Mikel Obi: Mourinho is tough and no-nonsense man
Chelsea hero John Obi Mikel has said the tough man-management of Jose Mourinho was the making of him at Stamford Bridge.
Obi Mikel sees exactly what current Tottenham manager Mourinho is trying to do having been in the same situation while at Chelsea.
He told the Athletic: “He didn’t just help me football-wise, he was one of the guys who helped me grow up.
“There is no messing about anymore. I had to wake up. The Mourinho way of making you wake up is not easy.
“He will make you sweat, he will punish you in different ways.
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“He will make you pay at the training ground. He will isolate you, he will put you out of the team, the squad. He will take you out of training.”
Mikel insisted his man-management is down to tough love – not out of spite – adding: “It is because he cares about you so much and really wants you to be that player because he knows you have that quality inside of you.
“When I see it happening to other players, I know exactly what he’s doing.
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“He wants a reaction. He will do it again and again until he gets the reaction he wants.
“You just have to take it positively. The moment you take it in a bad way and he can see you’ve done that, it will get worse and worse.
“But if he gives you a little jab and you respond positively, he will be there to help you during those difficult times. I wish players would understand what he’s trying to do. It does work.”