John
Obi Mikel believes the atmosphere at Chelsea has improved since Jose
Mourinho's departure from Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho was sacked by the club earlier this month following a dismal run of
form which saw the champions lose nine of their 16 Premier League matches.
Guus Hiddink has been handed the reins on an interim basis for a second time
following a successful three-month spell in 2009 in which the Dutchman
lifted the FA Cup.
"He hasn't changed much yet, but he was here before and he knows the place
and all the staff," said Mikel.
"The players are different - only me and [John Terry] were here before - but
he knows what to do.
"We're down there in the table for a reason so he can't come in and perform
miracles, but we want to get out of there. We've had three games now without
losing so are making the right steps.
"I've been as confused as everyone else. It's difficult when you're not
playing, as you don't really know what the problems are. It was a collective
thing - the players and the manager were not performing.
"We've moved on from that and the atmosphere has improved since the change
of manager. It's fine now, we've just not been getting results.
"Jose is a fantastic manager and will always be a fantastic guy. But
sometimes football is a cruel game and you have to move on. Is it the right
decision? Who knows? We'll only see in the future."
Mikel, meanwhile, thinks a top-four finish is still within Chelsea's grasp
despite the huge points differential.
"I don't think it's gone yet," he said. "We've got a lot of games left to
play and points to catch up. If we keep going in this direction and keep
keeping clean sheets then we'll definitely score goals."
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