Chelsea Football Foreign Legion Interviews

Mikel Obi: I was underrated at Chelsea

- Blames Todd Boehly for clubs present woes, recommends EPL club for compatriot Osimhen

Caretaker April 8, 2023

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He is a legend at Chelsea FC after making 372 appearances in 11 trophy-filled seasons, but Mikel Obi feels his contribution to the club was underrated.

The Nigerian midfielder joined Chelsea FC in 2006 as an attacking midfielder, one who was only bettered by Argentine superstar Lionel Messi at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Jose Mourinho then Chelsea’s manager elected to draft Obi into a more reserved defensive midfield role at the club. There, he let go of the artistry which made him a subject of a heated transfer tussle between Chelsea and Manchester United to suit his new combative responsibilities.

When asked if his contributions to the success at Chelsea were underrated, Mikel Obi said on Dubai Eye 103.9 radio “ I don’t know, I think, I think for mostly for the Chelsea fans, I think,”

“Yeah, they probably think I was, you know, I’m a bit underrated. But it’s not something that really got to me. “I mean, I was just, they’re doing my work, you know, enjoying playing football and, you know, enjoying being at the club.

“But when it comes down to the national team, I was always someone who is more, you can look at me as someone who was underrated. Well, obviously at Chelsea, you know, like the big names, John Terry, the Lampard, the Drogba, all these guys obviously were always taking the glory every weekend.

” So for us, some of the players, it was a bit of, we were there doing our bit to help the club win. We worked as a team. not everybody was getting the credits that they deserve.”

TODD BOEHLY SLAM

Mikel Obi played at Chelsea during the Roman Abramovich era and is critical of the role played by new owners led by Todd Boehly in the clubs disastrous 2022/2023 season to date.

I don’t think anyone can make sense of what is going on [ at Chelsea ],’ Mikel told Dubai Eye 103.8 Sport.

‘Players are coming in through the door. I read articles that Todd Boehly is looking at Arsenal’s radar and whoever Arsenal is going for.

**Mykhailo Mudryk was close to joining Arsenal before Chelsea came in to take the Ukrainian to Stamford Bridge**

‘Some players when you look at them, they’re not Chelsea players. Some of them are not good on the ball. When you look at the way the team was playing before Graham Potter got sacked, nothing was happening. There was no spark.

‘Nothing was going on. When you watch the games, you think where are the goals going to come from? Where is the magic going to come from?

Mikel and Lampard — **Mikel Obi is backing former teammate Frank Lampard to turn things around at Chelsea following his appointment as Caretaker manager**

‘With Frank Lampard coming back, he knows the club. Let’s hope we will start playing well and get some good results.’

OSIMHEN TO MANCHESTER UNITED

Victor Osimhen has been mentioned with links to Manchester United following a stellar season with Italian Serie A table-toppers Napoli. Mikel believes his compatriot has the potential to flourish with the Red Devils if he moves to England this summer.

“When you look at Victor Osimhen, I mean, he is doing really well for Napoli. He is playing very well. He is going to be in the market in the summer,”

“I think Man United are going to go for him definitely. He is doing well for me. I think Victor scores goals. That is what he does. He isn’t very technically good but he will get you goals for sure.”

“I think he would be the perfect fit for them [Manchester United]. He would be the finished article for this United team. They play some really good football now. They’re back playing the way United should play. Again, they’re missing that lethal striker. If they could be able to go for him [Victor], if they could be able to get him, he would be the icing on the cake for them.” Mikel Obi opined.