similar reliance on intelligence and vision to make his team tick. Like the fulcrum in Introductory Technology classes, with short give and go's, defense splitting passes and a knack for holding on to possession when under pressure, he lifts the creative burden off his midfield partners and makes the work of the attackers in front of him a lot easier.

A place in the CHAN team at the on-going NPFL invitational tournament will give us another look at the interesting midfielder, and a place on the plane to Morocco will present the grandest of stages for him to prove his mettle alongside the best in Africa. The question mark over his quality will be answered in just over a month, but I am backing the midfielder to prove that at 22 years, he should be blooded into the Super Eagles as fast as possible.

The player in the same mould as Mikel is Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, ex MFM Fc, and present Akwa United playmaker.