“Of course he’s paid me to say this” - John Obi Mikel makes hilarious claim while picking his replacement for ex-England boss Gareth Southgate
Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has predicted Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti will become the England manager in the future if he doesn't immediately succeed Gareth Southgate. He also backed Ancelotti to bring out the best of the English players.
Mikel talked about how Ancelotti'sappointment would be beneficial for the English side. However, he quickly added that the FA shouldn't hire the Italian immediately. He said on his podcast:
"I will go with someone that you didn't mention. [He's] somebody I think will be very good with this England, but not immediately, maybe in the next 1-2 years. That would be Carlo Ancelotti."
When his podcast host jokingly said he was getting paid by Ancelotti, the former midfielder added:
"We're in Madrid, of course he's paid me to say this! I think Carlo would get this team playing well. He's very good with young players, his man management [is good] and don't forget that he's a very good tactician as well. With all this, I think he will get this England team playing well.
"We've seen that with how he's managed Jude Bellingham, a young player coming into the biggest team in the world. He's given Bellingham that freedom to be able to go out and express himself week in, week out."
Gareth Southgate resigned from his position after England lost the Euro 2024 final. to Spain earlier this month.
English pundit also wanted Real Madrid manager as Gareth Southgate's replacement
Football pundit Adrian Durham also claimed that Carlo Ancelotti could be a good option for England. He believes the Real Madrid manager will bring out the best in everyone in the set-up.
Durham said on talkSPORT:
"To get the very best out of our very best player Jude Bellingham, do you not have an elite coach? And therefore that will raise everybody around him, all the players, all staff around him, and do we appoint somebody like Carlo Ancelotti. The fact that he's worked at Chelsea and Everton tells me that there's a little bit of English in him anyway, so that will do me."
England are yet to appoint a new manager following Southgate's departure. He led the Three Lions to consecutive Euro finals, but lost in both of them.