“You Cannot Become a Legend With Your Mouth": Ex Super Eagles Coach Oliseh to Mikel, Video Trends
- Nigerian football legend, Sunday Oliseh, has expressed his opinion that former Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi "needs some help"
- Legit.ng recalls that Obi, in November 2023, opened up on the entitlement mentality of family members
- But Oliseh in a new interview faulted Mikel's disposition, saying "in Africa, it is our pride to help your family"
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering sports and football in Nigeria and worldwide.
FCT, Abuja - Former Super Eagles captain and head coach, Sunday Oliseh, has criticised his compatriot, Mikel Obi, for some of the comments made on podcast productions.
Legit.ng reports that Oliseh and Mikel have had a frosty relationship since the former's stint as manager of the senior men's national team.
Source: Getty Images
Speaking in an interview with Elegbete TV Sports, Oliseh advised Mikel to do a self-assessment.
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Citing a popular 2023 interview with English Premier League (EPL) icon, Rio Ferdinand, where Mikel talked about ‘black tax’ — an unstructured financial burden usually placed on a successful person by members of their extended family, Oliseh berated the Olympic bronze medalist for ‘humiliating’ his family.
He said:
“When he (Mikel) made the statement (when Mikel said Oliseh was clueless as Super Eagles coach), I heard about it. But it would be degrading for me to go on television and begin to argue with the boy (Mikel).
“But I would like to help him; I think he needs some help.
“You cannot become a legend with your mouth. You cannot achieve what you are not able to achieve with your foot on the pitch of play as a footballer, you cannot achieve it outside the pitch with talking and with podcast.”
“When I watched this video (where Mikel said family members threatened to blackmail him if he stopped sending money), what I saw shocked me. That is why I felt Obi Mikel needs help.
“Never in the history of Nigeria has one player ever gone on a foreign podcast and totally humiliated his family by calling them beggars, problems, and everything. When I saw it, I was shocked. And that is why I am saying that this disrespect of family and people that are older than you has to stop.”
The FIFA technical study group member added:
“In Africa, it is our pride when you make life, to help your family. In fact, it is your duty.”
Expert disagrees with Oliseh
Meanwhile, reacting to the criticism of Mikel, Sulaimon Ndagi, a sports blogger, said Oliseh repeatedly calling the ex-Chelsea man a kid simply because he has a 27-year-old child shows he (Oliseh) is "disrespectful".
Ndagi told Legit.ng:
"Mikel has won more in football than Oliseh and has earned his name in the game.
"Additionally, Mikel does not need help for saying all he has said. He may have overstated a few facts but it doesn’t show he requires help.
"Oliseh’s reign was marred by crisis and high-handedness. That is not a sign of a good coach."
Read more on Super Eagles of Nigeria
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- Super Eagles: Details of foreign coach who may replace Finidi George emerge
Oliseh speaks on 'problematic' Super Eagles legend
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Oliseh named Mikel, Vincent Enyeama and Emmanuel Emenike as the three players the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said were problematic to the national team.
Oliseh accused Mikel of disregard, saying when he sent a message to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) winner, “he never responded; he never called me back; he totally ignored me”.
Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
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Source: Legit.ng
