John Obi Mikel On How ‘Good Coach’ Benni McCarthy Can Create Formidable Harambee Stars

Former Chelsea and Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel has urged Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy not to overlook the young talents coming through the ranks as he looks to build strong foundations for the national team.

Mikel, who burst onto the scene as a youngster, having honed his skills at Plateau United, made a name for himself at the 2005 U20 World Cup when Nigeria reached the final and lost to a Lionel Messi-led Argentina.

Having gone through that pathway and experienced success in the Premier League as well as with the national team, Mikel feels Kenya can greatly benefit from an emphasis on youth and is urging McCarthy to take advantage of the many talented young players in the country.

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“After the talents that I saw here today, there is no doubt that the senior team will have a lot of talent so he [McCarthy] is going to have a good team and I wish him all the best,” Mikel, who is on a visit to Kenya, said on Friday after a conducting a football clinic in Nairobi.

“I wish the Kenyan national team all the best as they continue to grow and develop. It is always nice when Kenya is in the tournament. It is always a good tournament to watch. I hope Kenya national team continues to grow.”

The two-time Premier League winner expressed his admiration for McCarthy who he feels will elevate the standards of Kenyan football while advising him not just focus on the senior team players.

“I know Benni is a good guy, good coach and I wish him all the best,” added the 2012 UEFA Champions League winning midfielder.

“I hope he develops the national team and also watches the kids in the academies because the kids are always the next big thing. The next Messi, John Obi Mikel, Cristiano Ronaldo will come out of here one day,” Mikel further stated.

The Nigerian icon, who lifted the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles, is in Kenya to promote his Obi One Podcast, where he will film an episode with Harambee Stars legend McDonald Mariga, also a Champions League winner like him.

Both Mikel and Mariga played under legendary Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, who signed the Nigerian for Chelsea in 2006, while he brought on board the Kenyan at Italian giants Inter Milan in 2010, the year they won a historic treble of Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League.