Mikel, A Lamentation and Exhortation.
Mikel, Mikel, Mikel, O Mikel! How are the mighty
fallen! Mikel, you who was once the darling of
Nigerian football, have now become the harbinger
of sadness to a lot of Nigerians. Mikel, even if
your age is under-represented, you can not be
more than early 30s, yet, you were running like a
50-year old man yesterday and throughout this
world cup. Mikel, o Mikel: "I am distressed for
you, [my brother, son, friend, former shining star
Mikel]; You had been very pleasant to me[us] in
your hey day. Your [soccer artistry] to me[us]
was more wonderful Than the love of women.
"How have the mighty fallen, And the weapons of
war perished!\"
Mikel o Mikel, nobody makes progress by
always moving backwards, and yet, passing
backwards seemed to epitomize your game at
this World Cup. Mikel o Mikel, you wore the
number 10 jersey and yet when we look at
everyone who wore #10 at this world cup, you
are different, everyone with #10 at this world
cup propelled their team going forward, Mikel,
ask yourself whether you propelled Nigeria going
forward? Instead your mindset was always going
backward. Mikel O Mikel, how are the mighty
fallen. You were once a shining star, what has
become of you Mikel o Mikel? You were once
spoken of in this breadth as Messi because of
your artistry, now no one mentions you and
Messi except to ponder what could have become
of you, Mikel O Mikel.
We love you Mikel because you brought
happiness to us in the past and we want you to
do better in the future. Mikel, you have won all
you can win and more than many professionals
can hope for in a lifetime during your stay at
Chelsea, it is time to move on. Mikel, in the times
you ventured forward with purpose in this world
cup, you showed flashes of the old Mikel we
love, yet many a time, when even as arm chair
footballed, I expected you to at least shoot the
ball, fear entered your head and you ended up
making a wayward pass or dwelling too long and
breaking up an enterprising paly. Mikel o Mikel, I
am a Chelsea fan but it is time for you to move
on. How can you be happy that your coach is
lining up midfielder after midfielder and your
response is that you don't play the same position
or style as these people? If your coach thought
highly of you , he will be looking for other
positional players and not the midfield where you
play. Mikel o Mikel, wake up and seize the
moment. You should be rich by now , so money
cannot be the reason why you are hanging
around Chelsea, you should move to a team
where you make it clear that you want to be
allowed to be expressive and not holding and
passing backwards and sideways.
Mikel o Mikel. you played like someone having
sex all night long and not being able to operate
optimally during the games. If that was the case,
why o why Mikel o Mikel? The hopes of 170
million Nigerians were upon you and your fellow
SE players. Could you not stay away from sex
for one month to devote maximum effort to the
world cup campaign? Mikel o Mikel, you are our
brother and it is our duty to tell the bitter kola
that it tastes bitter, you disappointed us at this
world cup!
Mikel, at Chelsea, you are not allowed to take
free kicks, yet in the SE, you want to do it always
without success at this world cup. As they say in
Latin: "nemo dat non quad habet\" A person
cannot give what they don't have, what
experience of freekicks do you have other
watching other Chelsea players take those
freekicks either when you are sitting on the
reserve bench and even when they allow you to
play during the game?
Mikel o Mikel, you dazzled us with soccer
artistry in your younger years, ad it means that it
is in your DNA. The time has come up for you to
rise up and say enough is enough to Chelsea that
stunted your natural flair for soccer. Mikel o
Mikel, do you know the story of the eagle that
was raised among chickens? Well, that eagle
behaved like the chickens until one day it saw a
majestic eagle soaring up in the sky and wished
it was like that majestic eagle. Long story short,
when the eagle raised among chickens realized
its potentials and God-given ability, it too soared
and left the chickens behind. Mikel, you have
been an eagle among chickens for sometime,
now is the time for you to realize your God given
abilities and soar like the champion you were
born to be. Rise and soar more than Messi,
Ronaldo, Rodriguez et al!
Thank you Mikel o Mikel.
George E. Omoko, Esq.
Los Angeles, California