Former Chelsea maestro Mikel Obi has provided an insider’s look into the intriguing dynamics at the heart of the club, shedding light on the influential quartet that held sway over owner Roman Abramovich’s decisions on managers.
Chelsea, renowned for its managerial carousel, has witnessed the departure of numerous coaches under Abramovich’s reign.
During Mikel’s 11-year tenure at Stamford Bridge, only Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti managed to endure two full seasons. The rest, including touted successors like Andre Villas-Boas, faced swift exits.
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Mikel Obi reveals that a select group of players, consisting of John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, and Petr Cech, had Abramovich’s ear when it came to pivotal decisions regarding managerial fates.
In a candid conversation with Rio Ferdinand’s Vibe with Five, Mikel disclosed the subtle power dynamics within the team.
Mikel Obi Reveals Players Involved In Decisions Regarding Coaches
“The chat happens between the big guys: JT, Frank, Didier, and Petr Cech, and a little bit of Ashley [Cole].
“It’s not like a chat where they tell the coach we are going to go at you’, but the one person we didn’t like was Rafa [Benitez] because he wasn’t a Chelsea kind of manager and AVB.
“AVB was younger than most of the players, younger than Frank, younger than JT, and for some reason, he stopped playing Frank and Frank didn’t take that well so there was a little bit of a rift.
“When that happens and you get bad results, players who have been playing but are no longer start talking and the atmosphere was a little bit down, it cycles around and before you know it there is a little bit of talk.
“They stop talking to the manager, not saying ‘good morning’ and just walk past. That’s how they get their message across. The Roman comes in, as Roman only speaks to those guys, and once their story has been told to Roman, then Roman makes the decisions which favours the players.”
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Mikel emphasizes that Roman Abramovich, relying on insights from the player power circle, ultimately made decisions that impacted the fate of both managers and favorite players.
