Nigerian Captain John Mikel Obi says leading Middlesbrough back to the English Premier League (EPL) would stand as one of his greatest achievements in his already well-decorated career.
Mikel arrived the Riverside back in January and settled well in the team, helping them to avoid defeat on five occasions in his six appearances for the Tony Pulis side so far.
The former Lyn Oslo of Norway midfielder is one of most decorated players in Africa, having won the English domestic league more than once, English FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, Europa League and African Cup of Nations (AFCON), Mikel said he’s still desperate for more success.
“If we manage to pull it off, it would be amazing,” he said. “It would be up there as one of my greatest achievements.”
“I’m still hungry and want to win trophies,” he declared.
“I’m never satisfied with what I have achieved. If I was, I would just sit at home.
“I want to achieve something with this club and that is to get this club promoted.
“I love challenges and I knew coming in here would be a challenge for me, and being in the second division would be a challenge for me.
“I knew this club would be pushing for promotion and managing to do that wouldn’t be easy.”
Boro are currently in fifth position with nine points adrift but have a game in hand on the top two and are in good form, Mikel is confident the Club can return to the elite division and added that he’s enjoying his stay at the Club.
“Middlesbrough are a massive club and should be in the Premier League,” he said. “It is where they belong for me.
“We still have a lot games to play, and if we manage to win quite a few of them, who knows?
“If we could get automatic promotion, fine, and if we get into the play-offs and that is how we do it, then that would be amazing as well.
“We just have to keep pushing.”
“I want to enjoy my football and enjoy winning games with this club, these players are an amazing group of guys,” he said.
“Every time we win a game you see that feeling of wanting to be in the Premier League.
“That is something I want to keep enjoying with them until the end of the season. And then we see where we are.” he concluded.
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