Former head coach of the Nigeria U-23 male national team, Samson Siasia, has disclosed his reservations about former Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi, as reported by Soccernet.ng.
Siasia expressed his inability to tolerate Mikel Obi’s attitude during their time together, particularly highlighting the player’s stint with the former Stoke City midfielder in his squad.
Siasia and Mikel Obi’s relationship dates back to 2005 when Siasia led the Flying Eagles to the finals of both the 2005 Under-20 World Cup and the U-20 African Youth Championship. Although they won the African Youth Championship, they lost the world final to Argentina 2–1.
Mikel Obi gained prominence during this period, attracting interest from clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United.
In a conversation with Athlst, Siasia described Mikel as ‘stubborn’, stating, “Mikel Obi is a little bit out of my league, stubborn and I cannot tolerate people like that,”
However, the former Super Eagles striker also acknowledged Mikel’s leadership qualities, particularly during the 2016 Rio Olympics, where the team secured a bronze medal.
“The only good thing he did was that Olympics he came out and played because I had warned him severally, and he played as a captain and that’s why we got to where we did,” he noted.
Siasia’s suspension, initially a lifetime ban imposed by FIFA over match-fixing allegations, was later reduced to five years on appeal. The ban is set to expire in August 2024, potentially allowing the former coach to return to the sport.