Why I left Chelsea – Obi Mikel opens up

 

Former Chelsea player, John Obi Mikel, has opened up on his fight with former Chelsea boss, Antonio Conte before he left the club.

Mike said that the Italian gaffer forced him out of Stamford Bridge over his decision to play in the 2016 Olympic Games with the Under 23 football team.

Mikel had expressed his desire to play in the Olympics having represented Nigeria on various levels: U17, 21, and the senior national team.

Having gone with the team to Brazil and won the Bronze medal from football competition, Mikel was out of the Chelsea squad by the then new manager, Conte.

The former Nigerian skipper then decided to leave Stamford Bridge for China.

Speaking in an interview with the Athletic, Mikel said, “This guy who has just walked in the door for five minutes is telling me I had to choose.

“He was saying, ‘If you do that, you won’t be a part of this team’.

“I spoke to the club and told them that I wanted to go.

“The club respected me because of what I had done for them and how long I’d been there.

“So off I went and I felt punished for that. I came back and I didn’t make the squad. I was never in the squad list on match days again.”

Mikel currently plays for Stoke City in the English Championship hoping to help the team gain promotion to the English Premier League.