United och Lyn anmäler Chelsea
Den olustiga dragkampen om John Obi Mikel fortsätter. Manchester United och Lyn har i dag anmält Chelsea till Fifa.
I ett brev signerat av Uniteds ordförande David Gill och Lyns ordförande Morgan Andersen presenterar parterna sin version av händelseförloppet. Skulden till oredan i affären läggs på Chelsea samt agenterna Rune Hauge och John Shittu.
Fotnot. En alternativ version av spelet kring Mikel finns ute på nätet av en nigerian som säger sig ha kunskap om händelseutvecklingen. Denna version ska självfallet behandlas med försiktighet, men enligt undertecknads mening finns det flera uppgifter som känns trovärdiga.
I've really said all I know about this story and this would probably be the last tale. I've known Mikel Obi since we were little in Nigeria. We used to play soccer together with a couple of our other friends who were way bigger than us.
United were the first big team to find him even though all these little clubs like Guingamp always wanted to get him. United started tracking him by this time he was in some academy called Pepsi league academy back in Lagos. I couldn't join this academy because my dad didn't believe I would make it in soccer, that's beside the story though.
So over in this academy, Mikel introduced me to some of his friends that he made there; Isaac Promise, Edward Ofere, Emmanuel Sarki and a host of other really good players. To get in this academy, you have to be really good. Mikel developed a lot in this academy and they had high profile trainers come from all over the World even United. This was the first contact made. Pepsi had invited some of United's youth coaches to come and tutor the boys and this was when they saw a gem in Mikel. About this time Mikel was 15 or 16 i cant remember exactly. Apparently Mikel was told secretly that United was interested. This was also tapping up because they were not allowed to deal with him directly but they did. Anyway, to smoothen the deal, Fergie got involved and he started using his influence at Old Trafford to get Mikel there. This is long before Chelsea got involved. So Fergie organises for The Nigerian Youth team to come and train with some first team players to boost their confidence (which was actually meant to increase their chances of securing both Mikel Obi and Isaac Promise)
During this time, Mikel and Isaac were given a private tour of Old Trafford by Jim Ryan and another United player (I can't remember the person now). This was an illegal move but nobody heard about it.
After the youth championship in Finland, United were very keen to get Mikel sign for them but he wasn't 18 yet and his dad was proving a major obstacle because his dad wanted him to get his English done and also allow John Shittu his real agent) to make the decisions. United were made to wait. During this waiting period, Roman took over.
United were still on the chase of Mikel but he didn't have a work permit and things were still rough. They had to deal with the issue of birth certificates and all because they were basically no records in place. United wasn't acting fast enough because they were the only ones in for him.
To get some more exposure and like the normal route for non-EU players, Mikel joined Lyn where United had an option to sign him. According to Mikel, he didn't know about this option even though he wanted to go to United. United had a deal with the club that in all events they would get Mikel. To be able to have the upper hand in the dealings and all, Lyn brought their own agent and said that all their youngsters must use them. Mikel already had John Shittu and Rene Hauge and some other Norweigian people though. It became so complicated, the kid didn't even know what was happening. Too many agents around him asking for agent fees and all. Lyn wasn't even paying him like that so he had to quickly move on.
Sometime in the middle of this, Jose invited Mikel and Promise to train with them and this was facilitated by Babayaro even though United tried as much as possible not to let those trials take place. Jose was impressed with Mikel but not really Promise. According to Mikel, Chelsea didnt express their interest like that rather they told him they would contact him sometime later. Unknowing to him, Chelsea had begun pulling strings by chatting to his agents but they couldn't deal directly with the club because they already had an agreement with United. Mikel heard that Mourinho had described him as gold but this was only speculation because Mourinho wasnt actually quoted on this whole issue. To make things worse, Baba was shipped to Newcastle and Mikel had to make his moves fast because he had turned 18 and needed to secure a deal.
Chelsea contacted him and begun proceedings but Lyn got a hand on the deal and scuppered it. This is where the bad PR between Chelsea and Lyn started. United had to make their moves quickly. It was so easy for them because they used all illegalities.
Mikel was kept away from his real agents and the assigned him the club agents. Lyn told him Chelsea wasn't interested anymore and he had no choice than to sign for United. After he signed for United, Chelsea was really angry because they already had the deal done with his agents and Baba had also confirmed that Mikel was coming to Chelsea. So things were getting real bad from the Chelsea front. They just lost out on a deal that was highly in place.
Anyway, after the United presentation and all, Shittu resurfaced and told Mikel what was going on. That was how Mikel came out and said he was under pressure and he didnt want to sign with United.
To date, Mikel hasn't yet discussed any contract with Chelsea contrary to peoples beliefs but has constantly stated that its where he wants to play.
This drama has been so unnecessary considering the fact that there are lots of other talented players even in the Pepsi academy and I'm not far off here in the states
I just hope whatever club he settles for which looks like Chelsea (though the matter would most likely be heading to court) he puts this behind him and shows his real potential.
