Posted by From Tunde Sulaiman in London on
Super Eagles playmaker John Mikel Obi has completed a successful season with former English Premiership champions Chelsea by being named the Blues' Young Player of the Year. However, in spite of this impressive accolade considering that the 20-year-old midfielder began his Stamford Bridge carrier on a rocky note, he is still a major doubt for this weekend's FA Cup final.
* As police arrest Mourinho over dog
Super Eagles playmaker John Mikel Obi has completed a successful season with former English Premiership champions Chelsea by being named the Blues' Young Player of the Year. However, in spite of this impressive accolade considering that the 20-year-old midfielder began his Stamford Bridge carrier on a rocky note, he is still a major doubt for this weekend's FA Cup final.
Speaking in London yesterday ahead of the club's biggest match this season following their Premiership ouster, Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho said playing the Nigerian international would be a 'very big risk".
Mourinho who was speaking ahead of the match which Chelsea need to win in order to save what would become a disappointing season after losing their league title to their foes in Saturday's FA Cup final Manchester United, the Portuguese sweat merchant also said playing Ashley Cole and Arjen Robben would be a risk considering the lengthen of time both of them have been out injured.
However, of the three, it appears full back Cole may start with the man who has been filling in for him at left back Wayne Bridge moving into the left side of midfield.
'They have been out for a long time so playing them will be a risk. However, considering that we do not have too many options I may consider playing Cole and pushing Bridge into midfield. He (Bridge) has played there before so it should not be too much of a problem."
But when specifically asked about Mikel, Mourinho replied: Playing Mikel would be a very big risk considering the kind of match we're playing. But I still have a few days to assess him."
Mikel, who will be playing his very first FA Cup final at Wembley this weekend, picked up an injury in the ill-tempered penultimate Premiership match with United at Stamford Bridge last week and was not part of the Chelsea side which played a 1-1 draw with Everton in the last match of the season last Sunday.
However, the Nigerian international was rewarded by Blues fans who voted him their ‘Young Player of the Year' ahead of other youngsters like striker Salomon Kalou and Lassana Diarra, normally a midfielder but who has often filled the problematic right back position for the club.
Fans also voted Africa's second best player Michael Essien as their Player of the Year while the man who pipped him to the African title Didier Drogba got the vote of his fellow players in the Players' Player of the Year award.
Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Mourinho has been arrested in dog row. The 44-year-old Portuguese football boss was held late on Tuesday after an animal health official and two police officers went to his central London home to remove his dog.
The official wanted to put the dog into quarantine, believing it had been taken out of Britain and then brought back without the necessary inoculations.
But Mourinho refused to let the official take the dog and was arrested at around 10 p.m. after arguing with police.
The Blues' boss had been at Chelsea's player of the year awards and rushed home when he was called by his wife Tami.
Police left without recovering the dog, which was now on the loose.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "A 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of obstructing police. He subsequently received a caution for obstructing police."
He said an officer from the Animal Health and Welfare Service had gone with police officers to seize the dog because of alleged offences under the 1981 Animal Health Act and the 1974 Rabies Order. He confirmed the animal had not been recovered.
Meanwhile, Mourinho has appealed to the English media to go easy on his family insisting they were going to far in having reporters and photographers following his children to school.
'You (media) already have me. I don't think it is proper to have 10 reporters and 20 photographers following my children to school! Can't they be left alone?"
He said while he was used to having all the media attention he believed the children were too young to be subjected to the same ordeal.