Just read this article: http://soccernet.esp...chelsea?cc=3436

Thoughts? It seems he will stay with us for this season at least. There's no way I would want him to leave this summer though, and he still has one year left on his contract. They are known for producing meaningless articles, and I hope this is one.

Edited July 6, 201214 yr by Teritus

Bit of a non-story for me, assumptions, sources.. the usual stuff. I mean if he does go it'll be sad but we've got a really good replacement.

Bit of a non-story for me, assumptions, sources.. the usual stuff. I mean if he does go it'll be sad but we've got a really good replacement.

Yeah, it really didn't look convincing for me when they mentioned Barca who just signed a new left back from Valencia.

Four words should allay everyone's fears: "Harry Harris, Football Correspondant"

This man also wrote that

-Aguero was confirmed to join Chelsea 2 summers ago for 47 million (it was a "done deal" according to his special sauces)

-Arry was appointed england boss secretly, in the spring, and was already picking his staff (again, a "done deal")

-Neymar had already signed for Real Madrid worth a 60+ million euros (touted as some "world exclusives")

Needless to say, none of these things happened. The only stories I have ever seen from Harris are these "exclusives" that never actually come to pass. The biggest confirmed BS artist on a website that now revels in tabloid level BS.

Edited July 6, 201214 yr by TheWestwayWonder

Harry's Special Sauces! I love it, WWW!

Just to clarify, not having a go at you, Tetrius, just saying I hate this arsehole.

I thought we might lose Ashley a couple of years ago when Jose took over Real Madrid. It would make sense that big club + old coach + huge money might tempt Cole to move on from Chelsea. Especially when going to Spain to make more money (tax rates) and have a more relaxed pace of life appeals to just about any footballer.

Harry's Special Sauces! I love it, WWW!

I think, Moi, "special/secret sauces" is my favorite ShedEndism

We need to start a glossary on here, or something.

Just to clarify, not having a go at you, Tetrius, just saying I hate this arsehole.

I thought we might lose Ashley a couple of years ago when Jose took over Real Madrid. It would make sense that big club + old coach + huge money might tempt Cole to move on from Chelsea. Especially when going to Spain to make more money (tax rates) and have a more relaxed pace of life appeals to just about any footballer.

Don't worry, I know what you mean.

I think, Moi, "special/secret sauces" is my favorite ShedEndism

We need to start a glossary on here, or something.

Excellent idea!

Supposition, perhaps, maybes, possiblies....so much garbage conjecture in that article.

Four words should allay everyone's fears: "Harry Harris, Football Correspondant"

This man also wrote that

-Aguero was confirmed to join Chelsea 2 summers ago for 47 million (it was a "done deal" according to his special sauces)

-Arry was appointed england boss secretly, in the spring, and was already picking his staff (again, a "done deal")

-Neymar had already signed for Real Madrid worth a 60+ million euros (touted as some "world exclusives")

Needless to say, none of these things happened. The only stories I have ever seen from Harris are these "exclusives" that never actually come to pass. The biggest confirmed BS artist on a website that now revels in tabloid level BS.

All I need to see is "soccernet" to disregard it, but yeah, Harry Harris is arguably the worst of an awful bunch.

dont get me wrong hes an excellent player but it wouldnt be the end of the world! we have some crackers coming through! bertrand, van annolt! why not blood them now! at leqast you would get a few pound for ashley now!

dont get me wrong hes an excellent player but it wouldnt be the end of the world! we have some crackers coming through! bertrand, van annolt! why not blood them now! at leqast you would get a few pound for ashley now!

losing the best lb in the world is actually a pretty big deal

Roman won't let him run his contract down,why would he??

On a seriouse note, at what point do you say, yes your the better left back now, by fine margin (probably more then that) but we need to start thinking about bertrand who is the future.. its a tough balancing act

If he's going to leave at 33 on a free, I'd be more than happy. He's been a great servant and deserves to leave the club on his own terms and choosing. It's unsustainable to offer him another contract at his current wages let alone on bigger ones.

The biggest issue with Ashley Cole is Ashley Cole, he has admitted many times over the past few years (but probably tempered by recent Premiership and CL wins) that he is increasingly falling out of love with football. I think he has one big season left in him, but beyond that he's going to be a quality but expensive backup.

As for the article, it's putting two and two together and getting five. Chelsea don't need the money from selling him, and extending contracts of older players comes too soon after the euphoria of the CL win.

Edited July 7, 201214 yr by SydneyChelsea

Just to clarify, not having a go at you, Tetrius, just saying I hate this arsehole.

I thought we might lose Ashley a couple of years ago when Jose took over Real Madrid. It would make sense that big club + old coach + huge money might tempt Cole to move on from Chelsea. Especially when going to Spain to make more money (tax rates) and have a more relaxed pace of life appeals to just about any footballer.

He said in an interview that he had the chance to goto Real but turned it down because Cher** too wanted to stay in England, at least we have one thing to thank the talentless geordie gypo for.

On a seriouse note, at what point do you say, yes your the better left back now, by fine margin (probably more then that) but we need to start thinking about bertrand who is the future.. its a tough balancing act

I don't think ryan will be good enough to be a first choice here.

but I suppose this season (with hopefully more exposure to first team football) will give us a better indication.

I don't think ryan will be good enough to be a first choice here.

but I suppose this season (with hopefully more exposure to first team football) will give us a better indication.

you once said that about cole

If he's going to leave at 33 on a free, I'd be more than happy. He's been a great servant and deserves to leave the club on his own terms and choosing. It's unsustainable to offer him another contract at his current wages let alone on bigger ones.

The biggest issue with Ashley Cole is Ashley Cole, he has admitted many times over the past few years (but probably tempered by recent Premiership and CL wins) that he is increasingly falling out of love with football. I think he has one big season left in him, but beyond that he's going to be a quality but expensive backup.

Sounds about right to me. The end of last season clearly shows he can still play superbly once a week, but a year from now . . . who was the last fullback playing well enough to start for a serious CL contender at age 33? Even Maldini had moved into the middle by that point, if memory serves.

you once said that about cole

not really.

but it's irrelevant anyway- what I'm saying is I'm not sure bertrand will ever be good enough to be a first choice and that we'll have a better idea if he plays more this coming season.

in other words I don't think he will be better than cole this season, next season or the one after. I think the gap is big and probably we'll need to buy to replace cole (with ryan being a perfectly good replacement for paulo and zhirkov as the second choice leftback)

He may not ever reach the heights of Cole, but Cole has been the best in the world for a number of years now. We're unlikely to find someone as good as him again any time soon, Bertrand will be just fine if he keeps on progressing as he is.

He may not ever reach the heights of Cole, but Cole has been the best in the world for a number of years now. We're unlikely to find someone as good as him again any time soon, Bertrand will be just fine if he keeps on progressing as he is.

This pretty much.....

Can Bertrand be a top class left back, I have seen nothing to suggest that he can't be.

Theres more evidence to say Bertrand can be top class for us than there is he wont be. But as with any young player it can go either way simply down to attitude, but he seems a down to earth bloke willing to put the effort in so fingers crossed he will go on to be a very good replacement for one of the best LB`s Englands ever seen.

I'm not trying to draw a comparison between Drogba and Ashley Cole, but respectively they have been the best Striker and Left Back we've potentialy ever had at the club, so replacing them is never going to be an easy task. At this point I can certainly see Ryan being a good player for us, potentiallly great. I can also see him being better than Yuri was for us, and Yuri played for his national team.

I think we let Cole see out his contract, teach Ryan a few things during a season that sees them alternate often, and then thank him and laugh at Arsenal and Gallas. You never know, maybe his love for football will be found again in more of a coaching role.

Scott