Eclipsed In Pursuit Of Money…Mikel Obi Finally Drowns Talent Running After Pay Cheque, Thanks To Great Help From Agent, John Shittu

The football player that offered so much promises has finally sounded a subtle death knell on his career.

John Mikel Obi at the age of 29 says it’s time to begin earning his pension..at least that is how observers are interpreting his decision to switch from Premier League side, Chelsea to Chinese Super League’s Tiajin Teda FC.

Mikel in making his decision snubbed offers from La Liga side Valencia for $140,000 a week from Tiajin Teda.

And just like all other decisions he made in his professional career backed by agent and best friend John Shittu, it was purely about the money.

Professionally and in the interest of his family, Mikel was said to be keen to stay in Europe and a league that would retain his rating and so was very interested in the move to Valencia.

But the La Liga side couldn’t meet up with his wage demands and just like the philosophy that guided his career – money proved more important than his career and interests of his family.

‘’It was the money that made him stay at Chelsea for all of ten years and wasted the potentials that made him second to messi when he caught world attention at the Fifa Youth Championship in 2005’’ a source stated.

Lionel Messi has gone on to be one of the biggest stars of the world of football and with Cristiano Roland dominates the game.

Naturally there are a litany of stars that dots the world of football as well but one thing is sure, Mikel isn’t one of them – despite the great promises he showed back then.

Reason?

He placed his career firmly in the hands of an agent who is purely out for ‘’commercial gain’’ and lacks long range vision – John Shittu.

And a clear indication of this was obvious since the beginning of his career till now.

Right from the mess of a start when he scandalously signed contracts with two major premier league sides – Manchester United and Chelsea – at the start of his big break money as always being the main goal.

And it was natural back then that the team with the bigger pay cheque won, though many argued he was a youngster back then in 2005 and very easy to influence.

This is against the background the foot prints of Mikel’s agent, John Shittu was all over messy affair, including accusation of orchestrating the infamous ‘’kidnap’’ affair that saw Mikel move from his club in Norway to clandestinely sign for Chelsea.

But the footballer stuck with Chelsea all through ten years, even at periods it greatly hurt his career…why?

The player wasn’t willing to take a pay cut like others who met him or he met and opted for other clubs in pursuit of greater professional and personal fulfilment.

One of them is compatriot Victor Moses.. the fellow country man is now a star at Chelsea under the right manager, the same gaffer that sent Mike packing by denying him playing time all season long and refused to renew his contract.

‘’Yes, he was luck..the team he rode picked up some laurels with him as fringe player’’ a source said on a sour note regarding medals Mikel’s sit tight attitude earned him.

And at a period he was the subject of victimisation and riding on the waves of a previous season that showed a bit of his hidden talent, Mikel had the chance to move to a league, a team such as Valencia that provides opportunity to show the world he isn’t a wasted talent..but against the interest of his career and family he opted to go after the money – as usual.

And of course orchestrating the whole episode for a killer commission behind the scene is Agent John Shittu.

For Shittu at 29 Mikel isn’t a value client, so the most pragmatic approach would be strike a deal that would bring in a huge ‘’commercial gain’’.

But the irony is that just as he has been all his career while running after the payback, that approach has limited Mikel to just another player and even while striking his ‘’big pay check’’ in an unrecognised league, he remains ‘’just another player, a talent drowned in the pursuit of money’’.

‘’Tragic, with all the promises he showed’’ a football enthusiasts mourned the move which subtle called time on Mikel’s club career.