The death of Nigeria’s World Cup dream: ‘Voodoo’ farce, NFF cull & a future Obi Mikel role?

0:03Right, hold on to your hats, folks. It is taking the Mikel. It is myself, Chris McCarty, John Obi Mikel. It is the morning after the night before, my beloved Scotland. Sorry, John.

0:15John Obi Mikel:Oh, yeah. I've got to go there. We've done it. We're at a World Cup. You guys made it. Congratulations, mate. Thank you, John. I said that through gritting teeth. That's seconds, eh? Mate, what a finish. I look like this, not normally. I'm knackered this morning. we're recording this podcast the morning after the night before. Have you seen the goals? No, I haven't seen it, no. But yeah, I had it was such a mental, hectic end of the game. It was just frantic, I think it was. Scott McTominay scores one of the greatest overhead kicks you've ever seen. Yeah, what a player he's become, isn't it, Scott McNamee?

0:47John Obi Mikel:Unbelievable. Since living in Manchester United. But again, you know, Scotland, I've been sort of following the whole situation with Scotland. Qualifying or not qualifying to the World Cup, but finally, congratulations, you guys. have qualified uh i just have to say shout out to uh uh somebody that was really important to me um when i joined chelsea football club steve clark uh what uh what a man what a what a character you know under jose marino he was superb as a number two uh just a very very calm head that you need around the place around the training ground man who knows how to speak to plays gets the best out of players and just so assured of himself, you know, when he talks to players, speak to players.

1:35John Obi Mikel:So for me, I've been following his journey, obviously, since he became number one and again, also coaching when he took over Scotland. What an amazing job he's done there to take you guys to the World Cup. You know, just brilliant. So yeah, congratulations to Steve Clark and Steve, if you're watching, congratulations, man. You deserve it. I love that. I did. Yeah, you're right. He was Josie's number two and you worked for them. So yeah, Steve Clark is going to the World Cup. Scotland back there for the first time since 28 years, which is why I'm beaming. John is putting on a smile for Steve Clarke, but...

2:08John Obi Mikel:I'm sure the bars, the bars in the States, you know, they're all going to be happy because Scotland are coming. You guys are going to fucking drink the whole country to the ground. No doubt. The tequila that's going to be dry in Mexico, they're going to be dry after a week of the tournament. Right. Well done to Scotland. But, of course, There'll be a lot of people tuning into this. John, we've taken a few days. I say we, you've taken a few days to let the disappointment of your beloved Nigeria's failure to reach the World Cup finals. A second successive tournament in which the Super Eagles will not be there.

2:45We've spoken a lot on this podcast about it. I know you've got an awful lot to say about this. There's an awful lot to unpack. Let's start your emotions. You've had a few days to reflect on it. Penalty shootout defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nigeria out.

3:03John Obi Mikel:Yeah. I think the word there you mentioned there is failure, and I think that's what it is. Failure, I think that's what it is. That's what we call it.

3:15John Obi Mikel:I think it was just disappointment to the whole situation. you know what happened before the game before the two games you know just situations that shouldn't have come up came up and whichever way you look at it whether it was resolved or not resolved those situations will affect the players yes we did win the first game but then the second game we couldn't get through those situations shouldn't have happened you know there was a lot of negative things that happened that shouldn't have come up players keeping training not going to training for such important games you can't do that um so number one who to blame who do you blame the players are saying is from the money owed from uh african cup of nations that they owe that money that they should be paid that money before these two play of games you have to choose your battles sometimes as players and when you find yourself in a situation where we find ourselves to play of games which is must win must win lose go home win you advance um i just think those situations shouldn't have come up you know the players whichever way this situation should have been resolved before anything like this comes up because we know these two games are the most important games i've said it here so many times you know of those players lives everybody depending on these two games and i just thought that this whole situation it doesn't matter who you play if you skip training if there's negativity around the place it will affect the plays it will affect everybody around the team not just the players the fans the country the nation everybody was worried about what was going on the players not going to training two days before two days before a world cup play of game you can't let that happen you can't let that happen and i did say it that whatever it will take for the nff to make this whole play of games comfortable for the players to feel comfortable for the players to not worry about anything do it now is the right time to do it and what did they do few days after we had we spoke about that something else came up something else big negativity came up so these are the things that i always talk about with this nff they choose the wrong the always the wrong time to to to make issues issues come up because it was It's just the wrong time for the situation to come up.

6:02And it just comes again with the whole thing that I talk about every single time. Do we have the talent in the team? Of course we do. Do we have the players to take us to the world? Of course we do. We have all these things. The potential is there with the team, with the players. But when you have the people in charge. Yeah. Constantly putting the team in this situation. In this negative situation, it brings the whole team down. And that's what happened. Yes, we did win against Gabon for a while. After extra time. After extra time. But then we couldn't go past DRC Congo. It's just the whole thing of negativity.

6:49It just doesn't work well when you are in this situation of going to the World Cup. And that's where my frustration comes with the NFF. That's where my frustration comes with them not being the right people to motivate this place, to get the best out of this place, to make sure that this place are comfortable. That's playing for the national team. Because if those things happen two days before the game, it doesn't matter if you have a meeting and start it out. It still lingers around. Mentally, it's in their brains thinking, you know what? This thing has just happened. We missed training two days before.

7:25am I fit? Am I ready for this game? Because I haven't trained for two days. Mentally in your head, you're not focused on that game. So these are the little things that when it happens, they're not little things. These are things that have been happening time after time, year after year of this NFF, of the wrong people being in charge. I've said it. We have no, there is no two ways about it. We had to go to the World Cup. And now we fail. two times in a row. It's a disaster. Could that be, hear me out here, John, because you're not going to like how I word this, but this might be a good thing for the long term if it finally leads to the NFF, the Nigerian Football Federation, being ripped up and started again, John.

8:18And that's where we're at because you've said on this podcast, you've said it, this is nothing new. We go back to the 2014 World Cup, similar issues. There was the dispute over unpaid bonuses back then. Money that was owed to the players that you have a right to. Now, before anyone starts saying, wait a minute, you're playing for the country. Money should be the last thing on your mind. But equally, it's what you are owed. Therefore, it's not money that has been given by. It's not like that. No, no, no.

8:47John Obi Mikel:You're not asking for money. You're not asking for a handout. No, you're not. You owe this money. It's the money that you deserve. It's your right. You've played these games. And your bonuses, those bonuses should be paid. Those bonuses should be paid to the players. It doesn't matter. Yes, people say, yes, it's your country. Yes, this players earn a lot of money. Yes, they do. Yes. Yes. But when it's your right, when it's your right, you should be paid. It's a good fee. It's a sure of fee. Exactly. It should be paid. You've held up your end of the bargain. It's up to the NFF to hold up their end of the bargain.

9:20Exactly. So going forward, where do we go from here now? What is done is done. A disaster. A big disaster. Let's not make a mistake about it. It's a big disaster. It's a humiliation to the nation. It's a big humiliation. International-wise.

9:39John Obi Mikel:Two World Cups in the world. And we call ourselves the Giants of Africa. Let's not kid ourselves. We're not the Giants of Africa again when it comes to football. Let's not kid ourselves. because the giants of africa should be in a world cup twice in a row we fail to qualify twice in a row we fail to go so where do we go from here yes we have afghan coming up exactly a month and a half ago a month and a half to come we have the afghan coming up we have to regroup we have to go forward because we have a huge tournament coming up we have the afghan coming up is again is a huge massive massive tournament coming up does winning help the mood for me i don't think winning the afghan will make up for what has happened i don't think so i don't think so because the average nigerian and nigerian fan we all nigerians we want to see our country in the world in the biggest stage competing with the big boys competing with the big countries, competing with the top boys playing in Europe.

10:47That's where we want to see Nigeria. That's where we want to see our country. Competing, measuring ourselves with the best where we're at. And twice in a row, we have failed to do that. That's where we belong. The World Cup is where we should be. We should be competing in the World Cup. So for me, I don't think, that's my personal opinion though. winning the National Cup, does he make up to what we've done, the failure that's happened? I really, just a little bit. But does he 100 % make it up for it? I don't think so because we want to see ourselves in the World Cup. It's a shame that you can't see a striker in his prime.

11:31In his prime, absolutely on fire. It's not going to be in the World Cup. Ellen Holland knew about it. 28 years or 30 years They haven't been in the World Cup He knows As one of the best Strikers in the world, he has to be in the World Cup He has to be, because that's where he Belongs, competing in the World Cup, in the biggest stage On the biggest stage, yeah That's where he belongs And it's a shame that we can't see Our best striker in Africa Be in that biggest stage Competing, showcasing his talent scoring goals for our country, for our nation, Africa, Nigeria. So for me, going forward again, we talk about it.

12:17Yes, it's a short time to make changes now before leading up to the Nations Cup. But those changes have to be made. Those changes have to be made. I said it, that if we do not qualify for the World Cup, the NFF, the whole board has to go. they have to go because you can't keep repeating the same mistake every time and thinking something is going to change it's just going to be the same results if you have same people doing same thing and failing all the time and you like give them one more time no no they're going to keep failing they had a job to do they had a job to do get to the world and they messed it up yeah their job is to take the country the team to the world and they failed they have absolutely failed and the Corruption is incredible It's incredible what goes on there You know, you have a president of the FA Leaves the FA His tenure is done He leaves his FA And he puts his own boy in it His own prodigy His own whoever that he strains It's a cabal It's a circle It's a cabal It's a circle You think the NFL president answers to himself?

13:31No, he answers to people above him People who put him there If anybody comes into the NFF If anybody comes into the national team Make sure my 3%, my 5 % You're going to send it to my account What? It's not him that's running the NFF It's not He's got people that he answers to It's the corruption It's the corruption So that's what I said I know we've talked about it And the answer, oh no The government cannot get involved and select who they think is going to be the NFF president, who's going to run the NFF, it's FIFA to have to decide. Mate, when you're wearing your shoes and it hurts, you know where it hurts, don't you?

14:16I don't fucking know where it hurts. So, we Nigerians, the government, have to decide who runs the NFF. Not FIFA. I understand this has been the case This has been what's going on But that has to change Because the people of the country We know where it hurts We know where we're going through So for me Whichever way you look at it I love what FIFA is doing FIFA has been great They're trying to help the countries They're doing so much for African countries They're putting money where they should They're giving money where they should But those money are not being used properly but we know where it hurts we know if somebody's not doing the job properly we the people of the country should be able to elect who we think can govern and bring the best out of the place out of the country out of the footballing system that we have sports not just football sports everything connected to it almost what you're saying john is there should be an independent regulatory body that ensures that when the money is given to federations around the world that the money is being spent properly.

15:29John Obi Mikel:The money should be spent properly. But so far, it's not. The money is not spent properly. So far, it's not. Like we talked about it. Yes, FIFA, I think there was money it was given. Yes, it's not spent properly. It's going into the wrong areas. It's going into the wrong areas. And in the wrong pockets. Where the money should be going to the kids, to academies, developing the academies, developing the facilities in the country, making sure that kids, when they find a good facility where they can go and play football, where they can go and enjoy themselves, playing with their friends. You know, build five-for-side pitches, good pitches where kids can go after school.

16:04Coach education. Go, education as well. Bring in the coaches that can be able to develop these kids. Put the money in the right places. Not in someone else's pocket. Because that's where it goes. And they're going to whip up something stupid somewhere and say, oh, this is what we built. That's not worth anything. They're trying to fool everybody. No, you can't. So going forward for us, As a nation, as a country, I believe that, yes, we have to get the right people to be in charge of the game. We have to get the right people. People that has been there, done it, knows what it feels like to play these games, to be in these situations.

16:43That can tell the players, listen, I know what you're feeling because I've been there. I know how you feel. Let me help you. Let us help each other together. Yeah. Let us make this work. club because at the end of the day we are here to play for the country we are here to play for 230 million people 300 million people we're here to play for them the one thing that unites our country the one thing that brings people together it doesn't matter the economic situation it doesn't matter what's going on the tension politics it doesn't matter the one thing is football the one thing we hold so dearly that brings us together is football.

17:29It doesn't matter what you go through. It doesn't matter what you're going through. Once the national team is playing, everybody is tuning to watch, to support. Football is everything to us in Africa, in Nigeria. Everything. Football can stop a war. As has been proven. As has been proven. When there is no future, For the youths going forward. There is no future right now when it comes to the country. We talk about football, yes. You can talk about the youths. Finish education. There is no job. There is no guidance. There is no way forward for the youth. There's scrambling for jobs. There's scrambling for things to do.

18:20It's not just the national team. It's just not sports. is not just football. The country. It's everything. The country is on its knees a bit. We are. We're not progressing. We're regressing. We are regressing as a footballing nation. And we have to do something about it. So we have to do something about it as quickly as possible because another four years is coming. You might think it's four years. It's far away. No, no, no, no, no. You start now. Yeah. You start now to build for another four years because four years can come very quickly. And if you're not ready, same thing is going to happen.

18:55If you're not ready in the next four years, if we don't put in the right people now for the next four years to run the football. It'll be three World Cups you're missing. It's going to be three World Cups you're going to miss in a row. And that, my friend, it's not acceptable. It's not acceptable. So put in the right people now for the next four years. Get the right people. Put in the right structure. and make sure whatever you're doing is done properly, is done with the right people. So that's what we have to do going forward. Going forward for the next four years, we have to start now. And what I mean now is after the African Cup of Nations, the NFF board have to go.

19:39They have to go. We said it. If we don't qualify, start afresh. Start afresh. has has to roll and it has to happen it has to happen they have to go put in the right people they can take us to the next four years and make sure that we're ready again when it comes to the next four years right you know the question i'm going to ask you've spoken passionately about the nff situation nigerian football the situation in your country john i see a lot of comments a lot of people comment on our social media a lot of people comment on our youtube channel, Jono B. Mikel, step up. You can be the man to do it.

20:17So with that, I've got to ask the question, would a role interest you if the framework is one that you believe in, Jon? To go back to your point, a clear, concise plan that's devoid of corruption, that is clearly built for the good of Nigerian people and Nigerian footballers, would you be interested in a role?

20:42John Obi Mikel:You can know one thing that I've always done since my early days. I don't know how many players you can mention, maybe one or two, that has shed blood and tears for the country like I've done. I've played in all that they're under. Age. Age groups. Age groups. 17s, 20s, 23 national team. Years of sacrifice. I've done it. I can never, not for once, say no to my country when I've been called to help. Situations where I know I can give something back, where I know I can give my opinion and help. I will always be ready for that. but again you've just said it that will not have corruption tied to it i am not going to do that if i have to answer to somebody else if i have to say a yes sir i am not going to do that a clear picture of what has to be done if you want that to happen if you want a clear picture if you want us going forward a fresh start building the right structure making sure things are done properly.

22:00Of course,

22:02John Obi Mikel:getting the right team, people that can answer to what we're doing, that have same direction, same focus, same thought, same way of going forward to making sure that we create an environment for these players, for the national team, so that when these players come back home to play, there is an environment that is cultured for them to perform. There is culture for them to do well. Not to worry about anything. Play football because that's what you do. You're good at it. We can see you doing it. We can work out with your clubs. When you come home, perform the same way. Play the same way. With the same passion.

22:44With the same aggressivity. With the same willingness. That's what you need. That is the environment you need to create. And these players are not stupid. it when they come and they see that things are not done properly they know well alex and that happened in his hotel john i mean that in itself and the biggest week you said it one of the biggest weeks in recent nigerian times first day and i messaged you straight away yeah not again not again yeah you've got a legacy there will be in his hotel room in rabat saying what is this Then comes the fallout of the bonuses. And you're thinking, why does the NFF make the same goddamn mistakes time after time after time?

23:32You're giving the players an out, John. And you've often talked about it, that Chelsea and other clubs and other nations don't give a player an excuse. Don't.

23:45John Obi Mikel:Don't. And that's what's happened. Don't. I was a player that I was privileged enough, lucky enough to play for Chelsea. Yes. And in good money. And one thing I always say to the national team, to the NFF, to the presidents back then, I used to have a chat. My bonuses, you can, you can hold for a while. You can give me excuses. You can tell me, Oh, you know what? It's coming. Blah, blah, blah. We can negotiate. We can do this. we can do that. I will listen a little bit to you. But when it comes down to the little things of flights, booking the good, making sure that when I'm flying, I'm comfortable.

24:30I'm on a good airline. I'm flying with the right airline. Hotels, when I walk into the hotel, that it's good. It's a good hotel. It looks nice. It's good. It's comfortable. To be comfortable. You feel safe. I feel safe. Tell me stories about my bonuses God I can listen a little bit But don't give me excuses when it comes to me Flying from London to Nigeria You're booking me in a shit airline You're not making me feel comfortable Flying down 6-7 hours Those are not negotiable for me I can't negotiate that with you And that's where I had problems with them When I walk into the hotel It's not a nice hotel The food is not good Those are the things that I worry Those are the things that I have arguments Fights with them The bonus is I can play around with it a little bit But not those things But those little things are not little things Those are the things that Helps me feel comfortable To perform, to play well Exactly If you don't eat the right food, the good food You can't perform well You can't We know that We know that.

25:47So for me, those are the things that I fought sometimes with them. And again, Alexi Wobbe, yes, that picture. Maybe he was taken innocently. Him posting it up. But again, as a player, playing in Europe, living in a nice accommodation, you would have rather he didn't post. You should have known better two days before the game. Rather, don't put that up. Because I read some of the comments. People saying, oh, you should be fucking lucky that you have a nice, you live in a nice place, you earn good money, you have your own house and all these things. Don't laugh, don't laugh, don't laugh at us in Morocco and stuff like that.

26:27I read the comments. You don't want this negativity. You don't want that around two days before a playoff game. So if you were the captain, you... If I was the captain, I saw that, I'd tell him, take that straight away. Take it off your Instagram. Take it down. We don't need that. We don't need that. First of all, we've put ourselves in a situation of playing these two playoff games where we shouldn't have been in that situation. FIFA, or no, CAF has helped us. For some reason, deducted points from God knows who, and we found ourselves playing playoffs games. If those points were not deducted, that's it, we're done.

27:05Right? We're done. Yeah, the deducted points. Kind of. South Africa were deducted the three points. They still qualified top. You still got past Benin. So you would have still been... we still would have been but you shouldn't have ever needed we shouldn't have needed to play that if we won our games earlier on so for me these are the things that yes maybe Alex posted this that that picture frustration innocently for some reason whether it was frustration or not but don't put it up on social media don't you don't need that negativity and for him to then come out and try to defend himself that all that just plays around it's a negativity you don't need it you should be concentrating on the games ahead trying to find a way to win those games because those are the most important thing you should be thinking about not posting on social media something that is going to bring negativity to the team and then follow that up which again comes the bonus so there was just too many negativity leading up to the game that affected this whole playoff and to be honest if we can beat benin and jersey congo and and gabon gabon Mate, we shouldn't be going to the World Cup.

28:12We shouldn't be. We shouldn't be. We need to find the way forward right now. The nation, the country is bleeding. We need to heal from this disaster. We need to heal. And to heal is to make the right decision.

28:33John Obi Mikel:The right decision is to appoint the right people to be in charge. I keep saying it to go forward, to create the right environment, to bring the right structure that can help develop this country football from top to bottom. Yeah. We have to do things right. We have to do things right. And to do things right, you have to end the corruption. You have to end the corruption. It's eating us alive. is eating the talent we have, the potentials we have in Africa, in Nigeria. We have the players. We have the talent. We have the potentials. You can see it. Yeah, you're right. You have to fix the structure.