JOHN OBI MIKEL’S arms flail around as he recalls teacups and tables being launched across the Chelsea changing room.
In 11 gilded years at Stamford Bridge, the Nigerian midfielder saw ten head coaches come and go but there was no doubting the club’s true leader.
Speaking in 2019, Mikel revealed: “If we lost a game, we may not speak to each other for a day to show this was not good and tomorrow had to be better.
“We were just so hungry. Did we take it a bit too far? Sometimes, yes, we had to.
“There were people fighting, grabbing round the neck, JT smashing the table and drinks. If we were losing a game you did not want to be in the dressing room.
“There were countless times. If we were 1-0 down at half-time and had to win, he did it time in, time out.
“The manager would speak and then leave it to JT to carry on.
“He smashes the whole place up and then we go back out and get the win.
“What he said, we followed. What he did, we followed. We looked at him for a reaction and we followed.
“No matter what manager came in, you had to know the figurehead of the club was John Terry.”
That all seems a lifetime ago for Mikel, 33.
The years have passed since he left Chelsea for China but the Champions League winner made his return to English football after signing a short-term deal with Boro in the 2018-19 season.
The midfielder explained: “I look at my time in China as an experience — it wasn’t bad.
“Everyone was so nice but sometimes you miss home and that’s what I did. I missed home and wanted to come back.”
Mikel said: “I’ve been there and won many trophies and I want to try to instil that in this team.
“For me it’s about talking to the players on the pitch, encouraging the young ones, keeping a clean sheet and building from there.
“I’ve only been here two weeks but I’m really enjoying it. It feels a bit like Chelsea for me when you walk in.”
In the second tier, Mikel found himself in direct competition with former Blues team-mates, though, after Ashley Cole joined Frank Lampard’s Derby and Terry became a coach at Aston Villa.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.sportingexcitement.com/football/premier-league/ex-chelsea-and-arsenal-star-nicolas-anelka-admits-he-is-ashamed-of-nightmare-spell-at-juventus-after-2013-transfer
