Chelsea legend John Terry highlighted one in all his good former teammates who may nonetheless play within the Premier League at present.
Becoming a member of talkSPORT Breakfast for an hour alongside Ally McCoist and Gabby Agbonlahor, Terry mirrored on his exceptional Chelsea profession, and one identify stood out: John Obi Mikel.
5
5
Terry spoke with real admiration for the midfielder, with whom he shared 11 years at Stamford Bridge with.
“He was good,” Terry mentioned on talkSPORT Breakfast.
“To have him in entrance of me taking part in was good. He lined a lot floor.
“I nonetheless play in ex-legends video games now and he can nonetheless play. He may nonetheless play within the Premier League at present. He had all of it, did not he?
“These holding midfielders like Makelele get recognised. Sure gamers in that position do not get the credit score they deserve. And Obi was one in all them.”
Mikel’s Chelsea journey was nothing in need of exceptional, spanning from 2006 to 2017.
His preliminary arrival was steeped in controversy, ignited by a dramatic switch saga with Manchester United that saved everybody speaking.
In April 2005, Obi appeared set to hitch United, even posing of their shirt—however issues took a twist when he revealed he felt pressured into that call and actually favored Chelsea.
This sparked a dispute that introduced FIFA into the combo, main Chelsea to pay Manchester United a major £12 million compensation payment, together with a cost to his former membership Lyn Oslo, turning his signature into one of the vital sensational transfers of the time.
Regardless of a rocky begin, Mikel quickly grew to become a beloved and dependable defensive midfielder beneath varied managers, identified for his calmness beneath stress and poise on the ball, rapidly establishing himself as a necessary a part of the Chelsea midfield.
5
Throughout his illustrious tenure at Stamford Bridge, Mikel collected a formidable array of silverware, being a key member of the squad that clinched two Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups, the League Cup, the UEFA Champions League in 2012, and the UEFA Europa League in 2013.
Mikel retired from soccer in 2022, and on the time he shared on social media: “There’s a saying that ‘all good issues should come to an finish’, and for my skilled soccer profession, that day is at present.”
When Mikel joined talkSPORT beforehand, he spoke of Rafa Benitez’s time as Chelsea boss, which Chelsea followers might not keep in mind fondly.
Chelsea supporters harboured little affection for Benitez, primarily as a result of his substitute of the adored Di Matteo, which led to unrest and protests inside the fanbase.
Regardless of successful the Europa League and ending within the high 4, he by no means gained the help of the Chelsea followers.
Mikel recounted: “There was one thing about Rafa and the followers; they only didn’t take to him.”
5
5
“There was an identical sentiment with the gamers—we didn’t absolutely settle for him as one in all us.”
He elaborated on the strain surrounding John Terry, who discovered himself sidelined.
“When Rafa got here in, he had the uncomfortable process of explaining to JT why he wasn’t taking part in as a lot as he needed.”
The temper within the dressing room was undeniably charged, as Mikel described the dynamic among the many gamers.
“The gamers positively had affect; I believe JT, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, and Petr Cech all performed pivotal roles within the dressing room. They voiced their considerations in the event that they felt a supervisor wasn’t assembly the gamers’ wants or in the event that they weren’t having fun with their soccer.”
When Jim White requested if Roman Abramovich knew the gamers have been primarily steering the ship, Mikel responded with fun, “Yeah, he knew.”
Terry has since revisited the tumultuous interval beneath Benitez on The Obi Wan Podcast, sharing the second when his personal frustrations got here to a head.
“We performed Man Metropolis within the FA Cup, I believe it was the quarter-final and he wasn’t taking part in me.
“We have been at loggerheads. We have been arguing on the coaching pitch and he was leaving me out of the workforce, leaving me off the bench and all the pieces, however I insisted on travelling with the workforce.
“I used to be on the bench towards Man Metropolis and I believe we misplaced 2-1 however we got here in after the sport and he addressed the group and mentioned, ‘Ah guys it doesn’t matter, we’ve received one other massive recreation on the weekend’.
“On the time you might really feel that Man Metropolis have been doing one thing and I’d simply had sufficient.
“I used to be like ‘f***ing hell, that’s accepted? No likelihood that’s accepted. He accepted us dropping to Man Metropolis and I used to be throughout the dressing room coming in the direction of him and all the lads are pulling me again and he’s now strolling in the direction of me and we’re attempting to get at one another.
“I used to be like ‘no, that’s not accepted at Chelsea – possibly at Liverpool, it’s accepted to lose a quarter-final however at Chelsea, that’s not accepted’.”
John Terry was talking on Chelsea and the upcoming FIFA Membership World Cup. Watch each recreation from the FIFA Membership World Cup on DAZN without spending a dime. Enroll at present.