Mikel is the biggest loser in shameful slave trade saga
Sue Mott
OUT OF Africa comes a story that Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson calls "purely disgusting", and he is right.
It is the tale of a boy, 18, a football prodigy from Nigeria, who has been manipulated to the point of abuse by the huge and opposing interests of modern football.
United have called on FIFA to ban Chelsea from transfer dealings and exclude them from competitions, if it is proved they helped hijack the John Obi Mikel transfer.
Legitimate
In a nine-page letter to FIFA, the world governing body, United claim they had a legitimate deal with the Nigerian 18-year-old and that evidence suggests agents working for Chelsea caused Mikel to disappear days after signing a contract.
Within days of Mikel agreeing to sign for United, the player's agent claimed the teenager had signed under duress and the contract should be ruled null and void. FIFA have yet to make any decision, but Chelsea have said should this be confirmed, they would have an interest in signing Mikel.
So murky is this story, we cannot point to specific villains. We only know that events have contrived to put his career on hold at a crucial time for his development.
He scored a pulsating 20-yard goal for Nigeria against Zimbabwe in the African Cup of Nations on Friday.
When he should have been playing with the freedom and spirit of a prodigiously gifted teenager, he was under guard in a London hotel, victim of a tug of love between Manchester United and Chelsea.
One has to sympathise with FIFA. How do you resolve a controversy that involves alleged death threats, high-speed car chases, police intervention, allegations of kidnapping, a contract with a Norwegian club that one side claim is a forgery and the other side deny, and an agent to the boy who reputedly has close contacts with Chelsea?
This is like the slave trade in reverse. Still imperialists invading Africa, and trafficking in human life, only the rewards are different. Slaves were ridiculously poor, footballers are ridiculously rich. But there is one similarity: loss of freedom.
It appears that outside pressures in this case radically altered Mikel's mind for him. "The manner in which he and his family have been treated and pressured is, honestly, purely disgusting," said Ferguson.
What we know, certainly, is that Mikel was announced as a Manchester United signing in April last year. His move from FC Lyn Oslo, for whom he was a contracted player, was anticipated in the January transfer window.
Death threats
It didn't happen. Having held a press conference at which Mikel posed for cameras in a United shirt, having spoken to journalists from the Nigerian sports newspaper Kickoff, saying, "This is a dream come true for a kid like me", he suddenly, drastically, changed his mind.
It is said he received death threats from Nigeria and England. He was assigned armed guards. But on May 11, 2005, he went missing with his agent, John Shittu, at half-time during an FC Lyn cup tie. The club called the police to retrieve him.
A car chase ensued and the fugitive pair apparently hid in woods to escape their pursuers.
Over the course of the next few days, they emerged in London. At this point Mikel's tune was entirely different.
"I don't want to play for Manchester United any more. I'm not satisfied with the way Lyn have handled this case and I'm angry that they sent the police after me. I find this very degrading."
He, or his lawyers, then argued that his contract with Lyn was forged and therefore his contracted move to United was not binding. A court in Norway has thrown out this accusation, with time for Mikel to appeal.
The FIFA decision is currently suspended until the appeal period has lapsed. Meanwhile, David Gill, the chief executive of United, had been on MUTV (not something most employees of the club do lightly) holding up to the camera what he claims is a valid contract with Mikel.
Compensation
But it seems they no longer hold out much hope of retaining his services. Their fall-back position is to ask for compensation from Chelsea, for whom the boy is apparently destined.
How destined? There are claims that Chelsea paid money to Mikel's father. There have been rumours of sightings of Mikel, with friends and family, in Chelsea Village. He has certainly met Jose Mourinho.
In an exclusive interview on BBC Radio Five Live yesterday, he was quoted as saying: "Yeah, of course, I have met him. He is a nice man, a brilliant coach and a brilliant man. I think Chelsea is going to be the best place for me."
Chelsea, via chief executive Peter Kenyon, deny there has been any illegal contact at all with the player.
In the wake of the Ashley Cole "tapping-up" incident, Chelsea were warned that another similar episode would trigger a fine of ?450,000 and the docking of three Premiership points (neither of which would make the slightest difference to a team who have already won the title and laugh while losing around ?210 million pounds in only a year).
"We're keeping a close eye on the issue, as you'd expect," said a spokesman for the Premier League.
In the end, it is doubtful we will ever uncover the full story. Who loses? Not United, they will be able to fight for hefty compensation from Chelsea. Not FC Lyn Oslo, who likewise may be in line for a transfer fee.
Not the agent, who, as we know so well, will expect a huge 'thank you' payment from the club who finally get the services of a player Mourinho calls 'pure gold'.
But what about the boy? His introduction to big-time football has involved allegations of the sort of lies, chicanery, conspiracy and secrecy you normally associate with a spy story not the simple pleasure of playing football.
Poor lad. (© Daily Telegraph, London)
