You need help, you can’t become a legend with mouth – Former  Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh fires back at Mikel Obi

Former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh has fired back at John Mikel Obi after the ex-Chelsea midfielder questioned his coaching ability on his podcast.

Sunday Oliseh was appointed as  Super Eagles coach in July 2015, and he spent eight months on the job.  

Sadly, his time in charge of the Super Eagles was marred with a lot of controversies.

In the first months of Oliseh’s appointment, former Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama retired after an altercation with him. It was also speculated that some of the players were not happy with Oliseh during his reign.

Speaking in January on his Podcast, former Super Eagles captain, Mikel, who was one of the senior players on the team at the time, described Sunday Oliseh as “easily the worst manager I played under.”

“He (Oliseh) had absolutely no clue of how a manager is. He was a fantastic guy in his playing days, but he was a terrible coach. He absolutely had no clue of what he was doing,” the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner said.

“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.

“He was easily the worst manager I played under.

“He was so bitter with everybody, jealous with everybody, and had no respect for speaking to anybody, whether the physio or anybody, ” Mikel added.

In a new interview with Elegbete TV, Oliseh reacted to Mikel’s comments by slamming the former Chelsea midfielder, who he also told to seek help.

“I think the kid(Mikel) needs help, to be honest. There’s something I’ve not really shown much, I won the best coach for the first period of the Jupiler league, which is in the Dutch league. That was not voted by the press, that was voted by the players and the coaches of the league,” Oliseh told Elegbete TV.

“I’m the only, and the first coloured man from Sub-Saharan Africa to ever win this title with with a club like Fortuna Sittard, who had very average players were able to qualify from the second division from last position to the first division, where they still are now.

“I don’t need to justify myself being a good coach or anything to the kid. I call him (Mikel) a kid because my son is 27 years old.

“When he made this statement, I heard about it, but I couldn’t go on television and start arguing with someone like him. It’s degrading as a coach, you don’t go into the media and start arguing with your player.

“But I would like to help the boy because I think he needs some help. You cannot become a legend with your mouth.

“You cannot achieve what you were not able to achieve on the pitch outside the pitch by talking on a podcast.

Oliseh also slammed Mikel for publicly complaining about his demanding family members, who were always asking him for money.

“What shocked me with Mikel Obi was that never in the history of Nigeria or African football has one player ever gone on to a foreign podcast and totally humiliate his family by calling them beggars, problems, and everything.

“How can you do this to your family. In Africa, it is our pride when you earn something or you help your family. In fact, it is your duty.

“Dosu Joseph is one of my best friends, he’s like a brother to me. Before Obi made it in football, Dosu housed Mikel in his house and fed him. I bet people don’t know this. Dosu is still doing well, albeit handicapped because of an accident.

“Despite the help that Dosu gave Mikel, has he ever gone to say hello? With all the millions he has made, help the poor guy(Dosu).

“I heard he said something about me treating Elderson Echiejile wrong, but that is misinformation he has given to Nigerians. But that is wrong Echiejile’s uncle is my good friend. I even advised Echiejile when he had issues with his coach at Monaco.

“The problem I had with Mikel was that I didn’t find him good enough to play that position when I coached him.

“I felt we had a home-based player that was best. And when we played a World Cup qualifier against Swaziland, because Mikel had played badly in the first leg three days earlier, when we came back, I played Paul Onobi in his place. Paul was eventually voted as the best player by the opposition coach.

Oliseh also added that Mikel is currently seeking attention because he is just coming to terms with the changes in life after retiring from football.

“I have no grudge against Mikel, I just feel that he needs help. If he wants, he can call me, I will give him advice.

“When people stop football, most players are lost, they don’t know what to do. During their days, some of them were so arrogant that they don’t talk to people. But after retiring, they realize that they need people after all. They have to try to get back into the system. I know that is what Mikel is going through now, but there are ways to do it.

“One of the first things to do is to educate and work on yourself. For example, we saw the Ivory Coast player that went to the university to get a degree. If he wants to do podcasting, it’s good, but it’s not by attacking people and insulting, and demolishing people.

“I heard him make comments about Kanu not being the most decorated  Super Eagles player, but that is not what sells podcasts is what you have in your brain. So Mikel should educate himself, fill it with things, and then you can share.”