JOHN OBI MIKEL’S arms flail around as he recalls teacups and tables being launched across the Chelsea changing room.
In 11 gilded years at Stamford Bridge, the Nigerian midfielder saw ten head coaches come and go but there was no doubting the club’s true leader.
Mikel has lifted the lid on JT and Chelsea’s epic argumentsRex Features
Mikel opened up to SunSport about his days at Stamford BridgeNorth News and Pictures
Speaking in 2019, Mikel revealed: “If we lost a game, we may not speak to each other for a day to show this was not good and tomorrow had to be better.
“We were just so hungry. Did we take it a bit too far? Sometimes, yes, we had to.
“There were people fighting, grabbing round the neck, JT smashing the table and drinks. If we were losing a game you did not want to be in the dressing room.
“There were countless times. If we were 1-0 down at half-time and had to win, he did it time in, time out.
“The manager would speak and then leave it to JT to carry on.
“He smashes the whole place up and then we go back out and get the win.
“What he said, we followed. What he did, we followed. We looked at him for a reaction and we followed.
“No matter what manager came in, you had to know the figurehead of the club was John Terry.”
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That all seems a lifetime ago for Mikel, 36.
The years have passed since he left Chelsea for China but the Champions League winner made his return to English football after signing a short-term deal with Boro in the 2018-19 season.
The midfielder explained: “I look at my time in China as an experience — it wasn’t bad.
“Everyone was so nice but sometimes you miss home and that’s what I did. I missed home and wanted to come back.”
In the second tier, Mikel found himself in direct competition with former Blues team-mates, though, after Ashley Cole joined Frank Lampard’s Derby and Terry became a coach at Aston Villa.
Mikel added to SunSport that he was desperate to instil his winning mentality at Middlesbrough.
He made 19 appearances before finishing his career with stints at Trabzonspor, Stoke and Kuwait SC.
The legendary 91-cap Nigerian announced his retirement in 2022 with 11 goals in 495 professional club appearances spanning 17 years and five countries.
John Obi Mikel spent 11 glittering years at ChelseaNorth News and Pictures
John Obi Mikel enjoyed a huge amount of success in his Chelsea daysPA:Press Association