Your job is to play! ex-Aston Villa manager slams Chelsea legend Mikel Obi for recent comments

Your job is to play! ex-Aston Villa manager slams Chelsea legend Mikel Obi for recent comments

Ifeanyi Ufomadu 13:13 - 14.11.2023

Former Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neil has slammed Super Eagles legend Mikel Obi for his comments on player power while at Chelsea.

Mikel Obi was on TalkSport radio, where he spoke about the power of Chelsea's dressing room and how they orchestrated the departure of Rafa Benitez in 2013.

The former Blues midfielder was a key figure for Chelsea over an 11-year spell at Stamford Bridge.

Joining fellow club icons Terry, Frank Lampard, and Didier Drogba in a star-studded squad, Mikel won two Premier Leagues, a Champions League, a Europa League, four FA Cups, and two League Cups.

Speaking on TalkSort, Mikel Obi revealed the Chelsea players did not like Rafa Benitez and forced him out.

"We made that clear. I think obviously Liverpool was a big rival for us, but coming into the club as well, I think the fans also didn't like Rafa.

 "I think there was something about Rafa and the fans that the fans didn't take to him. Same as the players, we didn't accept him as one of us."

Martin O'Neil slams Mikel Obi over comments

Reacting to Obi's comments, former Villa and Celtic manager Martin O'Neil has slammed the former Chelsea and Stoke City midfielder.

"Your job is to play whether you like the manager or not.

"I understand that there were big egos at Chelsea because they were winning stuff consistently but players need to do their job.

"In the case of Rafa Benitez, I agree he was a poor appointment and never going to work but even so, players have too much power and it is disappointing"

Mikel Obi remains one of Nigeria's greatest footballers ever after winning the African Nations Cup in 2013.

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