Super Eagles legend and former coach Sunday Oliseh has reacted to Mikel Obi’s criticism, in which the former Chelsea midfielder described Oliseh as the worst coach he ever played under during his career on the Obi Podcast.
Despite acknowledging Oliseh’s prowess as a player, Mikel accused him of disrupting the team’s harmony and lacking leadership skills:
“He (Oliseh) had absolutely no clue how to manage. He was a fantastic player, but a terrible coach. He didn’t know what he was doing and confused the team, destroying its togetherness. He was easily the worst manager I played under.”
In response, during an interview with Elegbete TV, Oliseh suggested Mikel needs help and refused to engage in a public argument:
“To be honest, I think the kid needs some help. I’m not going to chastise him now, but he needs help. You cannot become a legend by talking. You cannot achieve off the pitch what you failed to achieve on it.”
“I was shocked when I saw him disrespect his family on a foreign podcast. This disrespect for family and elders must stop.”
Oliseh further explained that Mikel’s poor performance was the reason for his exclusion from the squad:
“The problem I had with Mikel was that he wasn’t good enough for the position at the time. We had a home-based player, Paul Onobi, who played better and was even voted the best player on the pitch during a World Cup qualifier against Swaziland.”
“I hold no grudge against Mikel; I believe he needs help. When players retire, some feel lost and don’t know what to do next. That’s what he’s going through now.”
Both Oliseh and Mikel, who played as defensive midfielders, had successful careers with the Super Eagles, each winning the Africa Cup of Nations in different eras.
