John Obi Mikel LAUGHS at the idea of Graham Potter managing Chelsea under Roman Abramovich

John Obi Mikel LAUGHS at the idea of Graham Potter managing Chelsea under Roman Abramovich and says he ‘had enough time’ and ‘didn’t really know what to do’ at a club that was too big for him

• Former Chelsea midfielder has suggested club was too big for Graham Potter
• John Obi Mikel said Potter had been given enough time and didn’t show enough
• Frank Lampard replaced the former Brighton boss on an interim basis  

By Julian Bovill For Mailonline

John Obi Mikel has laughed at the thought of Graham Potter in charge of Chelsea during the Roman Abramovich era.

The former Nigeria and Chelsea midfielder played for the Blues from 2006-07 to 2015-16, playing under some of the club’s most charismatic managers in his decade-long spell. 

Chelsea parted ways with Potter after a dire 31-game spell in charge having taken over from Thomas Tuchel last September. 

Speaking to Dubai Eye radio station, Mikel said he felt Potter had been given enough time in charge of the team, saying the club made the right decision in the end.

‘When you look at that, was he given enough time?’ he asked. ‘I think so. I think where you look at where the club is now, what is it, 11th in the table? 

John Obi Mikel laughed at the thought of Graham Potter managing under Roman Abramovich

The Russian was known in English football for his rather brutal treatment of underperforming managers

Potter limped on for a period before Todd Boehly and Co pulled the trigger after defeat at home to Aston Villa

‘So when you look at it, I think he’s been given enough time. If it was the Roman Abramovich era…’

He added: ‘So was he given enough time? I think the club made the right decision.’

Mikel went on to suggest that the club might have been ‘too big’ for him to manage, referencing his rather calm and distant nature on the touchline, a style far removed from some of Chelsea’s most notable managers of the modern era, including Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Tuchel. 

‘Was the club too big for him to manage? Maybe. Because when I look at him sometimes on the touchline he doesn’t really know what to do. 

‘He’s not communicating to the players, he doesn’t tell them what to do on the pitch.’

Asked whether or not he enjoyed having a manager who was vocal on the touchline, Mikel responded: ‘I like a manager who is always motivated, who wants to… who is passionate on the touchline. 

Mikel (L) played under some of the club’s most notable and charismatic managers – including Jose Mourinho over two spells 

‘When they scream at you, they are telling you what to do. Sometimes players need a kick up the backside, to wake up. With Graham, I wasn’t seeing that.’

However, he added that he saw similar shortcomings in Lampard’s managerial style during his first stint with the club, which ended in January 2021. 

‘Also with Frank, I wasn’t seeing that. I hope now he’s back, he will be more of a [Jurgen] Klopp or Pep [Guardiola], we see this managers who are always emotional, it’s like they want to be on the pitch. I want to see that with Frank when he comes back.’

:

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk