ohn Obi Mikel officially kicks off his Chelsea career today.

The Nigerian superkid, who was the subject of an intense tug-of-war for almost 18 months between Chelsea and Manchester United, will take part in his first training session under manager Jose Mourinho at Cobham Training Ground this morning.

"The boy is fantastic," Mourinho told the club's website. "I hope I will be proud of him. I saw him at the African Cup (Egypt 2006), playing like a giant in the middle of players like Okocha, Yobo, Drogba and Eto'o at an unbelievable level. We know the level he can be. I look forward to helping him become an even better player.

"He's a midfield player, we can teach him to be more complete, to defend better, and to get more intensity in the game. He's bright in the way he thinks football, technically he's fantastic, and it's just a point to get the intensity of the English game."

Definitely African footballer of the Year in waiting.

Absolutely no doubts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really!! i didn't know you became a potential for AFRICAN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR, just by training with Chelsea (Which unfortunately he missed due to injury, they say?!) Hope that doesn't become the story of his career?

Listen Mikel like any other player needs to Walk the walk, he will not break into Chelsea's first team, unless there are injuries to any of the superstars, AFRICAN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR is not given to players based on the fact that they play for Multi millionare teams, its what you do on the pitch that counts. And Mikel has competition for years to come.

Ya Ya toure, Didier Zakora, Kolo Toure, Manu Adebayor, Obafemi martins, John micoud and so on. least i forget, isn't Samuel Eto still young and what about Kalou.

So once again Mikel needs to show us that he can play with a big club, Playing in Internationals is all fine and good, besides they are usually over a period of 3 weeks, (and could easily decieve people into thinking a player is better than he is) i mean who the hell was Grosso, before the World Cup. So Mikel has his game cut out for him, lets see if he can handle a full season in the Premeir league, where people will be glad to tackle him with some bone crushing play (damn i almost forgot, THE KING OF BONE CRUSHING TACKLES "Micheal Essien" plays for chelsea!!) .

Cause Maureen is a task master and he won't pity or give mikel any time for rubbish as he wants results now, and is not afraid to ignore you if you are not fitting into his immediate plans (case in study; Robben when he was injured, Carvalho was dropped when jose felt he was not delivering, SWP's dilenma speaks for itself and i could go on)

Mikel is going to have to belt up to fit into chelsea and find his footing in the priemier league. Getting injured regularly is not going to help his cause, as jose gets easily irritated with players that are prone to injures, thats why he is always frustrated with Robben due to his injury prone nature.

I wish him well at BOOT CAMP and i am sure all Nigerians wish him the same, but unfortunately as much as i hate to say this, He would have been a better player under fergie and at Man U than he ever will be at Chelsea where he will just be one more player that has to deliver now!! not later ( A means to an end!!)

I am very confident in that boy that he is going to deliver anyday, anytime if he is given the chance to do, but my fear is not be prone to injury as Loyika has said.

As of the moment, Mikel remains the future of Nigerian Football, he is the only light in the tunnel.

I wish him the best in his career, if it is good for him, it is good for Nigerian Football, and in turn good for us all.

if he's the only light at the end of the tunnel for nija, it means we're sunk. last i checked, we need 10 more players to make a team.

Let's see if h emakes the first team

It was a good development for Nigeria football,But my only fear is that i pray that he should not rot on the bench.

Letz just hope he has a good time at that club

why should any one come to the conclusion that mikel obi is the only light in the tunnel for naija ? so what about those other fantastic U-21 guyz like taiye taiwo,dele adeleye,steve apam,john owoeri,isaac promise etc all good guyz in their various depts

kitaun:

why should any one come to the conclusion that mikel obi is the only light in the tunnel for naija ? so what about those other fantastic U-21 guys like taiye taiwo,dele adeleye,steve apam,john owoeri,isaac promise etc all good guys in their various depts

having a magic in our National team is Key. Our success in football has been built around Okocha, now he is retired

who do you think is going to take over

He wasn't there on day one.

hmmn, make we see sha. May God be with him, but I hear he was going on loan to PSV, that'll be inevitable anyway if Mourinho can't find a place to fix him in. Truth is, he will either be outstanding or be crap and sold to Wigan, I hope for the first for him. All d best Mikky Doo.


Meanwhile, Okocha has stepped aside for me, so NFA & Others in copy, WATCH OUT!!! I play FAYA!

Ah! This Mikel of a man is overrated!
Before y'all start drooling lets wait and see if he makes the first eleven.
I dont think he will with people like Scheva, Robben around not forgetting the open Italian supemarket players who are the world best as per now.

the boy is stupid, he should have stayed at Man u, he.s gonna be like Theo Walcott for England. He'll never play.

. . . he'll neva play for manure u mean, ?

raldsfield:

having a magic in our National team is Key. Our success in football has been built around
Okocha, now he is retired who do you think is going to take over

I really enjoyed Okocha and the excitement he brought to Nigerian football, but his leadership of the Super Eagles was far from successful. Our greatest success in football was the Keshi to Oliseh era, which Jay-Jay was a part of but by no means the best.

did any of u guyz catch mikels performance at the african nations cup ?
the dude was out of active football for about a year and still did great at the tournament.
the game's in his bloodstream, i believe in him. he can't seem to do anything but great when it comes to football.

big up to mikel !!

I am happy for the young lad and i expect him to silence all critics.
Obi is pure class and i always marvel at his deft touches, vision and awareness.
He will settle down quick now that his work permit has been granted.
Mikel will surely deliver and don't be surprised if he makes starting 11 when Chelsea clashes with Liverpool for the Community Shield match in about 3 weeks time.
This dude is young, calm and has a composed demeanour for his age.
He is the best passer of the ball Africa has ever produced and he will light up the Premiership with his sublime skills.

Priscila:

Ah! This Mikel of a man is overrated!

walelead:

the boy is stupid, he should have stayed at Man u, he.s going to be like Theo Walcott for England. He'll never play.

I could remember 2 years ago when his touble started, i said " he is overated" later i discover i was WRONG.

He has nearly everything a footballer could have. He is young but hehas a big hearth.

A boy whose foot lies Nigeria's future.

Last year, everybody was saying ESSIEN will not make Chelsea's first team. What happen thereafter? He walk straight into the first team.

Mikel has injury at the moment and he needs to have few defensive skills as well, then he will be more than ready.

I am not suprised by Arsenal members comment anyday, once it is not their team, their comment will always be out of the world. Thank God, i know Jose well well.

The way Mikel Play really engrosse me a lot and i love seeing him with the ball all the time

@ Akola,
            Please don't generalize because i believe that not all gooners are biased against mikel playing for chelsea,as for me i believe mikel is by far the most shining light of africa at the moment but we must also not forget that a tree does not make a forest and saying at the feet of mikel lies the future of football in naija might just be taking it too far.
           
           At the moment we have got so many brilliant lads playing football at the highest stage in the various prestigious leagues,well we pray our darling mikel does not get injured which we can not rule out but at least we hope even if ever gets to be it wont serious or recurring,another thing is we pray that God of soccer bestows luck on him because even if he plays the most romantic football and he keeps being second best (which seems to be okocha's undoing at being best ever ) well the story might just be like a script being rewritten all over again
 
         My personal opinion is that Mikel Obi has what it takes to be the best in the world, not only africa,but we need to give him time and space to express himself fully.

True talk, i thought am the only one thinking that Mikel is a world best player but i dont know that nearly everyone understand it.

@ amodu,
i only said he is a potential world best player o !

mikel is the only reason that'll make me watch chelsea this season,

he's a great lad, i always like to play like him,

Should Boro agree to sell Yak to Portsmouth again (rumoured 15m pounds bid) I'll be forced to rejoin the blues since the depatures of Zola and Baba.

I guess if he is ok he will be blooded at the Charity Match.

Pray all go well with him sha.

Christino you are highly welcome.

Kitaun that is my own view.

my gut feeling tells me he wont make the first team in chelsea, he'll be lucky if he gets to play once in a long while.
i wish and pray fervently to be wrong.

bagoma:

my gut feeling tells me he wont make the first team in chelsea, he'll be lucky if he gets to play once in a long while.
i wish and pray fervently to be wrong.

Should this be a voice from a Patriotic Nigerian?

TSpurs:


Should this be a voice from a Patriotic Nigerian?

definitely not

@Kitaun

You know how your supporters view things. Dont you?