John Obi Mikel has laughed at the thought of Graham Potter in charge of Chelsea during the era of Roman Abramovich.
The former Nigeria and Chelsea midfielder played for the Blues from 2006-07 to 2015-16, playing under some of the club’s most charismatic managers in his decade-long spell.
Chelsea parted ways with Potter after a dire 31-game spell in charge having taken over from Thomas Tuchel last September.
Speaking to Dubai Eye radio station, Mikel said he felt Potter had been given enough time in charge of the team, saying the club made the right decision in the end.
‘When you look at that, was he given enough time?’ he asked. ‘I think so. I think where you look at where the club is now, what is it, 11th in the table?
‘So when you look at it, I think he’s been given enough time. If it was the Roman Abramovich era…’
He added: ‘So was he given enough time? I think the club made the right decision.’
Mikel went on to suggest that the club might have been ‘too big’ for him to manage, referencing his rather calm and distant nature on the touchline, a style far removed from some of Chelsea’s most notable managers of the modern era, including Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Tuchel.
‘Was the club too big for him to manage? Maybe. Because when I look at him sometimes on the touchline he doesn’t really know what to do.
‘He’s not communicating to the players, he doesn’t tell them what to do on the pitch.’
