In a candid revelation, former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has unleashed a barrage of criticism against Sunday Oliseh, the former coach of the Nigerian national team.
Mikel, who is known for his composed demeanour, did not mince words as he labelled Oliseh as “clueless, jealous, and terrible” during a recent interview.
Mikel recounted his experience under Oliseh’s coaching tenure, accusing the former coach of harboring bitterness and jealousy toward everyone in the team.
The former Chelsea midfielder alleged that Oliseh lacked respect for individuals within the team, including physios and other staff members.
According to Mikel, Oliseh’s approach to coaching was characterized by confusion, leading to the destruction of team togetherness.
“He was so bitter with everybody, jealous of everybody, and had no respect for speaking to anybody, whether the physio or anybody,” remarked Mikel during the interview.
“The players never understood anything he was doing, and he did not know what he was doing. He was just confused because he just came in and destroyed the team togetherness.”
Mikel also recalled an incident where Oliseh benched him in favour of Paul Onobi of Sunshine Stars, a decision that surprised many and raised eyebrows within the football community.
Reflecting on Oliseh’s coaching abilities, Mikel emphasized that while Oliseh was a fantastic player during his playing days, his coaching stint with the Super Eagles was far from impressive.
The former captain’s scathing assessment sheds light on the internal challenges and disunity that plagued the national team during Oliseh’s coaching tenure.
Mikel also touched on the departure of goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama from the Super Eagles camp in 2015, citing an argument with Coach Oliseh on the first day as a significant factor in Enyeama’s exit.
The revelation provides insight into the tumultuous relationship between the coach and some key players, contributing to a period of instability for the Nigerian national team.
