{"id":902232,"date":"2026-04-29T04:17:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T09:17:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/29\/thats-what-i-like-mikel-obi-backs-former-teammate-for-chelsea-job\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T04:17:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T09:17:13","slug":"thats-what-i-like-mikel-obi-backs-former-teammate-for-chelsea-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/29\/thats-what-i-like-mikel-obi-backs-former-teammate-for-chelsea-job\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThat\u2019s what I like\u201d\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Mikel Obi\u00a0backs former teammate for Chelsea\u00a0job"},"content":{"rendered":"

Soccer <\/p>\n

\n
\n

\"Soccer<\/p>\n

Mikel Obi on the Obi One podcast. [Photo credit: X]<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Former Super Eagles\u00a0and Chelsea midfielder\u00a0John Mikel\u00a0Obi\u00a0has shared his thoughts on\u00a0his former club\u2019s search for a new permanent manager ahead of next season,\u00a0Soccernet.ng<\/u><\/a>\u00a0reports.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The two-time European champions have now parted ways with two permanent managers this season,\u00a0following the dismissal of\u00a0Liam Rosenior last week, with Calum McFarlane\u00a0stepping in\u00a0on an interim basis until the end of the campaign.<\/p>\n

Chelsea had earlier agreed to\u00a0part ways\u00a0with Enzo Maresca on New Year\u2019s Day after their relationship broke down.\u00a0However, Rosenior, who replaced the Italian, lasted less than four months after a poor run of results.<\/p>\n

\"Soccer
Liam Rosenior, former Chelsea head coach is seen at Craven Cottage, London. Picture credit: Paul TerryxImago<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Things hit a new low when the Blues equalled an unwanted 114-year record,\u00a0after they lost\u00a0five straight Premier League matches without scoring, which ultimately led to Rosenior\u2019s exit\u00a0and has left\u00a0the club in search of a third permanent manager in just a few months.<\/p>\n

Soccer Mikel Obi questions Chelsea owners\u2019 decision-making<\/h2>\n
\"Soccer
Cole Palmer 10 scores and celebrates hat-trick, Copyright: ImagoxManjitxNarotrax <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mikel Obi, who spent over a decade at Chelsea, did not hold back in his assessment of the club\u2019s leadership since the BlueCo takeover in 2022.\u00a0In that period,\u00a0five different permanent managers have been dismissed, which has raised a lot of concerns over their ability to lead the club going forward.<\/p>\n

Speaking\u00a0during an episode of his\u00a0Obi One Podcast<\/strong>, Mikel suggested that the current environment\u00a0at Chelsea\u00a0would discourage top managers from taking the job,\u00a0especially given the\u00a0lack of\u00a0assurances over a long-term role.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

\u201cThere is no top manager that will want to come to Chelsea right now and takeover this job because you never know. You have absolutely zero idea what\u2019s happening. We need a manager, not a coach. We\u2019ve been successful in the past because we had managers\u201d, Mikel Obi said.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n

\u201cWe had managers that would come in and manage everything, manage what happens on the pitch and outside the pitch. Someone who will be like \u2018this is my football club and I\u2019m gonna manage everything\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n

\u201cThey are not going to do that, they will never in a million years allow that to happen, so what we\u2019re gonna get is another yes-man.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Soccer Thoughts on Andoni Iraola<\/h2>\n
\"Soccer
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola. Copyright: KatiexChanxImago<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bournemouth coach\u00a0Andoni Iraola has been heavily linked with the role and is reportedly a leading candidate, especially\u00a0after announcing that he would leave the Cherries when his contract expires at the end of the season.<\/p>\n

While Mikel acknowledges Iraola\u2019s quality and Premier League experience, he raised concerns about whether he would suit Chelsea\u2019s current approach.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

\u201cAndoni Iraola for me, I\u2019m not saying he\u2019s a yes-man, but he\u2019s a guy that does not want to get involved with who comes in and who goes out. He just wants to get on with what happens on the football pitch which is coaching. They will sign the players and he\u2019s going to coach the players\u201d, the former Nigerian captain added.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Soccer Verdict on Cesc F\u00e0bregas<\/h2>\n

Mikel Obi also praised the work of his former teammate Cesc F\u00e0bregas at\u00a0Italian club Como, but believes\u00a0the\u00a0Chelsea job may come too soon for the Spaniard.<\/p>\n

\"Soccer
Head Coach Cesc Fabregas of Calcio Como greeting the supporters. Copyright: xTizianoxBallabio\/IPAxSportx\/xipa-agency.netxImago<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\n

\u201cI think for me, it\u2019d be too early for Fabregas. I like Fabregas and we can all see the success he\u2019s having with Como in the Italian league, but I think it\u2019s a bit too early. Give him a couple more seasons to establish himself and gain more experience.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Despite his reservations about Iraola and F\u00e0bregas, Mikel believes\u00a0another ex-teammate Filipe Lu\u00eds stands out as the best option\u00a0to take over at the club as Rosenior\u2019s replacement.<\/p>\n

Although the Brazilian\u2019s managerial experience has so far been limited to his time at\u00a0Flamengo, Mikel is impressed by the identity and structure he implemented\u00a0during his time at the club.<\/p>\n

\"Soccer
Filipe Luis Photo: Celso Pupo\/FotoarenaxImago<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\n

\u201cOn Filipe Luis, he is a fantastic manager and his team played fantastic football in the Club World Cup and had an objective of how they wanted to play. There was a clear structure, playing with purpose,\u00a0that\u2019s how you know someone can become a top manager.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n

\u201cMaybe he doesn\u2019t have the experience right now, but from the job he did with Flamengo and the way his team plays, there is something to be excited about. There\u2019s an expectation of what you feel you can achieve and that\u2019s what I like about Filipe Luis.\u00a0Maybe it\u2019s too early, but of all the three managers mentioned, if they go with any of them, I\u2019ll probably say Filipe Luis\u201d, Mikel Obi concluded.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Chelsea\u2019s search for a new head coach continues for now although the club\u2019s focus will\u00a0now\u00a0shift to the FA Cup\u00a0final on May 16, where they face Manchester City, hoping to salvage something\u00a0after a difficult\u00a0season.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

\"<!--Ayomide Oguntimehin” src=”https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/thumbor\/ycGEJDr9VZlpO_5zujn3ZdvICxA=\/150×150\/smart\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.soccernet.ng%2Fmain%2F2024%2F12%2FAyomide-Oguntimehin-pics.jpg” height=”80″ width=”80″>\t\t<\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tAyomide Oguntimehin\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n

\n\t\t\t\tAyomide Oguntimehin is a CAF-accredited sports journalist and Chief Editor at Soccernet.ng. He has interviewed Super Eagles stars like William Troost-Ekong, Taiwo Awoniyi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Ademola Lookman, and is known for breaking major transfer stories.<\/p>\n

Ayomide has worked with Sports Brief, Naija News and served as Social Lead Editor at Legit.ng. He has also featured on Goal, TVC News, Sports Mole, and Milan News24. He holds a Master\u2019s degree and is currently pursuing a PhD. Follow Ayomide on X (formerly Twitter): @ayo_oguntimehin\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Read More<\/a>Ayomide Oguntimehin<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Soccer Mikel Obi on the Obi One podcast. [Photo credit: X] Former Super Eagles\u00a0and Chelsea midfielder\u00a0John Mikel\u00a0Obi\u00a0has shared his thoughts on\u00a0his former club\u2019s search for a new permanent manager ahead of next season,\u00a0Soccernet.ng\u00a0reports. The two-time European champions have now parted ways with two permanent managers this season,\u00a0following the dismissal of\u00a0Liam Rosenior last week, with Calum […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":902233,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[149163,2005,1508],"tags":[149162,6371],"class_list":{"0":"post-902232","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-like-mikel","8":"category-soccer","9":"category-thats","10":"tag-like-mikel","11":"tag-thats"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/902232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=902232"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/902232\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/902233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=902232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=902232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=902232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}