The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Mikel

  • Job half done, says Mikel

    Job half done, says Mikel

    Chelsea star Mikel Obi has said the job is half done after Nigeria beat Malawi to qualify for the 2014 World Cup playoffs.

    “We have done 50 per cent of the job and hopefully we will complete it by winning the playoff to qualify for the World Cup,” said Mikel, who was picked as the man of the match as the African champions went past Malawi 2-0 on Saturday.

    The draw for the playoffs will be conducted on September 18, in Cairo, Egypt.

    Nigeria are most likely to be among the five seeded teams in the draw and so will avoid the likes of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Algeria.

    But Mikel insisted they will not wish to pick their knockout round opponents.

    “We will be ready for whoever we will be drawn against. We just have to remain focused and we will be back in Brazil again,” he said referring to the country’s appearance at the recent FIFA Confederations Cup in the South American nation.

    The midfielder will even tip the Eagles to make history by becoming the first African team to reach the last four of the World Cup.

    “We could get to the semi-finals (of the World Cup) and then the final,”predicted Mikel, who missed his first World Cup appearance in South Africa in 2010 due to a knee injury.

  • Mikel, Moses get action date

    Mikel, Moses get action date

    The Super Eagles duo of John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses as well as their Chelsea teammates now have a date for their Capital One Cup third round tie against Swindon Town after drawing bye in the earlier exchanges.

    The Blues are scheduled to face the League one side away from home on Tuesday 24 September 2013.

    To make it to this stage Swindon caused an upset when Alex Pritchard’s injury-time goal sealed victory over QPR.

    The Championship home team were booed off by their own fans after a dismal display at Loftus Road that saw them lose to the lower League side

    Hoping for another upset, Swindon will host Chelsea at the the County Ground where kick-off is already fixed for 7.45pm (local time).

    Chelsea have played Swindon in the League Cup once before – 50 years ago when the team lost 3-0 in another away tie.

  • OPERATION CRUSH MALAWI: Mikel, Moses, Enyeama commited to Nigeria

    OPERATION CRUSH MALAWI: Mikel, Moses, Enyeama commited to Nigeria

     •Ready for the battle of Calabar

    Super Eagles trio of Vincent Enyeama, Mikel Obi and Victor Moses have pledged their loyalty to the country, and will remain very focused towards ensuring that the country’s flag is hoisted at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Revealing this to Sportinglife on Monday, the Head Coach of the team, Stephen Keshi said he is constantly in touch with the players and they have vowed to put in their best to ensure that the team qualifies for the Mundial.

    The Big Boss said: “I spoke to Vincent Enyeama, Mikel Obi, and Victor Moses. They have all given their commitment to ensuring that we qualify for the World Cup. They promised to remain focused to the service of their fatherland and will put in everything to the remaining matches to ensure we get to the World Cup.”

    He also confirmed of speaking to other players who have vowed to crush the Flames of Malawi in Calabar.

     

     

  • Go to Napoli!

    Go to Napoli!

    Akpoborie BEGS Mikel…

    Ex-Nigeria star Jonathan Akpoborie has said Mikel Obi has to quit Chelsea if he is to be Africa’s best player for 2013.

    Mikel was outstanding at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations as Nigeria won a third continental diadem and he also shone at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil in June.

    He equally contributed to Chelsea winning the UEFA Europa League, a season after they won a historic UEFA Champions League trophy.

    But former VfB Stuttgart and Wolfsburg forward Akpoborie said he believes all those exploits won’t be enough to earn the Chelsea midfielder the CAF African Player of 2013, if he is not playing regularly at his English Premier League club before the end of the year.

    “Mikel is a sure candidate for the African Player of the Year 2013, going by what he did at the Nations Cup and Confederations Cup for Nigeria. He also did well for Chelsea as they won the Europa League, but all those efforts will be in vain if he doesn’t get to play regularly for his club,” Akpoborie told MTNFootball.com

    “He needs to leave Chelsea now for him to get chance to win the award. The writing is on the wall that he is not (Chelsea manager Jose) Mourinho’s first choice.

    “In my own opinion, Mikel should now go to Napoli.”

    This summer, Napoli, Anzhi and Turkish giants Galatasaray have expressed interest in the player, who has yet to feature for Chelsea in the EPL thus far.

    It’s the only way to be Africa’s best

  • Bonus row: Akpoborie backs Mikel, Enyeama

    Bonus row: Akpoborie backs Mikel, Enyeama

    Former Super Eagles forward Jonathan Akpoborie has backed the current squad on the fight against bonus cuts by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

    Trouble ensued when the Eagles initially refused to travel for the FIFA Confederations Cup held in Brazil from Windhoek after a 1-1 draw with Namibia as they demanded a $10,000 wining bonus while the NFF was only willing to pay half the amount.

    Three key members of the Super Eagles, John Obi Mikel, Vincent Enyeama and Austin Ejide all failed to honour an invitation to state their case before the bonus row committee set up by Nigeria Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi, and Akpoborie has defended the action of the players.

    “All government officials in Nigeria have increase in allowances. Even the on-going ASUU strike. Please pay the players what they deserve,” he wrote on his Twitter handle on Friday. “(Football is) The only thing that brings Nigerians together and we don’t want to pay for it. It’s shameful

    “When I played I got 5000 (dollars) as bonus. That was 13 years ago. The cost of living is not the same again please. If you abolish the Super Eagles draw bonus, automatically, you must double the winning bonus too,” he wrote.

    Nigeria will host Malawi in a 2014 World Cup qualifier on September 7 and a win will see the African Champions qualify to the final stage of the CAF qualifiers.

  • Shaky future for Mikel at Chelsea

    Shaky future for Mikel at Chelsea

    John Obi Mikel’s seemingly fragile future at the Stamford Bridge continues to hang in the balance following a revelation that Chelsea would soon sign Brazillian midfielder,Willian, a situation that would move the Super Eagles star further down the pecking order in the battle for a place in the midfield.

    Already, Mikel has been left out of Chelsea’s first two Premier League games against Hull City and Aston Villa. In fact, in the opening day fixture against Hull, the Nigeria international was not even listed while he was an unused substitute against Villa.

    Ahead of Monday, when the Blues will face bitter rivals, Manchester United in a top-of-the-bill clash, the wait continues to ascertain whether Mikel still features in Mourinho’s plan for this season or not, and whether he will eventually get to play.

    Also, if Willian finally comes to Stamford Bridge, that could force Mikel to seek playing time elsewhere or step up his game to regain the ‘Happy One’s’ confidence as the Brazilian’s arrival promises to provide a stiffer competition to a Blues midfield that already boasts of world-class midfielders like Eden Hazard, Ramirez, Juan Mata, Oscar and Juan Mata.

    Chelsea on Thursday made a shock entrance into the race to sign Willian despite the Brazil international having a medical ahead of a proposed £30m move to White Hart Lane.

    Willian is yet to agree personal terms with the Blues but reports say he is attracted by the chance to play Champions League football, compete for the Premier League title as well as working under Mourinho.

    Meanwhile, Turkish giants Galatasaray have reportedly stepped up their interest in the Nigeria international by submitting a N2.5b (£10m) bid as against Napoli’s £15m reported offer.

    And according to Turkish newspaper Fanatik, Mikel would be willing to take a pay cut to push through a move to Galatasaray.

  • Galatasaray bid N2b for Mikel

    Galatasaray bid N2b for Mikel

    Galatasaray have moved to reunite Super Eagles midfielder, John Obi Mikel with former-Chelsea teammate, Didier Drogba after the Turkish giants made a £10m bid (N2,521,461,150,000 billion) for the midfielder, according to talkSPORT.

    The Nigerian international has been linked with a move away from Chelsea this summer and speculations have increased since Jose Mourinho returned for his second spell as Stamford Bridge boss.

    Chelsea have since signed Marco van Ginkel from Vitesse Arnhem, and 26-year-old Mikel is now believed to be surplus to requirements.

    Napoli, managed by former-Chelsea boss, Rapher Benitez, are also keen on the defensive midfielder, and may consider a bid of their own following Galatasaray’s move.

    The Turkish giants are keen to strengthen and build on their Champions League success from last season. The double capture of Drogba and Wesley Sneijder helped Galatasaray to the Champions League quarter-finals last term.

    Mikel has not featured in either of Chelsea’s Premier League games so far this season, with Mourinho favouring Frank Lampard and Ramires.

    And Chelsea have got off to a strong start under their new manager, winning their opening two games of the season against newly promoted Hull City on Sunday and Aston Villa on Wednesday evening.

  • Keshi defends Moses, Mikel

    Keshi defends Moses, Mikel

    Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi , is not bothered by the lack of playing time allocated to two of his most trusted stalwarts, Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel at Barclays English Premier League club, Chelsea.

    The duo were left out of Chelsea’s two opening league fixtures against Hull City and Aston Villa.

    Frank Lampard, Ramires, Eden Hazard, Oscar, Juan Mata and Kevin de Bruyne have been the preferred choices in midfield for the Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho in the Blues’ opening two competitive fixtures this term.

    Keshi is however calm about the situation as he insists that “there are no sentiments in issues like these.”

    “I am not in control of what happens at Chelsea. Mourinho is the manager of Chelsea. That’s what I have been trying to let Nigerians know.

    “There are no sentiments in issues like these. For top coaches (like Mourinho), it’s about the team and never about the individuals. If Mourinho feels that Mikel and Moses are not ready to play in the opening games, so be it.,” Keshi exclusively told supersport.com.

    Mourinho declared in July that players, who do not have regular playing time under their belt at their club, could struggle at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil with their respective national teams.

    Keshi has however disclosed that he has no qualms selecting both players to play for the Super Eagles whether or not they enjoy regular game time at Chelsea.

    “(Failure to get regular playing time at Chelsea) does not mean that I will not invite both players to play for Nigeria. The only reasons that will stop me from inviting these players is if they are either injured or not in good shape,” he said.

     

  • Mikel linked with Monaco move

    Mikel linked with Monaco move

    Nigerian international, John Obi Mikel,has been linked with a move to big spending French Ligue 1 side, Monaco.

    The future of the Chelsea midfielder has been the subject of speculation, with the 26-year old heavily linked with a move out of Stamford Bridge.

    Mikel was initially said to be on the radar of two top Turkish clubs, Galatasaray and Trabzonspor, with Italian side, Napoli equally in the mix.

    Even there were rumours that Napoli could have offered as much £20m for Mikel, but there was no substance in the claims.

    Galatasaray was the first to show interest in Mikel, with the player confirming at the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil, that he is unsure about his future at the Europa Cup winners.

    The Nigerian midfielder was not in the Chelsea squad that defeated Hull City 2-0 on Sunday.

     

     

     

  • Napoli makes official bid for Mikel

    Napoli makes official bid for Mikel

    Italia Serie A club Napoli has made an official offer for Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, futaa.com reports.

    The offer is believed to be 15 million Euros, according to report on eyefootball.com

    The Nigeria international may now be ready to listen to offers from the Italian club having fallen behind Ramires as first choice holding midfielder at Stamford Bridge.

    Napoli manager Rafa Benitez has been busy scouting Europe for new players and has already signed the likes of Pepe Reina and Gonzalo Higuain this summer.

    Benitez is now ready to raid his former club Chelsea with a move for Mikel.

    The Europa Cup winners are believed to be eager to keep the midfielder unless a bid of more than 15 million Euros is received.