Former Super Eagles’ captain, John Mikel Obi has first the first time confessed that he borrowed a leaf from the playing style of The Blues’ French ex-international, Claude Makélélé in order for him to get into the mainstream with the English Premier League side, megasportsarena.com reports.
Mikel revealed that the coach he first played under at Stamford Bridge, Jose Mourinho advised him to borrow a page from Makélélé, in order to fit seamlessly into The Blues’ playing pattern, while also recalling that the gaffer equally told him to improve his disciplinary record during his early days with the London-based outfit.
He recalled how he was sent off in two matches during his first season at Chelsea, first against Reading and then Arsenal, but says he learnt from his mistakes and was dismissed only twice in his next nine seasons he spent in London, despite playing as a deep-lying defensive midfielder.
However, Mikel did not receive a single red card during his time with his next club,. Tianjin Teda of China and back in England for a season at lover division side, Middlesbrough, as well as after 11 matches at his present base with Trabzonspor of Turkey.
While admitting he had to take knocks from Mourinho in order to get clean during matches, Mikel recounted further how he improved as a player by understudying Makélélé, who is still widely regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders to have ever played the game.
Mikel told 61 Saat: “Makélélé was an incredible player. His position, was perhaps one of the best in the world. As a young player, you want to intervene on every ball and fly on every ball.
“I started to change and improve myself when I started to watch Makélélé. Because my position is perhaps the most important position for the team. Or one of the most important. Every move you make there affects the team completely.
“I saw a red card in my first match after I transferred to Chelsea. After playing a few games, I saw another red card. The cards I saw made Jose Mourinho very unhappy and he advised me to follow Makélélé to improve my game.”