John Obi Mikel: "Chelsea should be challenging for Premier League title next season"

Now, what a treat this is as we welcome on set a two-time Premier League winner and the winner of the Africa Cup of Nations, former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel. Lovely to see you. Thanks for having me. Welcome along. And look, where else to start but your former club, of course, Chelsea. What do you make of their progress under Enzo Maresco at the moment? Well, listen, it's going well. I think, like Maresco, I've said it before, I think he's a great manager. I think he's a manager that's improved the sport. I think from where we were before he took over. I think the way the team play now, you can see there's a bit of an identity the way we want to play, the way the way the fans want to see Chelsea team play. And he's managed to do that in such a short space of time. But I think we, you know, finishing the top four is I think that's going to be where everyone is going to judge him this season, because I think we need to finish in the top four. But, you know, I think this season has been his first season. He needs a bit more time. So I think after this season, if we finish in the top four next season, I see the team do really well and we start competing to win the league. Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it? Because, you know, the way that they've changed their strategy since the arrival of Todd Boley, you know, they've got all these huge, long contracts and they had, you know, this inflated squad of three players as well at the end, at the beginning of the season. Would you have liked a contract of seven players? We wouldn't. Yeah, absolutely. No, you wouldn't. Does it do them good, though, do you think, having these long contracts? I think it does. I think it's good in a way. And in a way, it's not good, because you look at the players thinking, OK, I've got nine year, eight year contract. Yeah. Is that still going to motivate me? Is that going to make me wake up in the morning and try to improve every day to then get myself ready and get myself keep working out for a better contract? Knowing that I already have eight, nine year contract. Would it motivate you? Probably, because I just want to play football. But I don't know about this, this, this, you know, the younger players now in this generation, if that motivates them or if that's something that's not good for them. But I think that the strategy of the club, I think now some of the Premier League side are starting to adapt that kind of system. But is it good for us? Is it good for Chelsea Football Club? I think so. And of course, the main man called Palmer now, he signed a nine year contract. So and having the club as well for such a long time is going to be good for the project of what we want to see, where we want to see the club. But for us, I think this season top four is where we want to finish. Yeah. I mean, listen, you won the Premier League twice, FA Cup four times. You know, it was the golden era of Chelsea when you were there. How far away are they from that? And do you think they can ever get back to those times? I think we can get back there. Are we still far? I think a little bit. But I think with the players that we have right now, I think there's so much talent in this team. But I think now the owners and the sporting directors, they know what needs to be done next season. They know the places in and around the sport that needs to be strengthened. You know, we've talked about it. I've talked about it in my podcast. And I also know what the fans are crying for. I think we're all crying for that. You know, there's some areas that we need to be strengthened. And if we do that, if we could be able to strengthen those areas in the summer, I think next season we should be competing to win the league. So there are more players into Chelsea. Is this what you're saying? More players, but we need to get the right players in. We need to get some players out. Who I feel they're not ready to be at a massive club like Chelsea and then bring in maybe a striker, a goalkeeper, another centre back and another midfielder. I think then we should be competing to win the league. They need a John Owen McKellar, a Didier Drogba, don't they? Yeah, they need a Didier Drogba for sure. We need a striker who knows how to put the ball in the back of the net. Nicolas Zatia has done really, really well. I've said it so many times. He's done amazingly well. But I think is he ready to be the top guy right now at the club to be the number one striker? Maybe, maybe not. So we need a top, top striker who can come in and help him because right now he's injured. What's happening? We're not scoring goals. And I've said it all along that he needs somebody to come in and help him, not to take matters into his own hands, but just to help. And a healthy competition is always important. We had that back in my day at Chelsea. With Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Fernando Torres. So we had those top, top strikers coming to the football club, but just to help Didier Drogba. And I think that's what Nicolas Zatia needs at the moment. Well, look, you've got your finger on the pulse. Where are these brilliant strikers? Because, you know, Arsenal need a brilliant striker, right? This one I played yesterday for Newcastle. Wow. There is one. He is amazing. But I think right now, Newcastle are going to grip hold of him. Oh, yeah. I mean, he's, would you say he's the best in Europe at the moment? I think right now in England, yes, he is. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think he's, you know, his numbers is absolutely fantastic. And of course, the guy that I've talked about so many times on my podcast, a certain guy called Victor Osime, you know, who plays in Galatasaray right now. We almost sort of got the deal done last summer. But almost isn't quite getting the deal done, is it? Yeah, but the club showed the right. The club wanted the player, the player wanted to come as well. So I know exactly where we stopped. If we have to pick it up again in the summer, it's just pretty easy to get it done because the player really wants to come to the football club. So if you're talking about strikers to come in and help Chelsea Football Club, you have to talk about Isak and you have to talk about Victor Osime. So for me, they said the top two strikers, if we could be able to get one of these guys, they will definitely help out next season in terms of being able to compete to win the Premier League. Yeah, you're talking about Isak. I mean, yesterday was a spectacular day for Newcastle. I mean, how important is it for clubs like that, you know, to get that? I mean, that's the first domestic trophy for some 70 years. What did you make of it? That's a long time. Is it 1955 was the last time? I think so. Something like that. I can't do the maths, but I think you're right. It's such a huge football club. I mean, people keep forgetting Newcastle is a massive football club. And for them to have not won a domestically domestic trophy for such a long time, it's absolutely crazy. But to see this this this this team do it. I mean, the group of what Eddie has been able to do there, you know, is be able to get this group of players. They can they look like they're going to run through the wall for him, you know, to the brick wall for him. I watched the game yesterday. Joel Linton, the way he played, I've not seen him played so well in such a long time. Bruno Guimaraes as well. And I thought about it, but that game, whoever dominated the midfield was going to win the game. And that's exactly what happened in Liverpool. They were second to everything, you know, second balls, everything. They were second to everything all throughout the game yesterday. And it was also surprising to see how quiet Mo Salah was all throughout the game. He didn't get a kick. He didn't have any attempt on goal. That's unlike him. But yeah, it's a massive, massive disappointment for Liverpool. I think this last week hasn't been good for Liverpool, but it's been so good for a certain guy called Dan Byrne as well. Yeah, it has been. I mean, what a week for Dan Byrne. I know that's a magical end to a perfect week, isn't it? It is. Do you think he can do a job for England? I think he can. I think he can. I think if anyone could get the best out of this England sport, it's Thomas Tuchel. What makes you say that? Because of what he did with Chelsea. You know, he came into the football club knowing exactly what the football club needed, which is to win, which is to win. And that's my criticism, a little bit of my criticism with with Mariska saying that I need two years. The club has given me two years. They said in two years time, we'll be in the Champions League. No. When Tuchel took over, he knew that Chelsea Football Club, it's about winning and straight away. Exactly. And then we won everything. So if anyone is going to get the best out of this England sport, I think it's Thomas Tuchel. All right. Look, you mentioned him, Mo Salah, because I want to talk about him a little bit as well. I mean, what's going on there, this contract? Do you think he's going to stay at Liverpool? What do you think is happening there? I hope so. You must have been in these contract negotiations. Is it difficult? What's it like? It is difficult, though. But the most important thing, does the player want to stay? Does the club want the player to stay? Because with those numbers, it's crazy that the club hasn't already given him the contract to sign because his numbers this season has been absolutely fantastic. And he's doing it. What is it, 32 years old now? And he's still doing it. He looks fitter than ever. He's enjoying his football again. He's playing with a smile on his face, which is something that we didn't see towards the end of Jürgen Klopp's tenure at the club. There's a little bit of a rift between both of them, you could tell. But happy to see him now playing with so much smile and enjoying his game. But yesterday was his day. You know, the whole team didn't play well. But I hope they can get the contract situation sorted. Yeah, I think maybe for him and one other. And then Liverpool will be a better team, because if you lose those three players, I don't know where they're going to go from that from next season. Just one final question on Salah. A lot of people were tipping him to get the ballon d'or. The fact that they've gone out of the Champions League, do you think that's his chance is gone? I hope I hope he can still do it. I hope he can see it, because with those numbers, it's hard to not put him in the conversation. I think he's still be in the conversation. But yes, you're right. Coming out of the Champions League and then not winning yesterday as well. I think that might just just taking some of his chances away. But I still think with those numbers, he should still be in the conversation. OK, look, you mentioned it, your podcast. Yeah, tell me more. What is it? I think it's got a great name. Have you seen it? I haven't seen it. I haven't. I'm going to confess. I haven't. But I will after today. Come on. Why should I listen to you? Oh, you should. You should. It's got everything. It's got everything that you need. It's got, you know, there's so much there's so much going on. There's so much. You know, we've had Jose Mourinho, Carl Angelotti. How was that? Your boss, your old boss, Jose Mourinho. My boss, you know, he's you know, he kicked it all off. You know, you can't have that. He's his box office, isn't it? So for me, he was the guy. And JT's, I've had JT in my podcast as well, Frank Lampard. So it's good to see the old boys, you know, and the old guys still show support and love for their colleagues. So now it's absolutely the podcast is doing really well. We talk about the club, we talk about Chelsea and the fans as well. The fans listen, they watch it. The players also watch it. So it's just a way of us trying to keep the players on their toes and make sure that, you know, you have to take responsibility of your performances. OK, and we just want the club to get back to where it is. Are you quite tough on the players then? Unfair. He's a Gary Neville, like Chelsea from Manchester, you know. Unfair. OK. Are you just finally, because I know I'm running out of time. I'm being told I need to hurry up. But are you going to get into coaching one day? Are you going to have a very good knowledge of the game? I hate getting sacked, that's the problem. Oh, is that what you wouldn't cope with? That's why, exactly. You do get quite a good payoff sometimes. Yeah, exactly. No, no, that's true. Thinking about it, thinking about it all the way around, you do get a really good payoff. So, no, I haven't thought about it. But yeah, but that's something that's been playing in my head for the past few months now. I've been thinking about it. Yeah. You don't have badges? No, no, no, no. I've had the guys, I've spoken to the guys at UEFA, they've said, you know, come down, see what we do. And if it's something you want to pursue, then we can help you get it. So I might think about it, but definitely don't like getting sacked. And it would be in England, right? You wouldn't go anywhere? Yeah, I hope so. Oh, John Everett McKellett, it's been lovely to talk to you, as always. Come back again soon. Thank you. Thank you so much.