The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Mikel Obi

  • Moses, Mikel feature in Chelsea pre-season win

    Moses, Mikel feature in Chelsea pre-season win

    Super Eagles forward, Victor Moses, was the best player for Chelsea as the English champions defeated French kings,, PSG, in a pre-season friendly on Saturday.

    Moses’ compatriot Mikel Obi played the first 45 minutes for the Londoners, africanFootball.com reports.

    It was a brilliant individual performance that should guarantee the ex-England youth international’s future at Stamford Bridge after manager Jose Mourinho hinted he may be considered for first-team squad in the new season.

    Moses got the equaliser for “The Blues” in the 65th minute to end the game 1-1 in regulation time, canceling Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 25th minute goal.

    Chelsea then won the tie 6-5 on penalties.

    The former Wigan Athletic player pounced on Cesc Fabregas pass to jab in the goal.

    Moses was the best Chelsea player on the pitch, as he was dangerous in attack and supported the defence.

    In the 10th minute, the Super Eagles winger dribbled past three PSG players before finding Ivanovic, who failed to score from six yards.

     

  • Mikel wants to see off Chelsea contract

    Mikel wants to see off Chelsea contract

    Super Eagles midfielder, Mikel Obi, has declared he wants to see off his contract with Chelsea.

    The Jos-born star has two years left on his contract with the English champions, africanFootball.com reports.

    Mikel was offered a lucrative deal by a United Arab Emirate team, Al Ain and was targeted by Turkish giants – Fenerbahce and Galatasaray in the close season.

    He said: “I have two years left on my contract here and want to see them out.

    “I am happy here and we will see what happens. I do want to stay, the manager wants me to stay, so I don’t have any issues.

    “The manager has told me he wants me to stay. He said that and I’m pretty happy to stay.

    “This is going to be my 10th season at the club, next year will be my 11th. I have been here so long due to the contracts I have signed and I like to be somewhere where I have developed friendships.

    “This is like my family now. Every time I come to work it’s like coming into see my family.”

     

  • AFCON: Enyeama leads Eagles’ old guard to Tanzania

    AFCON: Enyeama leads Eagles’ old guard to Tanzania

    Super Eagles captain, Vincent Enyeama, is expected to lead several established Super Eagles stars to Tanzania for the 2017 African Nations Cup qualifier against the Taifa Stars, africanFootball.com reports.

    Oliseh is expected to release his list of invited players for the game against Tanzania in the second week of August with the foreign-based professionals expected to join the team in Dar es Salaam.

    Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi is ruled out of the encounter after his dismissal against Chad last month, but there will be a return for Enyeama, Mikel Obi and Victor Moses.

    Enyeama, whose differences with the Nigeria Football Federation over his comments after the game against Chad have been sorted out, has been tipped as a key player in Oliseh’s plans for the team.

    “From the way Oliseh spoke about Enyeama in our meetings, it tells you that the coach wants him to play a huge role in his team building for the Eagles,” a top source told africanFootball.com.

    “He said the experience of Enyeama is needed by the team.  But he also highlighted the need to install discipline in the team.”

  • Mikel top pro, says Avram Grant

    Mikel top pro, says Avram Grant

    Ghana coach Avram Grant has saluted Nigeria midfielder Mikel Obi as a top professional having worked with him at Chelsea.

    Grant said the former Lyn Oslo midfielder was an important member of his team while in charge of Chelsea.

    “I’m a manager that doesn’t care about where you come from as far as you are a professional and you show me that professionalism in you on the pitch. Anyway, these three players (Mikel, Kanu, Aiyegbeni) you have mentioned were quiet important to me and have played major roles under me at one time or the other,” Grant told Sun newspaper.

    “Mikel was with me at Chelsea and we qualified for the Champions League final. He’s a dedicated player and he’s a professional to the core because he listens and adheres to instructions.

    “Yakubu and Kanu are both great players too, though, Kanu has retired now, but they showed tremendous discipline and knowledge of the game while we were together at Portsmouth.”

  • EPL’s African Player for December: Mikel is the best • Beats Mane, Song to Award

    EPL’s African Player for December: Mikel is the best • Beats Mane, Song to Award

    Chelsea star Mikel Obi has been named the English Premier League’s African Player of the Month of December.

    In a statement by the organisers New African Soccer, Mikel was voted and selected ahead of West Ham’s Cameroonian Alex Song and Southampton striker, Senegalese Sadio Mane in a tight vote process.

    Awards director ‘Tunde Adelakun said: “As always, it was a difficult choice, but a lot of factors came into consideration before we selected Mikel.

    “Mikel has endured a difficult start to the season, falling down the pecking order in a star-studded Chelsea team that is riding high in the Premier League. After all, we all know that no one likes changing a winning team. However, the spirit of professionalism which he displayed in waiting for his chance, and taking it well with some solid performances in a difficult month, tipped the award his way this month,” Adelakun said.

    Commending the performances of Alex Song and Sadio Mane, the statement said: “Mane has settled into his role in the Premier League like if he has always been here. The way he took his goals against Crystal Palace and the might of Chelsea proves that the Senegalese will be a force in this League for some time to come.

    “And as for Song, he is just solid as ever; and if he was not rested in some of the games over the festive period, he would have made the decision even harder for us.”

    Adelakun commended the level of the African performance in the English Premier League this season so far, stating that “the Africans have been a real credit to the continent, and when we watch them in the League, it is with pride’.

    The presentation of Mikel’s award will be done in the coming days.

    The statement also added that the New African Soccer Awards has been merged with the Africans Abroad Recognised (AAR) Charter, which seeks to recognise the exploits of Africans in Diaspora in all walks of life.

  • Ighalo battles Mikel in FA Cup

    Ighalo battles Mikel in FA Cup

    Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo and Mikel Obi will go head-tohead  when Watford and Chelsea clash in an FA Cup game at Stamford Bridge today.

    Ighalo has been in good form for the Championship side Watford and will hope to help his side upset EPL leaders Chelsea, who will parade Mikel who was an unused substitute in Chelsea 5-3 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.

    Watford defeated Chelsea 5-1 in a Cup game at Stamford Bridge in 1986, but Chelsea defeated Watford in the last meeting of both clubs at Stamford Bridge in 2010 as they won 5-0.

  • AFCON qualifiers: Mikel arrives Tuesday

    AFCON qualifiers: Mikel arrives Tuesday

    Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has assured Super Eagles technical crew that he will honour the African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo and South Africa, despite only returning to full fitness.

    Following a knee injury, the Nigeria international has not suited up for the Stamford Bridge side since October 28 Capital Cup clash with Shrewsbury Town, but travelled with the squad for the tie against Liverpool on Saturday, Sl10.ng reports.

    After a two week lay-off, Mikel’s return to fitness will be pleasant news for Stephen Keshi, who has made it clear that the midfielder is very important to the team.

    One of Mikel’s representatives told SL10.ng: “Mikel has assured the coaches that he will honour the matches. He will depart London on Monday night aboard a British Airways flight, and be in Abuja on Tuesday morning.

    “There’s no cause for concern. He is physically fit and prepared to give his best in the matches due to their importance.”

     

  • Mourinho: ‘Mikel is Chelsea’s stabiliser’

    Mourinho: ‘Mikel is Chelsea’s stabiliser’

    Jose Mourinho has praised Chelsea midfielder, Nigerian international Mikel Obi, calling him a player who brings stability to the team.

    Mikel has made five appearances from the Blues all coming on as a substitute deep into the match, most times when the game is already won. Mourinho went on to explain why he always puts on John Obi Mikel for Chelsea in these times.

    “People on the bench are also coming on strong, the way they are playing, the way they react. Mikel comes on and gives stability to the team. I think we’re in a good moment,” Mourinho told the Evening Standard.

    “When I play Mikel, I don’t need to say something to Nemanja Matic or Fabregas or to the team. They know what is going to happen, what the team are going to do; they know what Fabregas can give us when he then plays as a number ten rather than a number eight. The team is very solid,” he continued.

    Despite being brought on to shore up the back line, Mikel has only attempted three tackles this season, winning just one. He has how been given a lot of responsibility by Mourinho in a team that is looking like early title favourites.

    Mikel is currently in his ninth season with Chelsea since joining them in 2006 from Lyn Oslo.

  • Ebola: Mikel arrives Eagles’ camp, armed with gloves

    Ebola: Mikel arrives Eagles’ camp, armed with gloves

    Super Eagles midfielder, Mikel Obi, arrived the team training camp in Calabar armed with several hand gloves.

    He arrived the Eagles camp as scheduled and told Stephen Keshi he has at least four hand gloves as part of his own personal fight against Ebola, africanFootball.com reports.

    “Coach I have up to four hand gloves and if you don’t mind, I can hand one pair to you,” Mikel told Keshi with the rest of the squad reeling with laughter.

    Nigeria has recorded five deaths since the Ebola outbreak last month.

    However, the spirit in camp is very buoyant with the arrival of the superstars and Keshi said he expects the best from the players against Congo on Saturday.

    Meanwhile, 17 players have reported to camp with more players expected before the evening training after only nine players trained in the morning.

    Ahmed Musa, Ogenyi Onazi, Efe Ambrose, Kenneth Omeruo, Juwon Oshaniwa, Sone Aluko, and stand-in captain Austin Ejide have all arrived the team camp.

  • Mikel gets British passport October

    Mikel gets British passport October

    Super Eagles midfielder, Mikel Obi, will stay in Chelsea because he is due to get his British passport in October, africanFootball.com reports.

    A close associate of the Chelsea midfielder told africanFootball.com that Mikel declined offers from Monaco and Juventus because of his desire to get a British passport in October.

    “Mikel will be a British citizen by October and that was one of the main considerations why he has opted to stay put at Chelsea at least for the time being,” the player’s close associate informed africanFootball.com

    “There are offers from clubs like Juventus, Galatasaray and Monaco, but he would rather get his passport before he considers any of them.”