How Didier Drogba got Scolari sacked at Chelsea – Mikel Obi recalls
Former Super Eagles star, Mikel Obi, has shared details about Didier Drogba’s fallout with Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Mikel, speaking on Stadium Astro, explained how the atmosphere in the Chelsea dressing room changed during Scolari’s time as manager. According to Mikel, Drogba, the iconic Chelsea striker, played a key role in Scolari’s downfall after becoming unhappy with the manager’s team selections.
Mikel recalled that Scolari’s time at Chelsea started well, but things went downhill when Drogba became frustrated with not being chosen over Nicolas Anelka for the starting lineup. This led to a rift between Drogba and Scolari.
“When you have a big player like Drogba, who is used to being the number one, and suddenly he’s not playing, he gets upset,” Mikel explained. “He would walk around the training ground sulking, not happy, and this affected the whole team.”
Mikel also revealed that Drogba’s influence in the dressing room was strong, with the striker reportedly wanting Scolari to be sacked. Mikel described the team as being like a “mafia,” where senior players like Drogba, Frank Lampard, John Terry, and Petr Cech had a lot of power.
Drogba’s performance under Scolari supports Mikel’s account, as the Ivorian striker only scored three goals in 21 appearances during Scolari’s time in charge.
