“Cheerio, cheerio, cheerio,” the Old Trafford crowd jeered, waving John Obi Mikel off the pitch enthusiastically. Just days before, Jose Mourinho had been sacked and with half an hour played in to their first game without him, they were down to ten men.
Mikel had clattered in to Patrice Evra and Mike Dean showed no hesitation in sending him off. Studs showing, foot over the ball. Replays would suggest that whilst plausible, it was a rather harsh decision. However, following Dean’s reluctance to punish Joe Cole appropriately for bringing Evra down in the area, getting no contact on the ball, the decisions were evened out.
This suited United fans far better anyway. There’s nothing like getting the last laugh on a player who disrespected your club. See, Mikel signed a contract with United, then got his head turned by money and threats, which saw him joining Chelsea before he even played a game for us.
“I am pleased to get the chance to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world,” explained Mikel after signing for United. “I’m looking forward to it. I am surprised that a big club like Manchester United wanted me. I had a contract with Lyn and not with Chelsea. I read about it in the papers, but haven’t heard from them.”
After expressing his delight at signing for United, a few days later he was giving exclusives to Sky Sports, ridiculously claiming that he’d be forced in the deal, despite the happy pictures and press statements to the contrary.
“I signed a contract with Manchester United and I didn’t do that of my own free will,” Mikel claimed. “I was put under a lot of pressure to do that. I was denied advice from my agent and people I trust and I didn’t get much time to think about that. I did something I did not want to do.”
We certainly have had the last laugh since then though, several times over!
After losing out on the title to Manchester United, Chelsea were keen to redeem themselves with European success against us in the Champions League final.
“There is a sense of frustration but determination among everyone,” said Mikel before the trip to Moscow. “At the end of the day, we wouldn’t have won the title anyway. We wanted to win and we knew that three points was our only chance of beating Manchester United, but it wasn’t to be. We were saying to each other afterwards that we would put things right in Moscow. We will keep working hard until the final and make sure we win the Champions League. They’re a very good side, we all know that, but we have to focus on the day. I think we’re going to win it.”
It’s hilarious to think that Mikel was hell-bent on forcing a move to Chelsea, yet in his two years at the club, he has lost out to United for two league titles as well as the European Cup. Had he just stayed with us, he’d have a far more impressive medal collection…but that is his look out.
In his 87 league appearances for Chelsea, he has received an incredible 4 red cards. Phil Neville is amongst the midfielder’s critics, claiming that his stud showing tackles have to stop.
In Nigeria, Mikel’s home country, Sir Alex Ferguson has been asked about the young player who could have been his. Fergie believes we could have made him a better player than the one he has turned out to be.
“Because of his talent and his young age we thought we could have developed him [Mikel] the right way,” Ferguson said. “At the time we were disappointed because we thought that Mikel would be a Manchester United player. But he chose Chelsea in the real sense of the matter and there was nothing we could do about that. In the past we have witnessed circumstances like this but you have to forget everything and move on.”
Since Mikel turned us down, United have bulked up the central midfield with the signings of Hargreaves, Anderson and Carrick, all of whom I’d prefer in our team ahead of the Nigerian. However, when not making dangerous challenges, the lad has shown some potential and could have become a good player for us.
Do you wish we had managed to hold on to Mikel and blossom under Fergie’s guidance?
Man Utd News 24/7
I first saw this guy in the world U20 tournament – Messi won player of the tournament award but Mikel was a ManAmongBoys.
He might not be the “finished product” but he has been a very, very, very good player in his first season in the EPL.
The real question is: is Mikel or Anderson goig to develop into the better player ?
I ask that because the signing of Anderson was directly related to the compensation agreement with Chel$ki which happened after they stole Midle.
Anybody think Fergie is far too honest for his own good?. His forthrightness in interviews gets him into so much trouble, and the press have a field day giving their own distorted take on all he says sometimes.
Champions League Winners Medals
Anderson 1 – 0 Mikel
Nani 1 – 0 Mikel
That’s the beauty about Fergie, he’s not afraid to speak his mind. unlike some of the othe spineless managers in the league. But I think in the Mikel situation it’ would have been all down to the player and his eagerness to learn from arguably the best manager british football has ever seen, being at Chelsea and switching managers more than I change my socks (joke btw, i’m quite a hygenic person) can’t be good for a young players development.
hey guys, i am a nigerian and apart from the fact that i am a fan of man united, our national team which is the super eagles will still suffer for mikel’s decision to join the rent boys. we needed a replacement for jay-jay okocha nad we thought it was mikel but what we are seeing now is that mikel is more of a defensive player than the attacking breed that we really need. anyway, as a man united fan, i am happy he did not come here because i would not have seen that boy wonder-
andersson-son-son.
mikel who? i believe in anderson-son -son..
yea i agree Craig mc,
but i think the press love Fergie, he knows how to play the media caricature of the ‘angry fergie’ image which is obv complete bollocks in reality.
ultimately SAF is the godfather of english football and i don’t think he cares how the press interpret him, he’s got nothing left to prove anyway.
The press will definitely miss him when he’s gone!
ps great site scott
Anderson-son-son shits all over Mikel.
And you can call me sadistic all you want, and how I’m a terrible person, But man, i pissed myself laughing when he was walking off OT in tears….hahaha brilliant!! I cant wait for two years from now when he is sold off to some second rate spanish/italian team and he looks back at the day he decided to join chelski as the worst decision of his life. All the while, Anderson establishes himself as one of the best CMs in world football.
Anderson-son-son
he is better than Mikel-shit-son.
Anderson-son-son
He is our midfield magican.
To the left, to the right, he was better than Mikel tonight.
Unlike the known Fidel.
BUT HE SHITS ON THAT PRICK MIKEL!
Mikel is a good player but describing him as great I believe is without any real evidence. He plays bit part roles in Chelsea’s midfield and has never fully settled into the London club. My biggest problem is his ridiculous claims against United. I believe Anderson will turn out to be a more dynamic player due to his strength, versatility, touch, and great vision.
I don’t think Mikel well develop much further and I do not rate him as highly as his other Chelsea counterparts. I am glad Chelsea fought so hard and paid for the player that I think has never fully lived up to the hype that surrounded him.
Chelsea killed Mikel’s ability as an attacking midfielder and even his team mates in the Nigerian National squad have acknowledged that…
I saw anderson in person yesterday! Ha ha yeah! For those who are thinking “whats the big deal”, i am from singapore.
mikel just made a terrible gumble and that is what will haunt him forever; having lost the best opportunity to develop and show the talent that he had; he’s definiteley rotting with the old boys who lack creativity at chelski…..
Anyway i dun think mikel has reached his peak. He can learn if he leaves chelsea and go to arsenal or come to united. But then again, he is not welcome here anymore.
Name the players who would have prospered if they had joined ManU:
1. Alan Shearer
2. Ballack
3. Mikel
4. Essien
5. in time to come: Aaron Ramsey
Glad we never ended up getting him, he has a poor attiude and would never had fitted into our club.
Anderson > Mikel
Bob Koh, you missed out Arjen Robben (and Paul Gascoigne going further back) from your list of players who would have done better coming to Old Trafford.
Yes, Mikel would have won more medal with us but do you really reckon that’s what motivates him? It’s all about the money (for which Chelsea have had precious little value).
And, yes, Anderson has vastly more potential than Mikel.
SAF said it all,Mikel would have been the best,had he come to man u,we are still feeling that mistake he made in our national team(Nigeri),he was deployed to a defensive midfeild position in his club and that really curbed is potential of moving forward,he did a wonderful job against man u during the FA cup final that we lost last two season,but that was far from the mikel we use to know,he still got potentials,all he need is to be confident,I feel so sorry for him because he was deceived by is agent and its very painful.Football would become all about greed very soon if we do not curb the excesses of those theives who call themselves agents,thesame case is also similar with Jorge mendes who is Ronaldo’s agent,they do not give proper advice to the player and it so sad.
Sometimes I cant help but feel pity for mikel Obi,He is now known for red cards while is mate during the U 20 World cup Lionel Messi is becoming world class player(all this development is due to the right club he joined)Mikel went for money too early and I hope he bounce back,he is my brother,my own country man,i cant crucify him,the truth just have to be told,I really feel for him though because there is a big competition in chelsea’s midfeild.But he will bounce back
Obi Mikel has progressed at Chelski, he has learnt like all Chelsea players to be a BOXER. If things aren’t going your way, start hacking away at limbs, like he did with Evra. Like Joe arseHole did to Ronaldo. Like all Chelski players do if they are losing. Mikel has learned the art of thuggery good and proper, and he has learnt from the top thugs, Terry, A> Cole, Lampard, Carvalho etc.
Stephen mate, you said right. Mikel’s not at Chelsea long before he got the Chelski ATTITUDE. Ballack is another, he started that whole fracas in the CL final, Tevez and Terry were sorting it, until Ballack started in on Tev pushing him about. Chelski operate on a short fuse, and one day they will fecking electrocute themselves.
Anybody know a boxing joint to take the kid……. oh, a kickbocking joint. He would do well there coz he’s gonna break someones leg. Who knows even for a chelski’s player during training!!!!!!!!