John Mikel Obi
hehehehe............. With
the World Cup kicking off in a matter of days, a concerned Nigerian has
weighed in on the performance of midfield maestro, Mikel.
Imagining and witnessing the manifestation of the huge disparity
and deep gulf in class between two familiar no.10s, Argentine's ace,
Lionel Messi, and Nigeria's John Obi Mikel, could surely leave one in
awe and cascade him into the nadir valley of melancholy!
Messi has, since 2005 when he came to the footballing scene
alongside Mikel, won a record five (5) FIFA World Player-of-the-year and
Ballon d'Or awards, with four (4) of them won consecutively between
2009-2012, and placed second on six (6) occassions ('07,'08, '13, ’14,
’16 and ‘17); a product of his consistent prowess, excellence, zest,
dedication, hardwork and magical displays, even on the big stages, to
mention but a few. He has transcended and, in the process, shattered
almost all records there is in football to the extent that he is
arguably considered/referred to, in comparison with the likes of Pele,
Maradona, Ronaldo de Lima, Ronaldinho and Zidane, as the greatest/best
ever mortal to have played the 'beautiful game'.
Mikel, in contrast, has slalomed into oblivion, when it comes to
mentioning the 'gladiators' of the no.1 sport in the world. Mikel was
seen, by Nigerians, as an embodiment of the combined skills, creativity
and intelligence deposited on Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha, and Nwankwo
'Papilo' Kanu. Fortunately too, we were made to believe that our fears
of loosing these two legends of Nigerian football to imminent
retirement, due to age, had been allayed, judging from his wonderful and
excellent displays that always kept fans on the edge of their seats, in
2005. But Mikel has flattered to delude! He has been metamorphosed from
a creative force into a holding defensive midfielder characterized with
immobility. The highest individual accolade achieved by Mikel is he was
placed second to Ivory Coast legend, Yaya Toure, in the CAF
PLAYER-OF-THE-YEAR AWARDS, 2013.
Mikel has got some laurels from both club and country though it
must be said, which include the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea in
2012, and The Africa Cup of Nations with the ‘Super Eagles’ of Nigeria
in 2013; but the individual brilliance inherent in him has deserted him
and has since been short-changed with mediocrity. ''It would have been
an insult to African football if Mikel had won the CAF POTY AWARD", said
a cross-section of fans. On the whole, Mikel has been generally
disappointing.
In 2014, prior to the start of FIFA World Cup, in Brazil, a deluge
of critisms, from Nigerians had been directed to the then Nigeria's
coach, the Late Stephen Keshi, questioning the rational for the
selection and relevance of some players in the final 23. Then Captain
and centurion, Joseph Yobo was made the protagonist by these critics,
sighting that he was out of form, slow and would provide a weak link to
the defence. But Yobo did shine like a million stars in the tournament, a
fitting response to his critics; bringing them into memory that "form
is temporary; but class and experience is permanent". But the player
who, perhaps, had proven to be a spent force was Mikel. While Messi
produced man-of-the-match performances as he led La Albeceleste to the
final, only to loose to the eventual winners, Germany, Mikel was largely
underwhelming. Then Midfielders such as Andrea Pirlo (Italy), Raphael
Marquez (Mexico), and Karagounis (Greece), despite their old ages (in
their late 30s), were still very mobile and provided the pivots upon
which their respective midfields stood, and the fulcrum on which their
teams revolved. For Mikel, that was not to be the case. Instead Onazi
was the Trojan of the Eagles midfield as he covered far more grounds
than Mikel.
Fast forward four years, and Mikel is enduring a sordid decline.
His move to the East in China is for Chinese club, Tianjin TEDA, is,
perhaps an indication to the fact that the curtains are coming down on
his career. Unfortunately, the ultimate looser in this whole thing is
Nigeria.
The FIFA World Cup is here again. It provides the grandest stage on
which players exert their dominance and print their names on the sands
of history. For Mikel, however, and at age 31, the FIFA World Cup in
Russia provides him with the last veritable opportunity to make his mark
in world football on the grandest stage where the legends of the
‘beautiful round leather game’ are made. As the most experienced player
in the Super Eagles as presently constituted, Mikel, a two-time English
Premier League and an Europa League winner with Chelsea, will be looked
upon to provide inspiration to the largely inexperienced side, most of
whom are making their maiden appearance at the mundial. In previous
occasions, Mikel has chosen the back stage and have been under whelming.
It is time to get it right.
As the 'Super Eagles' take on the world, beginning with Croatia on
Saturday, 16th June, 2018, Mikel must rise up to the occasion, repay the
faith placed on him as the Captain of the the Nigerian team, assume his
position (with the knowledge that there is no margin for error and
complacency) and finally deliver and take his place in history.
***
- Written by Esibenne Uchenna Sotonye, from FESTAC Town, Lagos
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