Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has disclosed that players frequently engaged in physical fights during training and in the dressing room under Jose Mourinho, with the Portuguese manager often enjoying the confrontations rather than intervening.
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast with Gary Lineker, Mikel explained the intense competition at Stamford Bridge meant clashes were common. 'We want to win. That's normal in a competitive dressing room. Everybody wants to be there, and that's why we fight,' he said. Mourinho, he claimed, 'absolutely loved that' and used it to assess his players' character.
Mikel, who joined Chelsea in 2006 aged 18, recalled having to stand up for himself immediately. 'I remember having fights, arguments with Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack,' he said. The Nigerian described the environment as a 'gangster' or 'mafia' style club where weakness was not tolerated.
According to Mikel, Mourinho would intentionally allow fights to continue, saying: 'This is what I want to see. I want to see that you guys are upset.' The approach was designed to spur players into a winning mentality during difficult periods.
Mikel won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup under Mourinho. He praised the manager's man-management, stating: 'When Jose comes to you… it's about, "Are you ready to go to war with me?"'
