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Tag: mikel obi

  • Mikel criticised for disrespecting Turkey’s code of conduct

    Mikel criticised for disrespecting Turkey’s code of conduct

    Former Nigeria international Dosu Joseph has criticised John Obi Mikel’s decision to take to social media to criticise the Turkish football authority.

    Following the outbreak of Covid-19, major football leagues across the world were suspended to curb the spread of but the Super Lig was allowed to continue behind closed doors.

    The decision did not sit well with the 32-year-old and he took to Instagram to express his feelings saying he was not ‘comfortable to play football in such a situation’.

    Joseph feels the former Super Eagles captain should have expressed his thoughts to the football association in Turkey.

    “I think there is a better way to approach the problem instead of going to social media,” Joseph told Goal.

    “What he said was okay but he should have not written it on social media. There is a footballers association in Turkey where he could write to and also the club’s captain.

    “I feel it is not the best going on social media. We have people that employed us and there is always a code of conduct.”

    Mikel joined Trabzonspor in the summer of 2019 on a two-year contract which was expected to run out in 2021 but had his contract terminated by mutual agreement.

    Olympic gold medallist Joseph, however, feels the midfielder will not find it difficult to get a new club, given his success at Chelsea where he left an indelible mark, winning a number of laurels.

     

  • Mikel Obi named greatest Nigerian player

    Mikel Obi named greatest Nigerian player

    Former Super Eagles player, and Assistant Coach, Daniel Amokachi, has named former Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi, as the greatest Nigerian player ever.

    Amokachi, who was recently appointed as Nigeria’s Football Ambassador by President Muhammadu Buhari, believes Mike Obi is ahead of Nigerian legends, Austin Jay Jay Okocha and Kanu Nwankwo because of his achievements in football so far.

    “Mikel Obi is the greatest Nigerian player,” Amokachi told Brila FM.

    “He has won everything that a player can hope to – the Champions League, Europa, AFCON in 2013, and he also captained the national team.

    “As a footballer, your laurels count, and that will surely count for Mikel because nobody has won that much in Nigerian football.”

    Mikel Obi retired from international football in 2019 after leading the Super Eagles to win the third-place bronze medal at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.

    The former Trabzonspor star has won nine major trophies in his career so far, including Champions League, Europa League, and two Premier League title

  • Troubled Mikel may quit Trabzonspor

    Troubled Mikel may quit Trabzonspor

    Erstwhile Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi could be forced to quit Turkish side Trabzonspor following alleged racism slur during his side 2-1 win over Fenerbahce at the weekend, reports AOIFootball.com

    A close source to the player stated that the player condemned the incident but revealed his family may now be at risk after his girlfriend received treats and abuse on her social media page.

    Mikel, who remains very passionate and dedicated to the Turkish club, could now be forced to consider his options in the summer especially with the situation with his family as he has always expressed his desires to stay closer to his twin daughters.

    “It’s unlikely he will remain at Trabzonspor next season because his family is very important to him especially his twin daughters and now they don’t feel safe with all the treats and messages to his girlfriend Instagram account,” the source disclosed.

    The former Chelsea midfielder has been in imperious form for the Turkish giants since completing a free transfer to the club last summer helping the club remain in two fronts as they target an unprecedented domestic double.

  • Mikel fit to face Bafana Bafana in AFCON quarter-finals tie

    Mikel fit to face Bafana Bafana in AFCON quarter-finals tie

    John Obi Mikel has returned to full training and is in line to make his Nigeria return in Wednesday’s Africa Cup of Nations clash with South Africa at Cairo Stadium.
    The 2013 Afcon winner is back in contention for Gernot Rohr’s side after recovering from a knee injury which has kept him out of the tournament.
    He took part in light training during the team’s recovery session on Sunday morning, seven days after he limped out of Nigeria’s 2-0 defeat to Madagascar.
    Mikel missed the Round of 16 tie against Cameroon – with Odion Ighalo sending Nigeria to the last eight his brace.

    But the 32-year-old is now available to return, along with Shehu Abdullahi (hamstring), who was absent since his knock versus Guinea.
    Given the importance of the showdown, Gernot Rohr may choose to keep faith with same team that dismissed the reigning African kings.
    South Africa chase their first win over Nigeria in Afcon history. They have lost all previous encounters versus the three-time African kings.
  • 2019 AFCON: This could be my last – Mikel

    2019 AFCON: This could be my last – Mikel

    Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel, has hinted that the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, could be his last continental outing with the country.

    The midfielder has been a regular fixture in the national team, since he made his Super Eagles debut back in August 2005, during a friendly match against Libya.

    Mikel Obi has been named in Gernot Rohr’s final 23-man squad for the tournament in Egypt and he is now set to play in his fourth AFCON, after previous appearances in the 2006, 2008 and 2013 editions.

    “I do not know but I think it may be (my last Afcon). I like to go every year and see how I feel.

    “Obviously the young players are coming, I think before the next one comes around again I will be 34 or so.

    “I think this will probably be my last Afcon but I’m not 100 percent sure yet. I have given so much to this nation and at some point, you have to let go. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.

    “I will leave when I feel the time is right. Let’s hope we can make it count,” Mikel Obi told NFF media.

    Mikel was part of the Nigeria team that won the Africa Cup of Nations title six years ago, but insists he still desires to win more silverware with the Super Eagles.

    “I’m always hungry to win if I didn’t want to win then I would not be here. I don’t just want to come in and play the Nations Cup. I have played so many games and there is no point that I’m just coming to play. I’ve come to win,” he continued.

    “And that’s the same mentality I want to put in the younger ones to win. I know for some of them, it is just their first time and they just want to play but they need to have the mentality of going to win.

    “That is the mentality that I have and hopefully, I can translate this from my performance on the pitch and outside the pitch when talking to them. Hopefully, we can do great things in Egypt,” he added.

  • Mikel impressed with Super Eagles’ performance

    Mikel impressed with Super Eagles’ performance

    Super Eagles Captain, Mikel Obi, said on Saturday that he was impressed with the performance of the team during a friendly with the Warriors of Zimbabwe at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

    Mikel said at a post-match news conference after the teams had drawn goalless that ”the boys have been very fantastic and they have really worked hard to get here.

    ”The team is a very good blend of players and it is a good thing for the young players to play this game.

    ”Through the match, you know that they are talented players and we have been able to discover some great talents among them.

    “I think the only thing that needs to be done now is to work on them so that they will know when and when not to run with the ball.”

    Mikel further noted that he was really motivated by his performance and that of his team mates.

    “I am very motivated and if I am not, I will not be here.

    ”I told the coach that when I am ready I will come back and when I am back, I will give 100 per cent to the team,”’ he added.

  • Super Eagles coach Rohr praises Mikel ahead of AFCON 2019

    Super Eagles coach Rohr praises Mikel ahead of AFCON 2019

    Super Eagles’ coach Gernot Rohr has praised Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel after the midfielder’s early arrival at the national team’s get-together in Asaba.

    The German said that Mikel had demonstrated commitment to contribute to the team’s success at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

    The number 10 had not played for the Super Eagles since he went the distance in the 1-2 loss to Argentina on June 26, 2018, and there were fears that he had called time on his international career.

    ”Mikel has at all times been a professional and the fact that he arrived here early means that he is very committed to do well and to lead us,” Rohr said.

    ”We expect 25 players here but some of them cannot come in today because they had games– like Ighalo came yesterday from China — Alex Iwobi is also being expected.

    ”So, the team will be complete in two days but already 18 players have arrived here in Asaba. Training will start immediately on Tuesday to get our players ready.”

    The Super Eagles will be having two training sessions on Monday, with the morning and evening workout starting 1000 hours and 1645 hours respectively.

  • Mourinho killed me, says Mikel Obi

    Mourinho killed me, says Mikel Obi

    Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel, has revealed that former Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho “killed” him during his time at Chelsea.

    Mikel Obi said Mourinho killed him because he got sent off on his first game for the Blues.

    According to him, he was quite slow to the pace expected of him by Mourinho in his early days at Stamford Bridge.

    The 31-year-old midfielder spent 11 years at Chelsea, winning the Champions League, two Premier League titles and three FA Cups before joining Chinese side, Tianjin Teda, in 2017.

    “Got sent off on my first game. Mourinho killed me. The speed of the game took me a while to understand it,” Mikel told BBC World Service’s Sportsworld.

    “I was a very naughty boy. I’ll get up to speed but I was late to trainings many times. I was wearing the wrong dress codes.

    “Mourinho was very firm with me because he wanted me to learn and learn very fast because he brought me in.

    “With Mourinho, there are no excuses. I was put in a very naughty corner a few times. It took me a while to understand where I am and I had to learn very fast.”

  • I thought kidnappers had shot my father – Mikel

    John Mikel Obi says he played in a World Cup match in 2018 for Nigeria not knowing if he would come off the field to find out his father had been shot.

    The midfielder was told before facing Argentina that his father had been kidnapped for a second time. Mikel, 31, reportedly paid 10m naira (about £21,000) for his release.

    “I thought I was going to lose my dad, I thought he was going to be shot because of the demands and stuff,” he told BBC World Service’s Sportsworld.

    “They said they would shoot him and in the back of my head during the game I thought that after the match I would probably find out they had decided to shoot him. It’s life. It’s made me stronger as a person. I can look at so many things and say ‘this is not going to shake me because I’ve been through worse’. I just hope that it never happens again and my dad can enjoy the rest of his life in peace.”

    Mikel, now playing for Championship club Middlesbrough, found out while he was on his way to the St Petersburg Stadium for the World Cup group game in June that his father and his driver had been kidnapped at gunpoint in Nigeria.

    The former Chelsea man said that he chose not to tell anyone what was happening as he wanted the players to focus on the game against Argentina.

    “It was difficult for me. When I heard that it had happened it was heartbreaking for me, especially with the timing. I knew it would be traumatic for my dad,” he said.

    “I didn’t say anything to anyone in the national team because I was the captain and I had to lead. It was my responsibility to lead the team and I wasn’t going to say I couldn’t play or have them thinking about my dad rather than the football. I took it on myself and held it in. It stayed in my head during the game and you could see afterwards how I felt.”

    This month, Mikel’s national team-mate Samuel Kalu suffered a similar ordeal when his mother was kidnapped in the south-eastern city of Abia.

    Mikel, who has not played for his country since the 2-1 defeat by Argentina in Russia, believes the country’s authorities need to do more to prevent it from happening again.

    “I called Samuel when his mother was kidnapped and gave him my advice as someone who has been through it twice. I knew how he would be feeling. I was glad when his mother was released because you don’t want anyone going through that,” he added.

    “I suppose these things happen every day with different families and obviously we want to see the authorities take more responsibility, but Nigeria is a very crowded place and you can’t manage the security. You go out and you don’t know if you will come back. The government needs to look into it and they can do more.”

  • Why Mikel, Iheanacho are out of Super Eagles squad – Rohr

    Why Mikel, Iheanacho are out of Super Eagles squad – Rohr

    Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel and Kelechi Iheanacho were dropped from Nigeria’s squad due to lack of regular playing time and non-readiness, coach Gernot Rohr has confirmed.

    The Super Eagles gaffer released a 23-man list to prosecute their final 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Seychelles on March 22 and a friendly tie against Egypt four days later with both players missing.

    Iheanacho has struggled for form at the Leicester this campaign having scored just a goal so far in the Premier League.

    In addition to his poor form, the 22-year-old who has made 30 appearances across all competitions this season is yet to start a league match since December 8 [vs. Tottenham Hotspur].

    Meanwhile, John Obi Mikel has been impressive in the Championship since he joined Middlesbrough on a short-term deal in January.

    But the German tactician noted that the 31-year-old ruled himself out of this month’s international outings and also warned other players who are not playing consistently at their various clubs ahead of the country’s participation in the continental showpiece that will take place in Egypt later in June.

    “Kelechi needs to play in his club. He also needs to take advantage of the international truce to show his qualities to his new coach,” Rohr told Caf website.

    “I give him time but there is danger for the Africa Cup of Nations for those who do not play regularly in their club. The final list for the Afcon is far from being made for anyone.

    “He [Mikel] has arrived in Middlesbrough recently. He told me he was not ready and needs to work after his knee injury in China. He did not play all winter either.Article continues below

    “He has been not ruled out for the Afcon but could not make the match in Asaba. We will see for the future.”