John Obi Mikel is BACK! Garnacho verdict, Donnarumma regret & Nigeria anger 😡

24:32John Obi Mikel:He is one of the best goalkeepers right now in the world. The presence. I know a lot of people talk about, oh, he's not so good at his feet. But what's the goalkeeper's job? Keep the ball out of the net. Exactly. And Doro Noma is the best at doing that. So for me, I don't understand why the club didn't do that. But again, Enzo Marista thinks he's comfortable with Sanchez. you know so yeah listen we have to we have to support the manager in his decisions but I just thought we could have gone out and just strengthen that position and bring in a competition with Sanchez and I thought Donnarumma would have been that guy given the fee given his stature and standing in the game you could make a good case to say Gianluigi Donnarumma was the signing over the summer 26 million in this day and age yeah it's weird as well to think how is he going to fit in this Manchester City side because we all know that Pep Guardiola goalkeepers have to be able to play probably in the midfield as well to be able to be a goalkeeper for Manchester City.

25:30John Obi Mikel:So I wonder how Donnarumma is going to do that because we all know he's not the best with his feet. But doing what he has to do which is keeping the ball at the back of his net, saving shots, shot stopper. He's the best. He's the best. He's the best. So I wonder how he's going to fit in with this Pep Guardiola aside. Is this Pep Guardiola now trying to change the way he plays? I don't know, but let's wait and see. Speaking of City, we all got caught I guess caught up in the hoopla after their demolition of Wolves. They were awful. I thought they were really listless against Spurs. And then against Brighton, they took the lead.

26:09Fair play to Fabian Herzler and changing things up in the second half. But two defeats from three at the start of this season, he's changed up his whole backroom staff. Pep Linders is in, Nicolo Torres is in. He's trying to get new voices, new ideas. He looks, I don't want to say he looks lost pep, but the twinkle, John, there's something that just doesn't add up at City for me.

26:31John Obi Mikel:This is something that's not adding up as well as City. Yeah, listen, you can say so much about City, but sometimes when you try to change too much, this is what happens when you try to change too much. I just think City has, they've decided, okay, you know what? this season, we're just going to change everything. Sometimes it doesn't work. You have to slowly, gradually just make little changes here and there. He's changed backroom stuff. He's changed the sporting director. He's changed his players. It's just too much. Too much changed his style as well. It looked like Pep is trying to change the way he plays as well.

27:09John Obi Mikel:A bit more direct. That's not the way city play. There's just too much change when you look at the city side. And they're just all over the place. All over the place. And I watch him on the touchline. He looks lost a bit. He looks lost. He looks like a manager that's not true. He doesn't want to play the way they're playing. He doesn't truly believe. He doesn't believe in it. But it seems like I have to do it because everybody, the game is moving on. The game is moving away from me. I have to try to catch up. It looks like that's what he's trying to do. He's always thinking. He's on the touchline thinking.

27:41John Obi Mikel:It's just too much change for City. The players look lost. They look like, yes, the game against Wolf, they were absolutely brilliant. You know, they were flying. Ryan Dess, Tijani Ryan Dess, I think is still going to be absolutely brilliant. Very, very good player for City. For me, I think it's the best I need to have done. I think it's going to be brilliant. But the rest, I think, is just too many changes. Cherokee, for me, hasn't really started. And he's injured now as well. Playing well, now he's injured. Mahmoud as well, came in last year. Hasn't quite, you know, got up to speed. You know, had a couple of performances last year We thought, okay, wow.

28:15John Obi Mikel:But since then, it's just dipped. There's not been much. Phil Fordin as well. We don't know what's happening to him. He comes back. He plays one game. He's injured. Phil needs to come back and be the Phil Fordin that we all know. I'm not going to sit there and say Phil Fordin is a bad player. No chance. Fantastic player. Talented player. Lots of potential. But there's just been stop and start. Stop and start with Phil. He comes back on the side. Pep doesn't play him, puts him on the bench. I think when field forwarding plays well for City, they can be a good team. They can be a good team. And of course, Rodri is back now, but he needs to get back to his best.

28:57John Obi Mikel:Rodri needs time. I know people think, oh, Rodri is back now. City are going to be blowing people away. No, Rodri needs time. We can see that the way he plays. You know, he gives the ball away here and there. He's still trying to, you know, get back to speed. I think when he does, he needs time. He needs game. I think when he starts to play well and when you have a field forwarding that is firing, I think City are going to be, I think they're going to be there. I think they should, I think they will be there come the end of the season. But Pep needs to find a way to make sure he gets things to start clicking again.

29:27John Obi Mikel:But I think there's too many changes at City and I think that's what's happening right now. Yeah, I agree. Everything you've said there, the fear factor a little bit. I look at Savinho. Doesn't strike me. No, no. I think he was trying to get rid of Savinho. Oscar Bob who started this campaign was on the bench for Norway in the international break. Young Bob has injured problems but does he frighten you? No. Listen, I think, you can make an argument against Fulciti that everybody that comes to play against City, I've talked about it so many times, you have 11 men behind the ball to break down. It's difficult to do that.

30:03John Obi Mikel:Very, very difficult. I can give you an example right now. What's happening to Jack Grealish? He's on fire. The shackles are off. The shackles are off. Do you know why the shackles are off? Whenever teams play against teams now in the Premier League, they don't come up with a team that is defending with 10, 11 men behind the ball, do they? That's fair. So when Jack has the ball, he has one player to dribble and go past. The space to create chances and score goals or create chances. With City, because you have those 11 men behind the ball, it's difficult to break those teams down. I know everybody's watching Relics about how amazing Jack...

30:37John Obi Mikel:I like to see Jack play because I think he's a brilliant player. But right now, Jack doesn't have 10, 11 men behind the ball because teams come up against Everton. Not respect to Everton, but they're not City. When teams come to play against Everton, they're more expensive. They want to attack. So when Jack has the ball, he has one player to dribble, go pass and create chances. And more space. More space. So for me, people talk about that. And now Oscar Bob is having the same experience. So that's City though. They need to find, Pep needs to find a way of breaking teams down. He needs to find a way.

31:10John Obi Mikel:And I think that's why he's trying to go a bit more direct, more quicker in terms of attacking and trying to create chances. It's going to be difficult, but he needs to find a way. City's problems are one to keep an eye on. Because I'm with you. I think this isn't a kind of quick fix. This is going to evolve as the season goes on, John. Of course, the other big talking point that we've got to get to, we've already had a managerial casualty. Yeah. Ninua Spirito Santo. He's on a beach already somewhere. Shocking. New contract in June. Shocking decision. Gone after three games. Ange Postacoglu parachuted in.

31:44All of this happened incidentally inside 24 hours. I think it was quarter past midnight when the press release dropped that Nuno was gone. And then by tea time the next day, Ange Postacoglu in. It's a very different kind of breakaway from Nuno far more pragmatic. I think Nottingham Forest had one of the lowest possession stats last season, 40.3 % if memory serves, to an Ange or Ange ball, as you like to call it, John, which is dominating the football, being expansive.

32:13John Obi Mikel:Basketball player, conceding goals. I mean, listen. Up and down, up and down. First of all, I have to say that the decision to get rid of Nuno, absolutely shocking, shocking, shocking decision for me. I just find it unbelievable. Like when I saw it on social media, I thought it was one of those fake stories. Like me talking about people say I talked about Tony Cruz. Yeah, fake. Fake story. Yeah, exactly. I thought it was one of those stories again. So, listen. What a job he did. What a job he did. But that's the thing with Nottingham Forest. You don't get much time with his owner. Evangelist Maranakos or something.

32:51John Obi Mikel:You don't get much time with him. And I don't understand what he thinks. You know, he thinks Nottingham Forest is now Liverpool or Chelsea or, you know, you finished. Seventh. Seventh. they have european football right now i can't remember what was the last uncovered windows can make your home feel up to 20 degrees hotter stay cool and save up to 45 off custom window treatments during the summer black friday mega sale at blinds.com from outdoor shades to room darkening blinds finding the perfect fit is easy get free samples expert design help and professional measure and install services or diy with confidence and support every step of the way Shop up to 45 % off site-wide, plus huge savings on doorbusters right now during the summer Black Friday mega-sale at blinds.com.

33:37John Obi Mikel:What time Notion Forest played European football? 30 years. 30 years ago. So for me to get rid of a manager that's done that, I know he was disappointed that he didn't qualify for the Champions League, but you're still in Europe, mate. You're still in Europe. I know he was disappointed that he didn't qualify for the Champions League because of the position that they wear all throughout the season. He thought, okay, they could just get to the Champions League, but they didn't do that. And no, shocking, shocking decision for me. But Nuno, what a job he's done. And I just think he's going to walk into any football club right now because I know a lot of club teams are going to be thinking, oh, wow, he's available right now.

34:18John Obi Mikel:So for me, brilliant job that he's done, but a shocking decision for me to get rid of him. And the team that he's built as well. I think the team that he had, the team that he's built at this Nottingham Forest is a team that plays the Nuno way. And, of course, now Antsball is back. Basketball. Basketball, football. I think that's what Nottingham Forest fans are going to expect. It's going to be a basketball game. Defending so high up the pitch, you know, players sprinting back every two minutes to go and defend. So, for me, I don't understand. Of course, the Nottingham Forest way is to defend not so much low block, medium low block and attack transition, counter attack.

35:02John Obi Mikel:But with Ange, it's a totally different game. I have no idea how they're going to fit in with the Ange way. Does he have the players and Nottingham Forest to play the way he wants to play? Does he have the defenders to do that? It's a shocking decision. And listen, Ange is a great manager. I like Ange. I like him too. Yeah, I like him. I like him. But the way he plays, you know, the way we saw Spurs play last season, it was shocking. Absolutely shocking. Sometimes, yeah, the way they played was absolutely shocking. So is he going to do that at Nottingham Forest? Is he going to play the same way or is he going to try to change his style of play?

35:38John Obi Mikel:We know it's not going to change. We know it's not going to change. But another thing I have to say, though, with Nuno, I think when he came out and criticized the owner publicly, for me, that's my only criticism about Nuno in this whole situation. You cannot come out and criticize the owner publicly. No matter what happened. I always believe that whatever problem a team has, a manager and an owner, make sure you deal with that behind closed doors. You can't bring that in public. You can't come out twice and criticize the owner. I know, yes, there was a massive change at the football club. Edu coming in.

36:13John Obi Mikel:Probably the communication, the line of communication between him and the owner now, he feels he needs to go through Edu to get to the owner. And that's something that he absolutely did not like. Absolutely not like. He didn't come out and say it publicly, but I think that is a problem. That is a problem. Right from day one, Edu joined the football club. That's when he came out and said, give that first interview that he's saying, we're in trouble. We're in trouble. Oh, we don't have the place. The season is going to start. It's because Edu joined the football club. And now he feels that his direct contact with the owner, he has to go through Edu to get to the owner.

36:50John Obi Mikel:So for me, he felt like the job that he did last season, his end up right to go direct to the owner. But that hasn't happened. And I think that's why he felt really disappointed. And I wonder as well, and obviously this will come out in the coming weeks. I'm sure you'll do a big interview somewhere. Maybe on this podcast, Nuno, if you're watching. But I wonder as well, he's looking at the players that Eddie was bringing in and thinking, wait a minute, these are not the players that suit my style. Maybe the players were brought in with Ange in mind, John. You know, where he's thinking, wait a minute here.

37:20Edu, I'm not, these are not players suited to my style. I'm not asking for these players. Maybe all along.

37:28John Obi Mikel:You never know. You never know. I think that's, again, what he said. He said, there's no smoke without fire. I think when he came out and say... Yeah, he criticised. We don't have a relationship anymore. I don't know where I stand. Yeah. The signings have been brought in as quick as I would have wanted. The whole thing fell off a few weeks back. Yeah. So I guess it's no real surprise. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And as well, the sacking as well and the appointment of Ange looks like this has been building up. This is something that's been on the pipeline all this while, you know, something that's been worked on.

38:00John Obi Mikel:It was just a matter of time. If you lose this one game, it's gone. And that's exactly what happened. You know, he lost one game and the owner decided to sack him. So, listen, I think Nottingham Forest should brace themselves for what's going to happen because it's going to sometimes, it's going to look like, you know, when you go watch a basketball game, you know the transition back in the fall and that's just what it's going to be like and angie's not going to change i'm just not going to change the owner said listen i want to not only play the european uh football i want to win it and he thought okay i'm gonna go with the manager that's that's proven that he can win and fair play to ang hey he did win it he did win it everywhere he's been he's won a trophy uh so fair play to him and if the owner decided okay you know i'm going to bring in a manager that has experience of winning maybe that's a decision but i don't think an style of play suits this notiam forest i genuinely don't think so because i think the player that they have the players that are you know medium block uh defending and then transition a quick transition in terms of attacking so for me i i wait and see how that how that plays out but um they have a good team though but we have to wait and see and you've been there john i always like leaning on your experience.

39:15You know, you talk about, I mean, Christ, you were there a few times with different managers coming in at your time at Chelsea. But when you've got... 11 to 12 managers, yeah. Exactly. Too many to count. But when you get a manager who is so different from his predecessor.

39:28John Obi Mikel:Yeah. What was the biggest jump for you? I always think the two that stand out for me, forgive me if I'm wrong, Luis Felipe Scalari came in and it wanted the high fullbacks. It was a bit of a blur. And then Andre Villas-Boas, right? They're the two that wanted to take you boys in a completely different direction. Would that be fair? Yeah. No, no, no, no. No, you're right. I think those two wanted to play quite expansive football. But you know, Chelsea, the way we play, our way of playing, we're quite low kind of block and medium low. And then we, because we're very, very physical, we're quick, we're strong, we're technically as well, good.

40:01John Obi Mikel:Good. So we know how to play our way. You know, we know that team that presses so high and trying to be so expansive. And these two managers that you've just mentioned, they came into the football club and trying to make us play a different way. which didn't work out. So sometimes when you have managers that comes into the football club and trying to change the style, the way the team plays, the culture of the football club, sometimes it just doesn't work out that well. So that's something that Notre Dame Fires will have to deal with. They have to deal with that. And again, it has to come down.

40:33John Obi Mikel:Do you have the players that can be able to do that? We can also see that right now with Manchester United. I've always said it, that the Manchester United way is 4-4-2. who is in a 4-2, 2-4-3-3. It's not a back three. Exactly. It's not a back three. That is the Manchester United way. Now when you watch Manchester United, it's like, I don't recognize what I'm watching. 100%. I don't recognize what I'm watching. So that happens. But, listen, Andrew's a very experienced manager. He's a very experienced manager. He knows what he's walking into. And he probably think, I have to go into this football club now and try to change the way the team is playing, which is going to be a drastic change coming from the way Nuno plays and the way he plays.

41:16John Obi Mikel:It's going to be a massive, massive change. I've listened to some of Notion Forest fans. Not all of them are happy with the decision. Most of them are not happy. Some of them are quite optimistic that Ange is going to come in and do well. I hope he does well with Miss Ange Ball, you know, in the Premier League and some of the interviews as well that he gives. So it's good to see him back. But I hope Notion Forest can kick on and probably do, you know, it's going to be a tough season. It's going to be a tough season because a lot of those players were brought in by, the whole team were brought in by Nuno.

41:51John Obi Mikel:And sometimes when the manager leaves, it does affect the team. Yeah, I'm with you on all of that. Last one on it. Do they have success or do you worry about them now? I do worry about them right now. I do worry about them right now because of the way Ange plays. And I just don't think he has the players to be able to play that way. Just no disrespect to anatom forest but i think he doesn't have the players that can be able to play that way the way he wants to play he wants to win the ball high of the pitch and then you know create chances call goals you have to think does he have the van de beck behind no he doesn't have that uh does he have the speed uh that uh to to for those defenders to be able to defend and constantly run backwards.

42:32John Obi Mikel:You know, to Milankovic and Murula. Murula, yeah. Will they be able to always constantly have to worry about what's behind them? Because that's what's going to happen. Teams are going to come out there, come there and try to find a way to attack and score goals against them. So, I think they will be all right, but I think, yeah, I don't think they will finish as high as they did last season. I'm just glad, can I just say sorry Nuno, I'm just so glad it was him that went first and it wasn't Graham Potter of course that win for West Ham ensured that Graham's in the job I know George it's Tottenham and Crystal Palace up next for the Hammers listen I don't think he's going to win any of those games I don't think he's going to win any of those games so for me I still worry for West Ham I still worry for Graham Potter you know sometimes when I look at him on the touchline he looks lost I think the game against Chelsea I could see him he was shaking his head on the touchline that's the worst thing you do as a manager or when your team is getting hammered and you're standing on the touchline, shaking your head doing that.

43:35John Obi Mikel:You can't do that. It's your job. Stream the biggest moments in sports live on Fox One. The biggest names, the biggest games, the biggest matchups. Watch live or catch up on your schedule. At home or on the go, never miss a moment. All on Fox One. Stream now. Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now, I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited premium wireless for$15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made$15 bills, but it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial. Give it a try at mintmobile.com slash switch.

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44:19John Obi Mikel:Initial plan term only greater than 50 gigabytes may slow when network is busy. See terms. To find a solution, you can't start the touchline and shake your head. If you do that, What message are you sending to the players on the pitch? What message are you sending to the hierarchy, the supporters? You're sending a message that I don't have a clue of what to do. For me, that's what I think with, you know, with Graham. But the win against Nathanae Forest probably just gives him a little bit of breathing room now. But I think the next two games, if he doesn't win any of those two games, you know, there's been reports that my mate, Frank Lampard, has been shortlisted.

44:53So let's wait and see. speaking of body language you're talking about Graham shaking his head gotta get your thoughts on Ruben Amorim cowering in the dugout during the penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby oh my god he can't watch penalties and then he came up with you know with the board and time unbelievable against Grimsby you talk about and this is a great it's a really good point you raise as a professional footballer John you're out on the pitch your job is to focus on the action the body language of your manager seeing your manager unable to watch seeing your manager cowering in a dugout. Senior manager, as the case was, Bruno Fernandes, 95th minute penalty against Burnley.

45:29He cannot watch. He's got his feet up. That doesn't, to me, smack of being a Manchester United custodian. No. A football manager of one of the biggest clubs in the world. A, it just looks, I'm going to say, it looks cowardly. And B, it doesn't look as if you've got faith on the players. No. It's just not a good look. Do you pay attention?

45:49John Obi Mikel:You as a player. Of course you do. Do you? Of course you do. You're on that pitch. the body language of your manager is so massively important massively important if you have a manager that's on the touchline kicking every ball kicking every water bottle that is something that you need you want to go to war for that manager you want to go to every game with that manager thinking i want to go into this game because the body language of my manager is something that's going to motivate me that's something that's going to spur me on to want to win this game because if you see the body language of your manager he's hyped you know he's motivated my god you want to you want to go onto that pitch and try to to to show the same you know win every tackle win every ball challenge for every tackle win every ball be the first to win the first ball you know what i mean so if you have a manager that's constantly shaking his head and body language is down it wraps up every everybody and that's something that ruben allaron is doing I think he needs to one thing he needs to do is change his body language he needs to start from there even if it's false change his body language you know you have your your player your captain apparently the best player in the team to take a penalty and you can't even watch him I agree unbelievable and even now when the score goes Manchester he doesn't celebrate because he's thinking this is not what I this is not the way I want my team to play but they're your players you brought in those players and he pays all the signings right now is your signing and you want to play three at the back.

47:14John Obi Mikel:You don't want to change. He looks lost. He looks like a manager that is, you know, out of ideas. He doesn't know what else to do. He looks absolutely out of, you know. He's dead. Exactly. He doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know what to do. And for a club as Manchester, you know you're going to be, you're constantly, constantly going to be scrutinized. You know, there's going to be constant criticism because Manchester United is a massive football club massive football club so if he's sitting there thinking that oh why am i always criticized no you will get that sir alice ferguson got that for over 20 years with a football club he got that week in week out so if you want to become the manager of manchester united you have to make sure you bottle all that in and you have to make sure that you come in week in week out you know with a good body language to motivate your team because those players now are your players find a way of winning games and i just thought that manchester united for me the biggest the biggest worry for me for manchester united i know everybody said oh they needed a striker no and field midfield john you'd get a game the fucking midfield suck the midfield out i know they went to get belieba they didn't get him but you have to suck the midfield out again time and time again please i love this i don't want to mention names players that have done it.

48:36John Obi Mikel:Been there, done it. Huge respect for, again, for Casemiro Arce. I love Casemiro. He was a player that I admired growing up. Growing up, probably the same name. But watched every time when he played, because we played the same position. I love the way he played that position for Ray Maduro. Absolutely brilliant. Fantastic. Won everything. Played with Tony Cruz and Modric. Brilliant midfield they had. But this system does not suit him. No. It's nature, mate. I know. When it comes, you can't control it. When it comes, you can't control it. Sometimes when father time call, you can't control it, mate.

49:19John Obi Mikel:Don't I know what I mean? You can't. Honestly. And the Premier League is a fast-paced game. People, clubs, find out where the weak point is. And Manchester United weak point sometimes is so easy to play through them. So easy. Bruno Fernandes is not at number six. He's not a guy to do the day to work for you. Because Semiro doesn't have the legs anymore. Exactly. He doesn't have the legs anymore. Going, I thought the best business they could have done is brought in at least one holding mid-flare. They need two, but at least one. Ugarte, I thought, was going to be the guy, but he hasn't hit the ground running.

49:54John Obi Mikel:He hasn't done it yet. So for me, I thought they would have gone in and strengthened that position, bringing a number six that can break up plays, that has the leg to be able to cover ground. to let Bruno Fernandes do his thing. Now Bruno Fernandes, now you've taken so much out of him because now he also has to be the guy to do the day to one. That's not his job. You need a number six. Again, Casemiro has done it. He's a fantastic player. I have huge, huge credit to the guy. But the Premier League is a tough, tough league. I'm forgiving. It's a fast-paced league. Sometimes when the legs are gone, we've all been there.

50:28John Obi Mikel:We've all been there. Sometimes don't overstay because then all your credit and everything you achieve, people start questioning. No. No one to say, okay, enough. I put my hands up. I can't do it anymore in this level. I can't do it anymore. You need someone younger. Yeah, in this system. In this system as well. But this system also gives him a bit of protection because you have three at the back. If they were playing with two at the back, it would have been worse. It would have been worse. So for me, I thought that was the business that United would have gone out and do, bring in a number six they need two but at least one so for me I think that's the biggest problem for me for United going forward this season yeah I think I know the answer to this question they ain't finishing top four then no chance oh no chance no chance Manchester United finishing top four no way you're having a fucking laugh mate I saw the first game when United played oh Manchester United oh yeah we're back we lost exactly and they're saying the way we played the way they played the way we played was so good no it's not What?

51:30John Obi Mikel:We lost. And then a week after that, they went and lost to fucking Grimsby. Cheers. Unbelievable. And now they're all down to earth again thinking, oh, what are we doing here? I know. You know, sometimes one game doesn't, start of the season, one game doesn't define how the season is going to go. You know what I mean? So for me, I, again, it's same thing with Arsenal. You know, they, they thinking, you know, it's, it's, it's, it's a one-off game. Oh, they're thinking, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. And then they went and lost to Liverpool. and now down to earth. You know, the Premier League is a tough league.

52:03John Obi Mikel:Unforgiving. It's a tough league, And they will lose games. You will. Liverpool will lose games. Of course they'll lose games. And Chelsea will lose games. Of course they'll lose games. But it's how you bounce back from it. On that then, John, I know we like to make predictions. Start of the season, first episode that we've done. Top four for you this season. I'm assuming. Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea. Yep. Fourth. And we'll get an order from you. Listen, City, for me, right now, right now, if you ask me today. They still finished all four. I don't think they're going to finish top four. City. But I think Pep Guardiola, for me, you know, one of the best managers that's ever managed in the Premier League.

52:39John Obi Mikel:I think he will find a way. He will find a solution. He has the players to do it. He has the players to do it. And another thing we need to talk about, City. For me, they consider so much, so many goals. The defense of City. City's defense is not what it used to be. It's not what it used to be. There's no pace. At that City defense right now, for me, the best defender right now for City is John Stones. I absolutely love when John Stone plays the way he plays. Ruben Diaz is not the guy anymore. He's not that guy that when he came into the football club, the first one, two seasons, it's not the same.

53:16John Obi Mikel:It's not the same. And you know who they're missing, John? It's not the same. Kyle Walker, Rico Willis. Kyle Walker is exactly, was the guy who was always, he was the page to cover this, you know, some of those mistakes that we never see City concede so many goals. Now they don't have that pace. They don't have that pace, City. You know, the back line is, they look so lethargic. They look slow. So for me, it's a worry. City defence, it's a worry. But I think, I still think they will be good enough to finish fourth place. I still think so. Competing to win the league, oh, that's going to be tough for City.

53:49John Obi Mikel:But finishing top four, I think they will be there. So who wins that? I think it's between Liverpool and Chelsea. I think between Liverpool and Chelsea, I think we have a good chance of winning it. I think right now, if you look at what team do you think that can beat Liverpool right now? I say Chelsea. I say Chelsea, the way we play. We are the best team that can, that so good playing out from the back. We are the best team in terms of playing out from the back. You can't, the way Enzo Moreska has got this team playing from back, it doesn't matter how much you press our players. We have the belief.

54:24John Obi Mikel:We have the brave. We have the braveness to be able to play out from the back. So I think with that high press of Liverpool, we are the team. I don't think they press up so high, but I think we are the team that can be able to hurt this Liverpool side. So I think we can be there come the end of the season. So I think it's between us and Liverpool. Arsenal third, City fourth. Listen, Arsenal always. Listen, they will be there. Arsenal will be there. Mikel Ateta, I have to say, and to all Arsenal fans, I'm sure right now, they also believe that this is the time. This is the time. This is the season.

55:01John Obi Mikel:The club again, the owners, the hierarchies have gone out again and backed, massively backed Mikel Ateta. Two players in every position. Massively backed him. They have the strongest squad in the Premier League, them and Liverpool. In terms of that, Arsenal has the strongest. The strongest in terms of that. Two players in every position. Two players in every position. So there is no excuse right now for Mikel Ateta. There is no excuse. He knows that. And I'm happy he's come out and said it. There is no excuse now to not win the Premier League or the Champions League. He has to win one of those.

55:38John Obi Mikel:And winning the FA Cup or the League Cup, he's not going to do it. He's not going to cut it. If he doesn't win the Premier League or the Champions League, he knows that. if he doesn't win any of these two, mate, put your hands up and say, I've tried. I've done my best. I've built a really, really good team. And he's done that. Credit to him. Credit to Mikel Atesta. He's built a really, really solid team for this Arsenal football club. But sometimes, is he the guy? You need to find to go to take you to the next level. That next level to get you to cross the huddle. I don't know if he's that guy.

56:17John Obi Mikel:We wait and see this season. So he has, that's the question for Mikel Ateta to answer come the end of the season. Because this season is massive, massive, massively important for him. If he doesn't win the Premier League or the Champions League, put your hands up and say, listen, I've done all I can do, but I'm sorry, I'm not the guy to take you to the next level. I'm not the guy. But credit to him, he's done really, really well. Arsenal has a fantastic team, a really good team. But sometimes it's just the man that knows how to win, knows how to win trophies. And if he's not the guy, put your hands up and say, listen, I've done my best.

56:53John Obi Mikel:Thank you very much. It's over to someone else. Yeah. Right. Last couple. Conscious. We could stay here all bleeding. Chatting. Who goes down, John? Last couple of seasons has been the promoted clubs. I know there's a feeling this year that that's going to change. I think that's going to change. Sunderland have spent big. Yeah. I've liked the look of leads. Leeds, yeah. Good against Everton. Good against, obviously, they got beat 5-0 by Arsenal. But at home at Ellen Road, they'll be fine. Burnley. Burnley, yeah. I mean, yeah, a lot of money spent, a lot of churn there. Who gets dragged into that?

57:21The West Ham, the Wolves, the Forest. Who's getting dragged? Yeah, listen, I think obviously, yeah, like you said,

57:27John Obi Mikel:the promoted teams have all, again, gone back down. But I think this season, I think it looks, looks, just looks like it's going to change a bit. I like the look of Sunderland. I think they're doing well. They've done some really good business. They've gone out and brought in Xhaka from Leverkusen, ex-Arsenal player. I think sometimes that's a brilliant, brilliant market there. Just experience. Experience. A player that can say, you know what, let's soak the pressure in, you know, stay here, come back, sit here with me. A player that has so much experience in the Premier League as well. So for me, that's a good piece of business they've done there.

58:01John Obi Mikel:And he looks good as well. So for me, Sunderland, they look good. You know, they're playing with so much. They're not playing with fear. You know what I mean? They're attacking teams. They try to play in front foot, attacking, and not defending. Not just defending. So they look good, Sunderland. I think they will be all right. Leeds as well, they look good. They're playing well. Again, a team that also likes to play in front foot. You know what I mean? Not just defending. So these two teams, they look good to me. I think they will be okay. Sunderland and Leeds, for me, I think they're going to stay up.

58:37John Obi Mikel:I think they're going to stay up. But listen, this is the Premier League. Once you start losing games, sometimes it's tough as a manager. If you haven't been there, right now it's all rosy and everything. It's all good for Sunday. Once you lose one or two games and then you start to struggle to win games, to pick up points. And once the dressing room is like, there's no good feeling there. The Premier League is a difficult place to bounce back on. We've seen that. It doesn't matter what team you are. So for me, but right now, I think Sunderland and Leeds, they look good. Burnley, I just think, I think Burnley are going to go down.

59:14John Obi Mikel:I think they're going to be dragged into, I think they will be one of those teams that go down. So for me, it's going to be Burnley. I think West Ham. West Ham, they're going to struggle. I think, sorry, Grime. I think Grime Potter is going to struggle. I think West Ham. For me, that West Ham team, oh my God, they look, yeah, I know they beat Nuttian Forest. Is it three nil or something? But they look awful. They'll get better. I watched, I watched the game. No, they're not going to get fucking better, mate. I watched the game against Chelsea. They looked awful. They were terrible. Awful. So I think West Ham will be dragged into the relegation zone.

59:47John Obi Mikel:Brentford. And Brentford, I think, obviously, losing to Mbwemo and Wisa at the same time. Thomas Frank. Thomas Frank as well. A manager that's been the glue, if you say, of that football club. Ran the football club really, really well. Players going up, players coming in. He was in control of all of that. so for me I think Brentford looks like a team that's going to struggle but I think for me it's between Wolves as well look like they're going to struggle yeah Wolves look like they're going to struggle I'm worried about their depth of squad I think Brentford will be alright I think Brentford will be fine so if I have to pick I'll go Burnley Western and Wolves and Wolves I think this is my three that are going to go you're not going to be welcome back East London West Ham fans we're sorting you're not going to be welcoming Wolverhampton either after that, John.

1:00:37Not a place I'm sure you frequent all the time.

1:00:39John Obi Mikel:No, but it's just when you look at this West Ham side, where's the goals going to come from? One of your best players has left the club. God forbid. Yeah, God forbid Jared Bowen got an injury. Exactly. You talk about injuries to key players in different teams. You know, I worry about Liverpool. I don't worry about Liverpool. Don't lose any sleep over Liverpool. But Virgil van Dijk got injured, you know, with their defensive issues. I look at West Ham and think, why if Jared Bowen was to get injured? Full Krug, Callum Wilson, are they, you know, cute enough, good enough to carry the can? That will be a big thing moving forward.

1:01:12Right, John, I've got to do this, and I'm so sorry. I've waited to the end of this episode to do it, so I'm going to pull this off like a plaster quick. You know where I'm going, John.

1:01:21John Obi Mikel:Oh, no. Nigeria. I'm sorry, John. 1-1 at South Africa. Your hopes of qualifying now for the World Cup, basically out of your hands. I'm sorry to do this. you're shaking your head. I'm shaking my head, man. Honestly. Honestly, listen, I have nothing to say about this. Like, honestly, for me, it's, we didn't qualify for Qatar last World Cup and now it looks like, again, we are, we are, we are not going to make it. Horrible. Horrible, horrible situation to be in. Honestly, I, my, I have nothing to say about it. It's just, where do I start? Where do I start? Don't get in trouble. Where do I start?

1:02:06John Obi Mikel:I think we have two games left, something like that. You've got Benin. automatic qualification is gone. South Africa, they've taken that spot. So, it's between us and Benin now. So, two games left. And we're third position, we're third in the, you know, on the table. It's just, it's just horrible. It's just horrible. Like, do you blame the players? No, I don't blame the players. Yes, of course, listen, the players have to take responsibility. I'm not going to sit here and say, you don't take responsibility at the place. You have to. The players have to take responsibility of the situation. But at the place, are you going to blame the players alone?

1:02:45John Obi Mikel:No. No, I don't think it's a place. You know, again, we talk about it so many times and so many times. And that's why you have people disrespect the African continent, the African football. I've said it so many times. The people that run our football back home in Nigeria, they need to be accountable. They need to be accountable for what's happening. They have no clue what it's like to get a player, a player, a top football player, European player that plays in Europe, to be able to perform. They have no clue. And sometimes I've been there. When they come in and they're talking to you, You look at them and think, who the fuck are you?

1:03:34John Obi Mikel:Like, who are you? You don't know what it feels like because you've never been there. You didn't play the game. You don't know what it feels like. You know what I mean? You can't tell me what to do on the pitch. Sometimes these players, they like a voice, a voice of somebody they can listen to who's been there, done it. You need these people to be in charge of the game because they've been there, they've done it. And they understand. They understand what it feels like to bring out the best of this place. Yes, the players take responsibility. Yes, of course, because they're the ones who saw the pitch.

1:04:06John Obi Mikel:Yes, I blame the players. But again, it starts from the top. What do you do as a federation to make sure those players, they come and they perform the way they perform in their clubs? They feel comfortable to perform the way they perform in their clubs. They're happy to perform the way they perform in their football clubs. It's been comfortable, isn't it? You know what I mean? They're motivated to perform the way they perform in their football clubs. What is the environment like? Do you make the environment comfortable for them to perform? Do you provide for them what they need to perform? How do you make the environment conducive?

1:04:43John Obi Mikel:How do you make the environment nice for them to be able to say, you know what, I'm coming back to play for my fatherland. I'm coming back to play for Nigeria. I have to feel comfortable. I am comfortable. I love coming back home to play because this is my country. And motivated. I'm motivated. That is the most motivated. I look at them sometimes, you know, coming back home. They don't look motivated. Because the surrounding and everything around it, it's not... It's not right. It's not right. To your point, it's not conducive. It's not conducive for them. Winning football matches and being successful.

1:05:18John Obi Mikel:It's not conducive. I know this place. I know. Sometimes when I watch everything that's going on, on social media and everything, I can see. I don't have to speak to the place. I can see because I've been there. I was there so many years. I know exactly what's going on. And I know how those things can be fixed. I know how those things can be fixed very, very easily. You need to have the right people running our football in Africa. The right people, especially Nigeria, especially Nigerian national team. Because we have so much qualities, so much qualities. How do you motivate this place? This is the question.

1:05:55John Obi Mikel:They need to be motivated. they need somebody who can talk to them somebody who they can listen to and say listen you've been there you've done it you know exactly what you're talking about i have no choice but i have to listen to you i have to do exactly what you're saying because that's the only way we can be successful and it's so now i feel for the people of my country i feel for people in nigeria because they're gonna be devastated right now again for the second time running we're not gonna qualify for the World Cup. Does anything change if you don't? Oh, mate, it has to. It has to. If you don't, if we don't make it to the World Cup, if we don't qualify, I just think the whole board of the NFF, they need to go.

1:06:39John Obi Mikel:They need to go. Sorry, they have to go if we don't qualify for the World Cup. The whole board of the NFF. Do you get your CV in? I'm saying it right now. because it's not acceptable. Twice in a row, we're not going to qualify for the World Cup. We are the biggest country, footballing country in Africa. The biggest. I don't care what anybody says. Mo Salah, IZG, whatever. I don't care. Nigeria is the biggest when it comes to African football. When it comes to Africa, we're the biggest. I don't care what anyone says. So, twice in a row, we don't qualify. Something is wrong. Something is wrong. A drastic change has to be done.

1:07:24John Obi Mikel:Has to be done. The government, if the government want to get involved, they have to get involved. They have to get involved. They have to get involved because it's not acceptable. If we don't qualify a second time in a row, it's not acceptable. Yes, the players have to take responsibility, but the biggest problem is from the top. From the top. Right. From the top. There'll be a lot of people listening to this. There'll be a lot of people watching this. There'll be a lot of Nigerians, of course. I'm disappointed. I'm disappointed. I can see that. Like when I speak, I speak very emotionally because when I'm very emotional about stuff, it's because I love, when I talk about Chelsea, same way.

1:08:00John Obi Mikel:When I talk about my Nigerian team, same. But it's not just the players. It's not just the players. It's the whole organization. It is the whole organization. It is from the top. It's from the top. 100 % from the top. You have to make those players motivated. Find a conducive way. When they come back home to play for Nigeria, they have to feel comfortable. And right now, nobody's making that comfortable for them. And that's why we're in a second time in a row. Nigeria, unbelievable. Still, the dream's not dead in Berlin yet. It's not dead yet. So we have to still support the players. We have to gain fear.

1:08:30John Obi Mikel:We have to support the team, behind the team. But I'm saying if we don't make it, massive, drastic, drastic change has to be done. The whole board of the NFF has to go. Have to go. You heard it here first. I'm sure we're going to get inundated with comments on our YouTube page. We'd love to hear from you. Sincerely, if you are a Nigerian football fan, fan, an African football fan, you've got an opinion on it, do drop a message to us. And that goes for all the subjects that we've talked about over the course of this episode. We've had so much to get off our chest, John, because we haven't caught up in so long.

1:08:59Of course, taking the Mikel back. Speaking of being back, the Obi-Wan podcast, season four. We never sleep. We're always moving forward. Some huge plans. We're excited for the launch of season four.

1:09:11John Obi Mikel:Huge, massive. We've got some great, great guests. Like we always do. We bring the best. We bring the, you know, top, top, top notch content for all our viewers. And of course, massive, massive thank you to all our, you know, incredible, incredible fans. You know, they've always supported us. They've always been there, you know. Consuming. Yeah, exactly. So, you know, everything we've achieved so far in this podcast, we wouldn't have done it without you guys. You guys have been absolutely brilliant. So continue to subscribe, continue to watch, continue to follow, because honestly, season four, fire.

1:09:48John Obi Mikel:Honestly, fire. It is going to be fire. I can promise you all of that. And as John says, please do subscribe. You can follow us, all your usual podcast platforms. We're on our YouTube channel as well. I think we're up to 170 ,000 subscribers to echo what John has said. Thank you all for your continued support. We've crossed 100 million views across all platforms as well. The downloads are into their millions now as well. So we do sincerely thank you for your continued support. and to John's point he said it it's going to be fire season 4 some incredible stuff upcoming so do tell your friends and family about it of course we're going to be regularly here taking the Mikel as John's opportunity to have his say on the big talking points of course the platform is available for you to have your say as well right John well done you thank you so much looking forward to it more conversations with this man season 4 on the way stay tuned for that as well you're not going to want to miss it it's another edition of Deacon McAllen to offer.