The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Mikel

  • EAGLES VS SPAIN Enyeama, Mikel rated best

    EAGLES VS SPAIN Enyeama, Mikel rated best

    •Gambo bags worst rating

     •Others settle for average

    Despite Super Eagles defeat and subsequent crash out of the ongoing Confederations Cup in Brazil, performance of the duo of goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and midfielder John Mikel Obi continues to be the talk of town and toast of analysts.

    Aside from submissions from a cross section of fans who spoke on the match that saw the Keshi lads go down 3-0, rating according to MTNfootball.com indicate that the duo scored 8 points out of 10 in the tie which saw strikers in the team wasting chances with recklessness.

    The Eagles safehand, who has literally colonised the goal since Keshi took over the mantle in the national team, was at his best posting a man-of-the match performance, making no fewer than five point blank saves.

    Mikel on his part showed a lot of courage and marshalled out the midfield with all seriousness. Aside from impressive dribbles from the Chelsea ace, he made water-tight passes with a shot on goal to garnish his overall performance for the night.

    The post of poorest player on the pitch with just two points out of ten, meanwhile, went to 71st minute substitute Gambo Muhammed who failed to convert begging chance created by Ahmed Musa and just awaiting delivery.

    While Elderson Chiejile and Ahmed Musa got 7 points for their efforts, six players Oboabona, Efe Ambrose, Brown Ideye, Fegor Ogude, Mba and Egwuekwe scored a point above average with the duo of Akpala and Ogu sealing the average 5-point score. Despite their performance adjudged impressive,virutally all the players got a bit of knocks for squandering chances that from all indications would have altered the result of the tie on one hand and shown that the Eagles indeed put up a good fight.

  • Mikel: Eagles were too wasteful

    Mikel: Eagles were too wasteful

    Super Eagles midfield manager, John Mikel Obi, has joined Head Coach Stephen Keshi in saying that the team’s marksmen at the ongoing Confederations Cup were too wasteful hence the team crashed out of the championship.

    Speaking after the team’s 3-0 loss to Spain in its last group game, Mikel declared that opportunities created by the team were too numerous but were simply not converted. “We came out to defeat the Spanish side and I think we may have even had the better possession against the World Champions but we simply did not take our chances and they took theirs, so we paid for our mistakes and are now heading out of the championship,” he said.

    Mikel says he was not taking anything away from the Spaniards whom he describes as fantastic but simply want Nigerians strikers to be more potent in from of goal. The Chelsea of England midfield star, who played the last two games with a slight fever says Nigerian will be back in Brazil next year from where the world will see the best of the reigning African champions.

    Meanwhile the Super Eagles departed Fortaleza for Sao Paolo en rout Lagos on Monday morning. The team is expected to leave its Seara Praia Hotel in Fortaleza by 10:30am local time, which is 2:30pm Nigerian time for Sao Paolo from where it will link a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa and another to Lagos. Some of the foreign based players will not be part of the returning party as they jet out to either meet their clubs for pre-season tours or plan for new abodes in the coming season in Europe that begins in the August.

  • Mikel rues Eagles loss

    SUPER Eagles starman, John Obi Mikel has expressed regret over Nigeria’s possible exit from the FIFA Confederations Cup when they fell 2-1 to Uruguay late Thursday night at the Arena Fonte Nova in the city of Salvador.

    Recall, Mikel almost stole the night with his 37th minute dazzling equaliser.

    “Great game, really wished we could get the 3points but great game,” he posted on his official Twitter page.

    The Chelsea midfielder scored Nigeria’s equaliser in the 37th minute when he skipped past his marker left-footed a shot past Fernando Muslera in the second Group game of the ongoing FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

    ?@MikelObi_12, he also tweeted, “Congrats to Diego Forlan on his 100th cap! Always nice playing against a legend.”

  • Chelsea deny Mikel link to Galatasaray

    Chelsea deny Mikel link to Galatasaray

    Chelsea have denied that Super Eagles midfielder, John Obi Mikel is set for a move to Galatasaray.

    A report in Turkish newspaper Sabah suggests Nigeria international Mikel, 26, had talked up the move saying: “I have played at Chelsea for a long time and it’s now time for me to leave.

    “I’m still only 26 and it’s great to receive an offer from a club [Galatasaray] playing Champions League football and doing well in the competition.”

    However, Chelsea have flatly denied that Mikel, who is currently on international duty at the Confederations Cup in Brazil, has given an interview to the publication or said anything regarding his future at the club.

    Reports have suggested that Mikel does not feature prominently in Jose Mourinho’s plans for the upcoming campaign.

    The midfielder has played over 180 games for Chelsea in a seven-year stint which has seen him win the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League and four FA Cups.

  • Mikel ‘ready’ to quit Chelsea

    Mikel ‘ready’ to quit Chelsea

    Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi has said he is ready quit the Europa Cup winners after Galatasaray tabled an offer for him.

    “I’m very pleased with Galatasaray’s offer,” MTNFootball.com quoted Mikel as saying to Turkish newspaper Sabah.

    “I asked Drogba for advice and he told me that Istanbul is a fantastic city, that Galatasaray is a huge club and that I have to make the move.

    “I have played at Chelsea for a long time and it’s now time for me to leave.

    “I’m still only 26 and it’s great to receive an offer from a club [Galatasaray] playing Champions League football and doing well in the competition.”

    The Nigeria international said he does not expect any cash problems and Chelsea to stand in his move to Turkey.

    “Talks have reached an advanced level between Chelsea and Galatasaray. Chelsea won’t make the move difficult and regarding my salary there won’t be a problem,” he said.

    “All that is left is for the clubs to reach an agreement.”

    The 26-year-old defensive midfielder joined Chelsea from FK Lyn for €26 million in 2006 and has four years left on his contract.

    Mikel has made 277 appearances for Chelsea during which time he has won two Premier League titles, four FA Cups and lifted the Champions League as well as the Europa League trophy.

     

     

  • Confederations Cup a World Cup test – Mikel

    Confederations Cup a World Cup test – Mikel

    Super Eagles midfielder, Mikel Obi, has said Nigeria will use the ongoing Confederations Cup to test its readiness for next year’s World Cup slated for Brazil.

    “It’s a good chance to see what the pitches and stadiums are like ahead of the World Cup, and hopefully we can be there in a year too,” MTNFootball.com quoted Mikel as saying on Chelsea official website.

    “We have a tough group with Spain and Uruguay, but it’s a chance for us to see where we are compared to other countries, if we make the World Cup.

    “This competition will be good for us to test ourselves and we will see what happens.”

    Early on Sunday, the Eagles landed in Belo Horizonte after a much-publicised row over win bonuses in Namibia.

    And Chelsea midfielder Mikel said participation in the Confederations Cup will put him and the Eagles in the record books.

    “It makes the season a little bit longer but it’s why we play football, to be champions and play in tournaments like this, to put your name in the record books,” he said.

    “I love being an African champion; it doesn’t come often for many people.

    “I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved and I hope we can keep enjoying it.”

    He added: “I’ve not been to Brazil before, so this will be my first chance to go and play there. It will be great because I always looked up to the Brazilian team when I was growing up. Their football has always been what everyone looks at, so I would love to go there and also see the culture and how people live.”

     

     

  • Mikel denies Galatasaray

    Mikel denies Galatasaray

    Reports at home and abroad claiming Nigeria international and Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has agreed in principle to join Galatasaray are wide of the mark, says highly respected journalist Colin Udoh .

    Colin Udoh, who is close to Mikel and his agent John Shittu said on Twitter: ”Just got a call from Mikel re Galatasaray. Says he is aware of the interest, but has not agreed anything yet: ‘Nothing like that.”

    To put in another way, Galatasaray will have to break their piggy bank if they are to lure the former Lyn Oslo ace to Istanbul.

    ”When I spoke to Shittu (Mikel’s manager) last week, he told me its up to Chelsea. But only if Gala stumped up some stupid money,” adds Colin Udoh.

    Obi Mikel, who has spent the last seven years at Chelsea, is rated around 23 million euros by transfer market experts.

  • Mikel ‘agrees’ to join Galatasaray

    Mikel ‘agrees’ to join Galatasaray

    Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi has given his word to Turkish champions Galatasaray he wishes to join the team.

    Galatasaray sporting director Bulent Tulun said Mikel has agreed in principle to join them, according to a leading Turkey football website fotomac.

    MTNFootball.com reports that the Nigerian international is expected to replace Brazil star Fillipe Melo, who is on his way to either Brazil or Italy.

    Chelsea returning boss Jose Mourinho and both clubs are expected to decide on this transfer, said Tulun, who met with other top officials this week on the matter.

     

     

  • WCQ: Mikel to play in Namibia’s ‘artificial pitch’

    Chelsea star Mikel Obi will defy doctor’s orders and play for Nigeria on artificial pitch against hosts Namibia In Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier.

    Mikel has suffered a recurring back injury and only recently nursed a hip injury with Chelsea doctors maintaining he should avoid playing on the hard surface of an artificial pitch.

    He shone in Monday’s training, along with goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and Kenneth Omeruo, who is soon to join up at Stamford Bridge.

    Incidentally, Galatasaray-target Mikel has often been knocked for not showing enough commitment to the national team.

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, told MTNFootball.com that he does not expect any of his players to struggle with playing on the astro turf at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek, venue of the match.

    “I don’t expect us to have any problems with the pitch. We have trained on astro turf and just decided to use grass today (Monday). Tomorrow (Tuesday) we will train at the match ground again,” he said.

    The Eagles on Monday had an hour’s training session in the cold in Windhoek with temperature going to as low as six degrees.

    Keshi also declared that the boys are battle ready for the Brave Warriors.

     

  • Galatasaray open talks with Chelsea for Mikel

    Galatasaray open talks with Chelsea for Mikel

    Turkish champions Galatasaray have opened talks with Chelsea for Nigeria midfielder Mikel Obi, MTNFootball.com can exclusively reveal.

    Galatasaray sporting director Bulent Tulun is currently in London talking with the top hierarchy of the London club on the acquisition of Mikel.

    The deal is being brokered by Nigeria FIFA agent Babawo Mohammed and Hasan Egilmez and if it goes through, Mikel Obi will join up with his former Chelsea team mate and friend Didier Drogba.

    A source in Turkey told MTNFootball.com that Galatasaray are keen on adding the Nigerian to their squad.

    “As I speak to you, Galatasaray sporting director Tulun is in London to discuss on signing Mikel Obi from Chelsea this summer, we want to sort out with his club first before we will open discussions with the player,” the source told MTNFootball.com

    One of the agents facilitating the transfer Babawo Mohammed further confirmed Galatasaray’s interest in the Chelsea star to MTNFootball.com

    “Galatasaray have shown interest to sign Mikel and I have been informed that they are in London talking with Chelsea about the deal,” Babawo Mohammed told MTNFootball.com

    Galatasaray will have to splash a fortune on Mikel because he has a contract with Chelsea till June 2017.

    ‘Gala’ will play in UEFA Champions League next season after they retained the Turkey league ahead of city rivals Fenerbache.

    This past season they reached the knockout stage of the competition.