# Sunday Oliseh Reflects on Tense Relationship with Mikel Obi During Super Eagles Tenure

- Link: https://viralbrief.top/sunday-oliseh-reflects-on-tense-relationship-with-mikel-obi-during-super-eagles-tenure/
- Published: 2026-10-29T07:22:08+00:00
- Author: Olamide

Former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has publicly addressed the friction that
defined his tenure as manager of the Nigerian national team, specifically highlighting
a strained relationship with former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel. In a recent
appearance on a podcast shared via X, Oliseh detailed the challenges he faced in
managing high-profile players and his regrets regarding his initial approach to 
team selection.

## NFF Warnings and Team Dynamics

According to the report from _Daily Post Nigeria_, Oliseh revealed that upon assuming
the role of head coach, he was advised by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF)
to exclude three prominent players: John Obi Mikel, Vincent Enyeama, and Emmanuel
Emenike. Oliseh stated that the NFF characterized these players as being **chaotic**
to both the federation and the national team’s internal system. Oliseh admitted 
that he regrets not heeding this initial guidance, suggesting that the dynamics 
within the squad were more difficult to manage than he had anticipated.

## The London Meeting Incident

A central point of contention for Oliseh was an attempt to facilitate a professional
meeting in London. Oliseh recounted that he traveled from Belgium at his own expense
to meet with Mikel and Victor Moses to discuss their roles and concerns regarding
the national team. While Victor Moses attended the meeting and engaged in what Oliseh
described as a productive and honest conversation, Mikel did not attend.

Oliseh noted that he had sent messages to both players and their respective clubs
to coordinate the meeting. He expressed frustration that Mikel did not respond to
his messages, characterizing the absence as one of the **biggest insults** he experienced
during his time as coach. Oliseh suggested that the lack of response may have stemmed
from a perception that Mikel’s status as a player for a major European club superseded
the authority of the national team coach.

## Professional Respect and Legacy

Reflecting on the incident, Oliseh emphasized the importance of respecting the position
of the national team coach, regardless of a player’s individual club success. He
stated,

> Even though the coach was not a footballer or not as big as you, the fact that
> they’ve given him that title ‘national team coach’ means you have to respect the
> position he’s holding.

Oliseh questioned the perceived hierarchy, asking, _“Where did you play football
that I didn’t play?”_ He maintained that despite the perceived disrespect, he did
not hold a personal grudge against the player. Conversely, he expressed high regard
for Victor Moses, noting that the discussion they shared in London provided valuable
insight into the challenges players were facing within the national team setup.

## Conclusion

The comments from Sunday Oliseh offer a candid look at the complexities of managing
the Super Eagles during his tenure. While the information provided is based on Oliseh’s
personal account, it highlights the ongoing challenges of balancing star power with
team discipline in international football. As of now, there has been no public response
from John Obi Mikel regarding these specific claims.

<

p class=”vbna-source-note”>**Source:** [Daily Post Nigeria](https://dailypost.ng/2026/10/29/super-eagles-where-did-you-play-football-that-i-didnt-play-oliseh-slams-obi-mikel-for-giving-him-biggest-insult/)

  TL;DR (AI Generated)

Former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has discussed the friction during his tenure,
expressing regret for not following NFF advice to exclude certain high-profile players.

He revealed deep frustration when John Obi Mikel ignored messages and failed to 
attend a scheduled professional meeting in London, which Oliseh considered a major
insult to his position.

Despite this strained relationship and perceived disrespect, Oliseh praised Victor
Moses for his productive engagement and stated that he holds no personal grudge 
against Mikel.

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