The Nigerian head coach, Samson Siasia has made a strong accusation against Chelsea, claiming that Mikel has been changed for the worse since signing for them in 2006.

It’s a pretty harsh claim, especially considering the language he used: “The system at Chelsea destroyed Mikel’s game. He is an offensive player, but when he moved to Chelsea they changed him.”

It’s unclear how true this is, especially for the Chelsea fans who have seen him grow into an excellent defensive midfielder.  Perhaps two seasons ago this might have been the case, when Mikel was mostly known for his atrocious passing, questionable positioning and the uncanny ability to commit at least one entirely pointless foul per game.

But now he’s a much more elegant midfielder.  His passing is no longer a risk, his positioning and experience means he no longer commits those egregious fouls that marred his early reputation.  Admittedly, he was young then, especially considering that the player who shields the back four often needs experience, rather than instinct, to excel (Claude Makelele remains the exemplary indefatigable defensive midfielder).

But barring his potential to be one of the world’s best defensive midfielders for perhaps a decade, Mikel is still young enough to see his game become more complete.  As Siasia pointed out later, Mikel is now starting to exercise a little more of his offensive abilities at Chelsea.  Perhaps this is only due to the absences of Essien and Lampard, but it also might be seen as the benign influence of Carlo Ancelotti.

I’m not saying that the Blues boss will transform him into a Nigerian Andrea Pirlo.  One should remember that Pirlo was an trequartista transformed into a deep playmaker.  Mikel probably doesn’t have the talent Pirlo does, which isn’t to take anything away from him, just merely to remind the reader that Pirlo is probably the second best midfielder of his age group, behind only Xavi.

But none of this really harms Nigeria.  Just because Mikel won’t become one of the most feared passers of the ball doesn’t mean he isn’t exceptional.  Players like Mikel can command games from the deep end of the midfield and calm down his team through disrupting fast breaks and reclaiming possession.  Such a player is crucial against superior teams.

Just because Mikel isn’t the new Jay Jay Okocha doesn’t mean Nigeria will suffer for it.  And even if Mikel were the new Okocha, Siasia would have to find a player with the ability who can stop a team like Germany on the break?  It surely wouldn’t be the attack minded Mikel he wants now.

Football matches are won through the balance of team.  Chelsea have groomed Mikel into a fine midfielder, yet Siasia feels this isn’t enough.  He wants them to make a midfielder good for Nigeria, which simply isn’t the job of a club.

Personally I feel that Siasia is deflecting from his team’s larger problem, and that is a lack of quality all over the midfield.  Mikel is easily their best player, and the fact that he now excels in more defensive positions means Nigeria’s offensive paucity in that area is especially exposed.  But don’t blame Chelsea for Nigeria’s lack in that area.  Just thank them for Mikel’s growth in the area of defensive midfield.

The Super Eagles have the reputation of being one of the best teams for youth in the world.  One of their chief problems has been turning the talent into quality.  Other teams do not suffer from this.  In 2005 Mikel played in the FIFA World Youth Championship and Nigeria took second place.  Argentina won.

If you asked a football fan to point out any names from Argentina that seemed to have delivered on the promise, it would be embarrassingly easy: Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero are the luminaries, along with the lesser known but still decent Fernando Gago and Pablo Zabaleta.  Spain’s team had David Silva, Cesca Fabregas and Fernando Llorente.  On the Nigerian team, only Mikel and Taye Taiwo are recognizable names, and these two players are from a team that did better than Fabregas’ squad.

Truly, Siasia should be thanking that a club like Chelsea did come along and develop him into anything, not complaining about the type of top class player Mikel is turning into.  If they hadn’t, Taiwo might be the only player from that class of 2005 to have made a name for himself.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho is renowned for making controversial remarks,  for using the media to hammer his point  and for manipulating the press to engage in psychological games against his toughest opponents. The focus here will be on Mourinho’s latest statement which is actually inaccurate if one is to consider the many factors associated with the World Cup and involved in the buildup to the biggest sports tournament in the world. The outspoken Portuguese claimed the Champions League final is the most important game in the world and even more important than the World Cup.

There is no doubt Mourinho is a capable coach and is probably one of the best at motivating his players, preparing for games and disrupting the plans of opponents through various means including psychological ploys. However, in this case the Portuguese has erred andone only needs to look at Brazilian legend Pele to understand being a great player does not make you an expert on football (whether predictions or various assessment of players & teams) and in Mourinho’scase a number of his outrageous remarks have really little ground to stand on. Below is a brief summary of small scale comparison between the Champions League and the World Cup to make it easier for the public to make their own judgment:

- Most-Watched & TV Audience: Unfortunately we have to go back to 2006 since this was the last time the World Cup and the Champions League were contested in the same year. The World Cup Final in Germany 2006 which featured Italy taking on France was the most watched event in 2006 ahead of the Super Bowl while the Champions League Final (Barcelona vs Arsenal) was actually in fourth place.

- Duration: The qualification process for World Cup 2010 actually begun in August 2007 and ended in November 2009. As for the Champions League the qualifying phase began in June 2009 and the tournament ends this Saturday, May 22nd in Madrid. This might be an unfair comparison but this is part of the process which gives a better assessment of the scale of the respective tournaments and which is bigger.

- Number of Teams: Less than 100 total in the Champions League compared to 204 national teams participating in the World Cup qualifying rounds.

- Matches Played: The World Cup qualifiers alone witnessed 848 matches while the Champions League as a whole features 124 games.

- Prestige: Winning the World Cup is by far the most coveted achievement of a football player’s career. Some of the best players over the decades became legends and cemented themselves in the history books by winning the World Cup. Winning the Champions League is the greatest achievement on the club level but to triumph in the World Cup is to reach the peak of football at all levels.

- Talent on Display: The Champions League and the World Cup are an elitist competition with the best clubs andteams qualifying to main draw (the group stages in both competitions) however the World Cup is even more selective since teams in Italy, Spain andEngland can still make the Champions League despite finishing 3rd or even 4th (after the qualifying stage). This means the Champions League leaves room for some of the less competitive teams. In the World Cup this is balanced by having the different Confederations yet these limit the number of qualifiers to the best teams from most of these Confederations. This allows for a great diversity of talent to be on show. The Champions League does not have the same number of surprise players emerging as stars since Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (Ronaldinho and Kaka before them) have shown time and again they’re the best. In the World Cup, there have been a number of unexpected surprises such as Italy’s Salvatore Schillaci in World Cup 1990.

- Emerging  Talent: Again the World Cup often serves as the perfect stage for the supporters to watch emerging players (such as Roberto Baggio in World Cup 1990) or even hear about future stars (Brazil’s Ronaldo did not play in USA 1994 but was in the squad). Stars are made in the World Cup and careers are often ended as well with many players retiring after participating in the World Cup (Note: Zinedine Zidane of France retiring after Germany 2006).

- Major Controversies: The controversies in the World Cup continue to be discussed for generations and the most notable examples in recent decades are Zidane’s headbutt on Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the Germany 2006 Final in Berlin and Argentina star Diego Maradona’s “Handof God” against England in World Cup 1986. These events continue to be discussed by fans.

- The Money Factor: Mourinho says the Champions League gains the edge over the World Cup because the rich clubs can afford to buy the best talent while national teams pick from the best players available from their country. The logic here might be counterproductive as Barcelona’s Messi will be in the World Cup representing Argentina yet teammate Xavi Hernandez will play for Spain. While the talent might be further dispersed, it does ensure a more competitive tournament while in the Champions League the top teams such as Barca, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Inter and Real Madrid continue to have a monopoly over the best players.

- National Pride: While at the club the salary of the player is a decisive factor, the same players seek and try their best to play for their country at the World Cup. While there are financial rewards offered by a country’s Federation to the players who achieve certain objectives, the competing players in the World Cup are after the prestige and the experience of playing in the World Cup. Players who excel at the World Cup often become national heroes and lift the spirits of their fellow compatriots.

- Social Role: While football in general unites fans whether poor or rich, and of any race or background, to watch the games, the World Cup gets the nod here because of the global presence and coverage it generates.

- World Cup vs Champions League: Simply put winning the World Cup is Marcello Lippi’s greatest achievement and not winning the Champions League with Juventus in 1996. Zidane’s greatest honour was leading France to triumph in World Cup 1998 and then comes other honours such as Euro 2000 with Les Bleus and the Champions League triumph with Real Madrid (Zidane might pick winning the Champions League with R. Madrid over Euro 2000 but he certainly considers France 1998 as his greatest achievement).

- Mourinho Factor: The Portuguese is simply the type who does not rate anything high unless he is the main benefactor or the driving force behind it. Some might argue that when Chelsea won the domestic double (Premiership and FA Cup) in Carlo Ancelotti’s first season in charge one of those who were not really impressed was Mourinho because he used to try and instigate the Italian into a verbal war when Ancelotti was still in charge of rivals Milan. Mourinho considered beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge one of his greatest moments only to retract his statement after eliminating Barca in the Champions League semi-final not because the Catalans are the most talented team in the world (which they probably are with Messi & Xavi leading the line among others) but because he assisted Bobby Robson when he was in charge at the Camp Nou before leaving the club (he was bitter at not being offered the chance to coach the team in the years after). This is one additional motivational factor behind his strong desire to take charge of Real Madrid in order to make Barca suffer on the domestic front.

- Main Focus: The Champions League is on Saturday yet many supporters are preoccupied with the provisional teams and the cuts made by the national team coaches while Mourinho is desperately trying to engage in mind games with BayernMunich. Admittedly the Bavarians did start this round of psychological warfare when they accused Inter of being a defensive team and not entertaining which prompted Mourinho to sarcastically taunt Bayern for the decisive refereeing errors which helped the German club overcome Fiorentina in Munich as well as the sending off of Rafael of Manchester United at Old Trafford which helped turn the tide in Bayern’s favour.

There are a number of other factors which can be considered but once again nothing really surpasses the feeling of winning what is recognised as the world’s greatest honour in sports and the most watched event in the world. In addition, the Champions League is played on a yearly basis while the World Cup is a major event played every four years which gives it even more emphasis and makes it more exclusive. Only seven countries have won the World Cup   at one of the 18 total events played so far while the Champions League is in its 55th season (and ironically in its 18th under the current format) and has been won by 21 different clubs.

The following list of elite midfield players in the world will exclude the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka since they sometimes play as forwards or as support strikers depending on the strategy deployed by their team. Kaka has previously played as a second striker during his spell with Milan while both Messi and Ronaldo have played in various attacking positions for their club (mostly on the wing though).

The list below does not comprise all of the world’s best midfielders but focuses on those who have made next summer’s World Cup:

Cesc Fabregas: The young Spaniard is already Arsenal’s captain after being handed the armband just over a year ago and has been a menacing threat for opponents from his central midfield position. His main contributions come in the form of assists to his teammates as well as being a key participant in the build-up of most of the club’s attacking moves. This season he has already scored six goals and amassed 10 assists in Arsenal’s first 10 league games. Fabregas has three goals as well as three assists in five European appearances for the London side.

Daniele De Rossi: The defensive midfielder is one of the Azzurri’s most important players and is one of the first names in the starting lineup under coach Marcello Lippi. With aging enforcer Gennaro Gattuso suffering from lack of form and injuries, De Rossi’s role has become even more important. While statistics may not do the Roma midfielder justice, it is known that his influence for the Giallorossi and the national team is quite immense. One interesting fact is Daniele has scored eight times for Italy and his country has won all eight of those games!

Marek Hamsik: The Slovak international is a cornerstone of his club Napoli and his national team. He is renowned for his dangerous positioning and for popping up from the outside the area to score goals. Though different from England’s Frank Lampard, he does share some similar traits and at the age of 22 he obviously has many years ahead to mature into one of the world’s most effective and dangerous central midfielders. (Please refer to previous piece titled Best Starting 11 Today dated November 16, 2009)

Steven Gerrard: The England international has been used as a second striker and in support of striker Fernando Torres yet he features on this list because he has mostly been used in various midfield positions over his career. To most Liverpool fans, Gerrard’s name should be the first on any of the team’s starting 11 in official matches. The club tends to suffer and miss that extra impetus when Gerrard is not playing. Liverpool’s losses often coincide with his absence through injury or suspension. Gerrard will play a key role for England under the leadership of Fabio Capello.

Xabi Alonso: The midfield general was quite influential in Liverpool’s drive for the title last season. His departure to Real Madrid has led some, including Captain Gerrard, to rue his exit from Anfield and to praise his contributions to the English club. He recently scored a brace in Spain’s 2-1 victory over Argentina. He is beginning to settle down for Los Galacticos will surely be decisive if the capital side are to dethrone la Liga’s champions Barcelona (Please refer to the Best Starting 11 Today article for more information on Alonso).

Frank Lampard: The English midfielder has set the bar so high that critics have begun to question whether he is on a decline because he has had a slow season so far by his own high standards. Lampard will be key for Fabio Capello and his plans to lead England to the latter stages of the World Cup in South Africa. Lampard scored a brace in the 5-1 demolition of Croatia which basically sent a clear message to the rest of the world about England’s intent to compete come next summer.

Honorable mention must go to both of Barcelona’s midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. Iniesta has recently recovered from injury but was quite decisive last season and Chelsea fans certainly remember his goal which sent their club packing in European competition. Iniesta must not be very popular with English fans since he went on to play an instrumental role in Barca’s triumph over Manchester United in the Champions League Final as he assisted on the goal by Samuel Eto’o's.

Xavi is Iniesta’s partner with the Catalan side and the national team with both being decisive in the treble achieved by Barca as well as Spain’s triumph in Euro 2008. Xavi was actually named best player by UEFA during the successful campaign which yielded a precious trophy for the Spaniards during Euro 2008. Xavi and Iniesta clearly compliment each other on the club and international level. Spain will be dangerous next summer with such a skilled and decisive midfield.

Chelsea and Côte d’Ivoire striker Didier Drogba has set his sights firmly on World Cup glory with his home nation.  The powerful striker, regarded by many as the best frontman in the world, scored the equalising goal that secured the Cote d’Ivoire’s place in South Africa and admitted he has grandiose plans for the tournament next summer.

“It is going to be a challenge,” explained Drogba. “To make it to the final will not be easy because there are great teams like Brazil and Germany who have won the World Cup for many years.

“But my team-mates and I want to make history and want to change the way the world sees African football.

“I hope that we’ll be the team that is going to go to the final and win the competition.”

If any African nation is going to emerge victorious in South Africa chances are it will be the Cote d’Ivoire.  They have the one of the best strikers in the world in Drogba and a true star is almost a requirement if you are to win the greatest prize in World football (though Germany and Italy may disagree with that statement).  Drogba’s considerable talent is backed up by the lies of Chelsea team-mate Solomon Kalou, Barcelona’s Yaya Toure and Manchester City’s Kolo Toure who are all top quality players.  Midfielder Emmanuel Koné is also a decent player, while youngster Cheik Tioté has impressed at Dutch side FC Twente.  They have quality in their squad but I’m not sure they have the strength in depth to win the World Cup.

Drogba is an extremely driven player and I have no doubt that he would love to challenge for the World Cup but in all honesty I think it will still be some time before we see an Africa nation as serious contenders for the most prestigious of prizes.  The Cote d’Ivoire may surprise a few people but getting to the final may be one step too far.  You would expect Brazil to be the tournament favourites, or Euro champions Spain, while England, Germany, Italy and Argentina (should they make it!) will also be amongst the favourites.  It would be romantic for an African nation to win it the first time the competition is held in the continent but I can’t see any of the African nations upsetting the apple cart and taking the trophy at the end of the competition personally.

Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer promoting Irish racing tips and World Cup betting picks for Betfair.

It was an eventful week once again in world football with international club tournaments raging on and domestic champions becoming clearer. The TOW played matches and/or made headlines during the calendar week of April 13-19. The winner is:

CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB (ENG)

The team also known as The Blues had an amazing week of fine results that would be envied by any club in Europe. Chelsea held off a gritty Liverpool team on Tuesday the 14th in the 2nd leg of their Champions League quarterfinal clash. It was a 4-4 classic with Frank Lampard’s 2 late goals sealing Chelsea’s place in the semis against Barcelona.

On the Saturday the 18th, Chelsea had to face a red-hot Arsenal squad in the FA Cup semis. The Gunners had also advanced to the Champions League semis & came in riding an amazing 18-game unbeaten streak in the English Premiership. The Blues were not intimidated and defeated Arsenal 2-1 as Didier Drogba continued to display his clutch goal scoring prowess with the game winner in the 84th minute. Chelsea will now face Everton in the FA Cup final.

Two massive cup wins in the span of 4 days, that’s what the TOW is all about. Therefore, Chelsea Football Club is the World Cup Buzz Team Of The Week.