The Obi One Podcast

John Obi Mikel and Chris McHardy review a weekend that saw a Cole Palmer-inspired Chelsea hit Bournemouth for five and Manchester City put their legal woes behind them to thrash Liverpool at Anfield.
Just how good is Chelsea’s front three? Mikel has special praise for one of the triumvirate in particular while the guys explain why a ruling in City’s appeal against the Premier League is a must before the end of the season.

Michael Carrick’s troubles at Manchester United also come under the microscope as the guys name their number one choice to replace him in the Old Trafford dugout should the axe fall in the coming weeks.

Mikel also weighs in on Cristiano Ronaldo’s predicament with the Portuguese national team, with the message: ‘must do better’.

Willian is our special guest on this episode of the Obi One Podcast as the Brazilian reflects on his glittering career.

Here, he opens on the protracted nature of his 11th hour move to Chelsea and reveals just how close he came to doing a ‘Roman Abramovich’ and opting for Tottenham.

Willian also opens up on life inside the famed Chelsea dressing room, his admiration for Eden Hazard and the dynamics of his working relationship with Frank Lampard: from team-mate to gaffer.

The Brazilian also provides fascinating insight into the early stages of Mikel Arteta’s revolution at Arsenal, painting a different picture to the one so carefully cultivated today.

And if all of that wasn’t enough, Willian also recalls the worst day of his professional career, and a result Brazilian football still hasn’t recovered from.

John Obi Mikel and Chris McHardy have their say on the bombshell news that Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 charges related to breaches of Premier League regulations.

What does this mean for the club moving forward? What is a suitable punishment should the guilty verdict be upheld? And what’s the impact on Pep Guardiola’s managerial legacy? The guys discuss it all in this episode of Taking the Mikel.

Obi also takes aim at the contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or and reveals who’d get his vote, while Thomas Tuchel’s treatment of Cole Palmer is also a bone of contention.

André Villas-Boas joins the Obi One Podcast to set the record straight once and for all on his time at both Chelsea and Tottenham. And trust us, he doesn’t hold back!

Welcoming John Obi Mikel and Chris McHardy to FC Porto where he now serves as President, AVB outlines his vision for the club and the challenges faced by the cash-rich Premier League.

AVB then lifts the lid on what REALLY happened during his ill-fated eight months in charge at Chelsea. From Roman Abramovich’s exodus plea and fall-outs with key players to feeling betrayed by Roberto Di Matteo and a Champions League Final revelation.

Villas-Boas also details his time at Tottenham, reveals the catalyst for Gareth Bale’s metamorphosis into one of the world’s best players and an extraordinary phone call that saw him spurn the advances of PSG… much to the annoyance of Daniel Levy.

André Villas-Boas, as you’ve never seen or heard him before, on the Obi One Podcast.

It’s the day after the night before and the VAR farce that has the whole footballing world talking. John Obi Mikel believes the ‘game is gone’, and he might not be wrong. From clueless refereeing officials to Michael Oliver’s arrogance to throw-in rules that make no sense, the guys cover it all.

Mikel also believes Chelsea are on the right track despite shipping another two goals in their draw with Hull City, and explains why he’d rather be in Xabi Alonso’s shoes right now than Roberto De Zerbi’s.

Martin Odegaard gets his flowers while Mikel also calls on a couple of Nigerian legends to step up. Enough with words, it’s time for action as the crisis engulfing Nigerian football gets worse.