“Five Steps Backwards”—John Obi Mikel Slams Chelsea’s Decision to Sack Enzo Maresca

Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has never been one to sit on the fence, and his latest comments have once again sparked a heated debate among Chelsea supporters. Speaking on his Obi One Podcast, the former Blues star delivered a blunt verdict on Chelsea’s decision to part ways with Enzo Maresca, describing the move as a “massive mistake” and questioning whether the club has lost its sense of direction.

Mikel’s frustration was clear as he reflected on what Chelsea had under Maresca and what, in his view, has been lost since. For him, this is not simply about results on the pitch, but about identity, progress, and long-term planning, areas he feels the club had finally begun to address before pulling the plug too soon.

“We had Enzo Maresca,” Mikel said. “I’ve said it before, I think it was a massive mistake to sack him. It’s ridiculous. A manager that won us the Club World Cup, won us the Conference League, and gave us some sort of identity in the way we played.” Those words cut deep because they touch on an issue Chelsea fans have wrestled with for years: the lack of a clear footballing identity amid constant change.

Under Maresca, Chelsea were far from perfect, but there was a growing sense of structure. Performances started to show patterns. Players looked more comfortable in their roles. There was a clear idea of how the team wanted to build attacks, press opponents, and control games. For a club that has often lurched from one short-term solution to another, that sense of direction mattered.

Mikel believes Chelsea were moving forward, even if the progress was not always obvious on a week-to-week basis. “We took a step forward,” he said, before delivering the line that has resonated strongly with fans: “and we’ve gone five steps backwards.” It is a damning assessment, especially when viewed against Chelsea’s long-standing habit of impatience with managers.

Since Maresca’s departure, Chelsea have turned to Liam Rosenior, a coach who has certainly delivered results in patches. Mikel was careful not to dismiss Rosenior entirely, acknowledging that wins have come under the new boss. But for him, something fundamental is missing.

“Liam has come in and he’s won games,” Mikel admitted. “But there is absolutely something that is missing. Something is not quite right.” That sense of unease reflects what many supporters feel when watching Chelsea now. The results might arrive, but the performances often feel disconnected, lacking the coherence and flow that were beginning to emerge previously.

One of Mikel’s strongest points is that football clubs, especially those with Chelsea’s ambitions, cannot survive on short-term thinking alone. Sacking a manager who has delivered trophies and established a style sends a worrying message, not just to fans, but to players and potential future coaches. It suggests that even success may not be enough if it does not arrive quickly or spectacularly.

Chelsea’s recent history supports Mikel’s concerns. The club has cycled through managers at an alarming rate, with each new appointment bringing a different philosophy, different demands, and different priorities. Players are asked to adapt again and again, often before they have fully settled into one system. Over time, this creates confusion rather than consistency.

Mikel also hinted at a deeper issue beyond tactics and results. Identity, in his view, is about knowing who you are as a team. Are you a side that dominates possession, presses aggressively, or sits deep and counters? Under Maresca, Chelsea were starting to answer those questions. Under Rosenior, according to Mikel, the answers are less clear.

There is also the emotional weight of Mikel’s words. As someone who lived through Chelsea’s most successful modern era, winning major trophies and playing under managers who left lasting marks, his perspective carries authority. He understands what it takes to build a winning culture, and he knows how fragile that process can be when disrupted too often.

Of course, not everyone will agree with Mikel. Some fans will argue that football is about results first and foremost, and that Rosenior deserves time to prove himself. Others will point out that Chelsea’s squad is still a work in progress, filled with young players who need patience regardless of who is in charge. Those arguments have merit, and Mikel himself did not deny Rosenior’s efforts.

Still, his core message is hard to ignore. Chelsea, in his eyes, had something valuable under Maresca and let it slip away. The trophies mattered. The identity mattered. The sense of gradual improvement mattered. By changing direction yet again, Mikel fears the club has undone much of that progress.

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