“Maybe Mikel Is Broke”: Siasia Slams Chelsea Legend for Claims of Paying Flight Tickets

• Former Nigeria U23 coach Samson Siasia has blasted John Mikel Obi for claiming to pay the flight ticket of the team on the eve of the Rio 2016 Olympics
• The AFCON winner led the Dream Team VI to win the only medal at the Olympics after their famous 3-2 win against Honduras
• The former Super Eagles handler shed more light on how he used his influence to secure a flight for the football team

Samson Siasia has debunked insinuations that Chelsea legend John Mikel Obi covered the flight expenses of the national Olympic football team in 2016.

The former Nigeria U-23 coach said the Super Eagles legend should find another means of raising funds if he has run bankrupt.

The Lokeren legend said he is aware of every detail that transpired during the build-up to the Olympic Games.

He stressed that Mikel Obi sorted part of the hotel bills after the team ran into trouble with accommodation when the Ministry of Youth and Sports denied knowledge of their camping. Saisia said:

"John Mikel Obi did not pay for any flight to go anywhere, nothing. The team only had issues in the hotel where we needed to sort out the bills, and he paid for some of the players. For the flight to Brazil, the former Super Eagles captain did not pay for it.

"Mikel did not pay for any flight; he did other things. I am telling you as the head coach. Maybe Mikel is broke now and trying to look for money; he should find other means and not this style."

Who paid the flight ticket?

Samson Siasia revealed that his friend influenced how Delta Airline conveyed the team to Brazil for the 2016 Olympic Games.

The Olympic silver medallist revealed that a certain Nigerian initially booked a plane, but it could not convey the entire team.

Siasia challenged John Mikel Obi to produce the receipt of the flight payment for Nigerians to be the judge. He said:

"Delta Airline flew us because of the Nigerian delegate, the noise was too much then so a friend of mine went to the chairman of the Airline and he decided to fly us for free.

"Yemi Idowu had paid for our flight tickets, but the plane was too small and couldn't fly. Mikel should stop talking about this issue. If he has a receipt to that effect, let him show us that he was the one who paid."

Before the commencement of the Rio 2016, the Nigerian government, through the former Sports Minister Solomon Dalung, said he was unaware of their training in the USA, per Daily Times.

According to The Mirror, the Nigeria Football Federation claimed that the sports ministry paid the airline, but the money did not reflect in the account of the operators.

Mikel Obi claims spending N50m on flight ticket

Legit.ng earlier reported that former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi said the country is yet to reimburse him for the flight expenses in 2016.

The Chelsea legend claimed he saved the nation from international embarrassment before the first match against Japan.

Mikel Obi said he confided in Samson Siasia before making the payment.

Source: Legit.ng