Chelsea supporters are currently dissatisfied, with former midfielder John Obi Mikel urging the current regime to listen to the fan base after another managerial change.
John Obi Mikel has harsh words for Chelsea’s current system (Image: Google Pixel)
Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel fears the club is in serious danger of losing its winning mentality.
Mikel warned that Chelsea had taken a “step forward” under manager Enzo Maresca but had taken “five steps back” by sacking him at a time when they needed an experienced leader on and off the pitch. Blues manager Liam Rosenija will be in charge of the Blues’ first Carabao Cup game against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, but he faces a huge challenge in winning over fans who are hostile to co-owners Todd Boley and Behada Egbali.
Former Chelsea star Mikel, who won two Premier League titles and the Champions League during his glittering 11 years at the club, says Boley and Egbali must start listening to supporters and get back to signing proven winners rather than potential.
read more: Transfer News LIVE: Man United’s Carrick becomes assistant, Real sign Alonso, Spurs hope for £35m, Arsenal latest updatesread more: Arsenal and Liverpool hold phone call in January, with Marc Gehi emerging as transfer candidate
Mikel said: “Maresca built a very good team with the players he had, young talented players with potential. I thought he would be given more time to develop in that team. I think we took one step forward and five steps back.”
“In the past, we had big players and big coaches, but the club decided to go in this direction, but I don’t know if it’s a gamble or not, but we’ll see.
Mikel worries Chelsea are losing their winning mentality (Image: Catherine Ivill/AMA)
“Liam has to create that winning mentality again and he has to make sure he brings the fans with him because he needs the fans.
“Right now the fans are not happy. So he needs to find a way to bring the fans with him and create a winning mentality. That’s a difficult job for him.”
“Whatever the owners’ motives are, I hope they look at a football club and know that the fans are the football club. Without the fans there is no football club.
“They have to listen to the fans, they have to feel the temperature of the fans, they have to be there and know exactly… They have to listen to the fans and know what the fans want from them.
John Obi Mikel stars in hilarious Google Pixel ad
“The Premier League and the Champions League are what we have always won, that is who we are and we want to see the club get back to that.
“We’ve spoiled the fans, you know what I mean? And they’re used to winning and now when they don’t get that, that’s why they get frustrated and angry and upset with the way the club is run.”
Mikel believes a big reason for Chelsea’s inconsistency is that they don’t have as many experienced leaders or great figures on the pitch compared to when they were at the club.
“When the game was really, really difficult, I turned around and I saw Frank Lampard behind me, I saw John Terry next to me, I saw Didier Drogba, I saw Claude Makelele,” Mikel said.
Mikel sent a message to Chelsea managers Behdad Egbal and Todd Boley (Image: Getty Images)
“The top, top players can pull you along and say, “Okay, let’s go. I know it’s tough, but let’s persevere.”
“We need players who can communicate this on the pitch and coach it on the pitch. Yes, the manager can say everything later, but on the pitch we are responsible.”
“And that’s what you don’t see in this team right now and that’s why there’s always inconsistency. When they win a game they think, ‘Okay, we’ve won the game, let’s relax for the next two games’. No, no, no, no. Winning is important and that’s the culture of the football club.”
Mikel also worries that unless Chelsea compete for the biggest trophies like the Premier League or Champions League, established stars such as Enzo Fernandes and Moises Caicedo could get fed up and leave.
Mikel thinks Enzo Maresca did a great job before leaving the role (Image: PA)
He added: “The players want to win trophies. We have players like Enzo Fernandes, he is a World Cup winner. Caicedo is also a top player now. The players want to win trophies. He is a World Cup winner. The players want to win trophies. He is a World Cup winner. Caicedo is also a top player now.”
“Those players will be thinking, ‘I don’t want to wait another five years to win the Premier League or the Champions League.’
“I hope it plants something in their heads that they don’t start thinking about taking the next step and going to another club, because if you keep cutting and changing, there’s no stability for the manager. It affects the players.”
“They start thinking, ‘You know what? We can’t do this every season because we don’t know who’s going to be the coach next season.’
“That’s the question that’s going to be on the players’ minds… so I just hope the owners do what’s right for the football club.”
Fans can follow in John Obi Mikel’s footsteps and claim up to £300 extra when they trade in their old phone with #TransfertoPixel this January. Visit Google Store for more information: Pixel 10 smartphones
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£49
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
