Former Chelsea left full back Celestine Babayaro has given his view on the plight of John Obi Mikel at Stamford Bridge insisting that, the current second longest serving player at Chelsea deserves a better treatment.
Mikel has been frozen out of the first team picture by coach Antonio Conte since his return from the Olympics in Rio, with Conte preferring the likes of Nemanja Matic, N’golo Kante, Cesc Fabregas and youngster Nathan Chalobah to the Nigerian.
Despite Chelsea fine run of six wins from six games without conceding a goal, Babayaro is of the opinion that a club icon like Mikel should not be frozen out of the match day squad totally, due to his lengthy stay at the club.
” You have to reward loyalty, am afraid that is not the case at Stamford Bridge at the moment with Mikel. He is not a new signing, this is his 11th season at the club. He deserves respect from the coach, management and fans” Babayaro told Owngoalnigeria.com.
” In my view he should be the club vice captain, after John Terry. They have served the club and they deserve the respect of all connected to the club. For Terry age is not on his side but Mikel deserves to be treated fairly. This current act by Conte is not fair on a club legend”.
