Mikel Obi spoke exclusively on his Chelsea career, playing for the Super Eagles and getting married, in an interesting interview with Kayode Tijani.
Excerpts:
DAY HE WAS INITIATED BY THE CHELSEA BIG BOYS
In Chelsea before each game we always have a motivational speech from one of the members of the team and it takes a MAN to make that kind of speech, and they have been asking me that Mikel you have to start making this speech because you are becoming an important player in the Team, this was in my third season at the Club,, it’s the right time to make the speech they kept reminding me. So I said okay, I am going to give the speech. Interestingly I gave a good speech and we went on to beat Middleborough 5-0 and they all told me that I I am going to be making the speeches every week so that we can be beating every team 5-0. So you know you have been initiated, you have just finished your apprenticeship in the Team and have joined the top guys, you are now an important part of the team, and you know you are a man in the Team. If people like Frank Lampard and John Terry say you are now a man I believe them. Right now I know the expectations of people on me every week, they expect to see me on top of my game, it takes a lot, I have to be prepared for it, rest a lot, concentrate, be focused, and give people what they want to see. From my first game at Chelsea where I almost scored I have developed the confidence I needed to succeed at Chelsea. Yeah its difficult when you play with players like Frank Lampard and Deco and Ballack in the middle, these are quite experienced and world class acts, the best midfield players you can look for anywhere. I think playing with these players I have learnt a lot from them, all of them, I think they make my job easier, much more easier and I make their jobs much more easier for them as well, it’s all about working together and understanding each other and that has made the Chelsea and the Team in general successful over the years. We want to be together, we play together, always looking out for each other.