Ekun Samuel, 13 November 2016
Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has reportedly told the ‘Sun’ he is probably been punished by Chelsea’s boss Antonio Content, for featuring in the Olympics with Nigeria where he won a bronze medal.
The 29-year-old, the longest serving player in the Chelsea squad after Chelsea’s captain John Terry, was not available with the team for preseason. Mikel who featured for Chelsea 33 times 2015/2016 season hasn’t made a single appearance for Chelsea this season after been frozen out by Antonio Content, he hasn’t even make the bench for a single match this season. Mikel featured for Nigeria in Saturday’s 3-1 thrashing of Algeria in Uyo where he scored a goal and Victor Moses scored a brace.
Speaking to the ‘Sun’, he said: ‘I have never been a guy who makes excuses in life and never shy away from responsibilities.
‘Yes, maybe people will say the new manager was upset I left and went to the Olympics; that I didn’t have a pre-season with the team.
‘He probably thinks I don’t care about the team, things like that.
‘But I don’t want to use those excuses. I have to keep training hard and make sure I change the manager’s mind. If not, then we’ll see what happens in January.
‘But, no, I would never swap my Olympic medal for a place back in the Chelsea team.’
