I am not as rich as people think - Mikel Obi
In successive football seasons, you won the UEFA Champions League and the Africa Nations Cup title. Which of these two makes you happier?
It is not an easy question. Playing for Chelsea at the final of the UEFA Champions League and winning the title is great. I realise there are Arsenal, Man United, Real Madrid fans in Nigeria, but I also know there are many Chelsea fans in Nigeria. Whatever I achieve with Chelsea, I have Nigeria at the back of my mind. Each game I play for Chelsea, I think like an ambassador of Nigeria in Chelsea colours and when we won the Champions League, the number of congratulatory messages from Nigerians via the Internet and mobile phone were more than those I got when we won the Nations Cup. Winning the Nations Cup is massive for us and the reception was memorable. I am just grateful to God that I am a member of those two great squads. That’s all.
Those who doubted your commitment to Nigeria had a change of opinion at the Nations Cup. What did you do specially at Afcon 2013?
It was the entire team that made the difference not me. We had a group of players, coaches and officials who understood what we were in South Africa for. We put everything into the game and communicated very well. When we had causes to disagree, we made up almost immediately and we felt the moral support of all Nigerians. It was a nice second coming for me having played in South Africa as a kid. I missed the World Cup in 2010 due to injury but I returned to the country to claim the Nations Cup.
You talked of understanding and co-operation at South Africa 2013. Were these factors missing in the previous sets of the Eagles you have been involved in?
For me, I have always enjoyed the national team. In fact I came in to meet exciting players like Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Yusuf Ayila, Wilson Oruma and the rest. When you share camp with these players, you are bound to feel great but we emerged champions at South Africa 2013 and that makes it special.
What was the reception like for you and Victor Moses on getting back to Chelsea after the Nations Cup?
Let me tell you that from the outset of the competiton, my teammates in Chelsea never stopped to call the two of us to wish us well in our games. They appreciated us the more and Moses jokingly asked our teammates to add champions to our names whenever they called us. Moses rejoined the team ahead of me and I was told the coach made a speech and asked the team to sing for Moses. I missed it.
You hold the record of the only outfield player with the highest number of appearance not to have scored in the English Premiership. You must be embarrassed by this statistics?
There were times I think of this but not longer. I remember I played a game under Roberto di Matteo and at the interval, he rightly accused me of not playing for the team. He said if I put pressure on myself as far as scoring is concerned the team will suffer and at the end of the day, I may not get the goal. My attitude to the game right from the grass roots is to give the best to the side I play for, personal glory is secondary but like any other player I will like to score but I don’t dress for games thinking I am the one to score the goals. Rafael Benitez tells me I am the one that keeps the shape of the team for many seasons. He asks that I improve but never to think of radically changing my role for the team. I am never embarrassed at Chelsea, no matter the figures and facts that come out of my involvement.
It is said that you and John Terry backbite when you are not picked by Chelsea for the starting slot. Is this true?
(Laughs). I have never heard this
It was reported in the British medium.
I don’t think I feel bad whenever I am not picked by Benitez, same thing for Terry. Terry is the captain of the team and he is bold enough to speak with the coach, he will never hide his feeling. When I joined Chelsea afresh, Terry, Michael Ballack and Michael Essien were very close to me. Ballack has left the club while Essien is on loan at Real Madrid. I miss the two of them but I remain close to Terry. Perhaps that is why some feel that way but we are 100 per cent commited to Chelsea and the club appreciates our contribution.
Michael Emenalo is the Technical Director at Chelsea. As a Nigerian, does he have special relationship with you and Victor Moses?
You are talking of a big man at Chelsea. I am proud he is a Nigerian but it is not everyday you see the Director around the players. He is a top, top, man out there. He has got a lot to do and when the rare opportunity comes, he is very jovial and cordial with the staff at Chelsea.
Seven years at Chelsea and still counting, you must be very rich?
Rich men know themselves. If not for sporting reasons, I can’t see myself dining or wining at a party where the Dangotes and the Adenugas are but I am comfortable to take care of my parents, friends and relatives. I wish to earn more so that I will be able to meet up with my plans for the wider society. The other time I was reading a magazine which wrote that I was worth billions of naira; that I own posh houses in Port Harcourt, Abuja and Lagos. The news failed to mention the one I have in Jos. That is where they made a very big mistake and gave people the chance to doubt the story.
If I had so much money, my dad would not have spent up to two hours in the custody of kidnappers. I thank God for everything and if people say I am richer than I am, I claim it.
Who is the toughest opponent you have encountered?
Like I told you, I don’t believe in individualism in football. I have coped against very tough opposing teams but I can’t really say immediately that this is the particular player that gave me horrors. If you talk of tough matches, I have played so many but the hardest and toughest for me is Nigeria versus Holland in the 2005 World Youth Championships. Perhaps it was because we were inexperienced at that time but the atmosphere was electric because we were playing against the home team. We had a marathon penalty shootout and won the match.
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