John Obi Mikel has told Jamie Carragher to “ go down ” and prompted him to “ apologise largely ” after his “ ignorant and discourteous ” commentary at AFCON.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Carragher’s recent commentary, made during a discussion about Mohamed Salah and the Ballon d’Or, burned a disagreement of review. On Sunday, the former protector stated that Salah’s incapability to win a” major event” in his view, the Euros, Copa América. His redundancy of AF CON, an iconic event that has held immense significance for African nations, didn’t sit well with numerous, especially former players who have represented their countries at the international event.
WHAT MIKEL SAID?
Mikel, who won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, did not hold back in expressing his truthfulness through his The Obi One Podcast.
“It is so discourteous what he said, and this is coming from someone who never won any major transnational competition with England,” he said.
“His statement was absolutely wrong. I hope he will come out and make a massive reason because he owes people around the world a reason. It was uninformed of discourteousness such a terrible event. If you suppose that the Premier League would be what it is now with just the English players, you are definitely having a laugh. Mate.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Mikel was particularly critical of Carragher’s apparent arrogance and dismissive attitude toward African football in general.
“The boo on his face, the proud f*king boo on his face to dismiss. That boo on his face is absolutely what sloped me off,” he said. You have people trying to correct you, and you are coming out and attacking absolutely everyone differently and discrediting this terrible event. The Joe says so numerous effects on television, noway won the Premier League, analyzes brigades and tells them you have to win the Premier League.”
The Nigerian took issue with the former protector’s broader analysis of football, especially given his lack of majorities in both club and transnational football.
You never won it, you do not know what it takes to win the King Premier League, you do not know what it takes to win with your public platoon. You can not discredit such a terrible, terrible event. He said.
“I am fKing angry, I am fKing angry, he spent so numerous times playing for Liverpool, he did not win the fKing Premier League. He sits there week in, week out, telling and tutoring people trying to tell people how to win the Premier League. You have not won it. However, if you won a major event with England, I might understand that. You won fck all with England. F*ck all. And you try to discredit the event that I won, exfoliate blood and gashes for?
” Africans watch you on the weekend, and you sit there, open your mouth and discredit the whole Fing African mainland, saying your African Nations event is s. That is has no value because it is not the Euros or Copa América. He can laugh off.”
WHAT NEXT?
While no African player has won the Ballon d’Or since George Weah in 1995, players like Sadio Mane have come close, finishing second in the 2022 edition. The debate over AFCON’s place in the footballing world continues, but Mikel’s superheated defense of the event underscores its significance and the need for less respect.
