Mikel prefers Hiddink to Mourinho

Nigerian international John Mikel Obi has launched a series of thinly-veiled jibes at Jose Mourinho, indicating the players were more relaxed ‘from day one’ of Guus Hiddink taking over and that the Dutchman ‘doesn’t get into people’s business'.
The squad feel respected again, the midfielder explained after their 5-1 FA Cup mauling of Manchester City, and the atmosphere at their Cobham ground has completely changed since Mourinho was sacked in December.
Mikel claims that the majority of the team would like Hiddink to continue as Chelsea manager beyond his short-term deal which ends in the summer.
The 29-year-old struggled under Mourinho, who preferred the partnership of Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic in central midfield, but has become a regular under their interim boss.
‘From day one, since Guus has come in, the atmosphere has changed,’ the 29-year-old said. ‘The players feel more relaxed, people know what their jobs are and people are getting on with their jobs in a more relaxed way. And a way they can perform very well.
'He has given responsibility to people and expects them to thrive on it and make sure they do it in way where they feel comfortable. I think that is what the players are showing now.
‘When you come into the training ground, the players are more relaxed, he doesn’t get into people’s business, he gets on with his own thing and players feel very comfortable and know exactly what to do so when he gets on the training pitch, he doesn’t need to speak.
'We all know what he wants and it is the same when we go into a game.’
Mourinho’s approach of often publicly berating his players for the poor performances which resulted in his sacking was met with disapproval by many of them.
Towards the end, he described John Terry and Kurt Zouma’s defending against Leicester City as a ‘betrayal’ and he had a fractious relationship with Diego Costa, who launched a bib at him after he was left on the bench against Tottenham.
Costa has struck nine goals in 12 games since the Portuguese left, while he had only four in 24 before that.
The team have displayed a notable revival under Hiddink, winning six, drawing six and losing just one of his 13 games in charge.
The Premier League is out of reach, but he is still in the Champions League and the FA Cup — the competition he won in his previous interim spell at the club in 2009 — and Mikel insists the players would like Hiddink to remain at the club beyond the end of the season.
‘I want him to stay,’ he said. ‘It is the choice of the owner, the club and the board. They will have to decide. But if you speak to the players, 98 or 99 per cent of them want him to stay so I mean, we are very happy, we are performing well and let’s hope this continues.
‘It depends on the board and it depends on Guus if he wants to continue. He has said that he is here until the end of the season but you never know, he might change his mind. If the club want to appoint him fair enough. His record speaks for itself.’