4 minutes ago, Nibs said:

With the realisation sinking in that I have probably seen Hazard's final performance in a Chelsea shirt, must admit the eyes are moistening up somewhat and that shouldn't happen to a guy in his 50's!

I can't think of the last time I was this gutted that a player is leaving. In recent years my "favourites" who have moved on have all been because we decided to sell due to age or their decline or the time was right:

Eidur, Lamps, JT, Zola, Joey Cole..................................McEachran!!! 

I think the last time we sold a player and I was really gutted and it ruined my summer would have been Pat Nevin after relegation in 88.

Football eh? The highs and lows.

   

I still haven't quite recovered from Wisey leaving. 

Drogba going on the first stint was a hard one too, made a little easier once Costa was banging them in.

7 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

I still haven't quite recovered from Wisey leaving. 

I still havent came to terms with Kerry Dixon being let go

12 minutes ago, Nibs said:

With the realisation sinking in that I have probably seen Hazard's final performance in a Chelsea shirt, must admit the eyes are moistening up somewhat and that shouldn't happen to a guy in his 50's!

I can't think of the last time I was this gutted that a player is leaving. In recent years my "favourites" who have moved on have all been because we decided to sell due to age or their decline or the time was right:

Eidur, Lamps, JT, Zola, Joey Cole..................................McEachran!!! 

I think the last time we sold a player and I was really gutted and it ruined my summer would have been Pat Nevin after relegation in 88.

Football eh? The highs and lows.

   

I didn't really feel anything whilst all these rumours have been going on all season, despite knowing deep down that he would go. But once he actually said he thinks 'it's goodbye' last night, it hit me. Like you say, can't remember being as gutted about another player leaving. Even JT's departure a couple of seasons ago, the time seemed right. Although Hazard has been incredible for us, I can't help but feel that Real Madrid will get his best years  - I can see him becoming unstoppable the next couple of seasons. It's a shame that our decline is likely to be one of the main reasons for his departure. Imagine if we had him around 2006, with that squad we had. 

7 minutes ago, Nibs said:

With the realisation sinking in that I have probably seen Hazard's final performance in a Chelsea shirt, must admit the eyes are moistening up somewhat and that shouldn't happen to a guy in his 50's!

I can't think of the last time I was this gutted that a player is leaving. In recent years my "favourites" who have moved on have all been because we decided to sell due to age or their decline or the time was right:

Eidur, Lamps, JT, Zola, Joey Cole..................................McEachran!!! 

I think the last time we sold a player and I was really gutted and it ruined my summer would have been Pat Nevin after relegation in 88.

Football eh? The highs and lows.

It's gut wrenching. You don't realise what you have until it's gone and I think this will happen once Hazard leaves the club.

However, like anything, we will slowly move on and new stars will emerge in the future that we will grow invested in. If some of our young guns like CHO and Ampadu become regular first team starters in the future, I can see the supporter base quickly growing very fond of them.

We can feel privileged to have watched Eden grow and excel in the past seven years. The top clubs across Europe all wanted him and he chose us which started a special bond between club and player. I remember when he was linked to us in 2011 (the year before he joined) and the excitement that I felt at the prospect of signing this prodigious talent. To have seen it become a reality and to see him flourish for the years to come was a dream come true as a supporter.

I don't know what Eden was expecting when he first joined us, but I think his experience of the last seven years will be something that will stay with him for the rest of his life. You don't stay at a club and passionately represent them for seven years if there isn't an underlying love for the club. Eden could have jumped shipped years ago and joined Madrid but he decided to stay with us and we should feel happy we got him at his prime (he joined us when he was 21 and will probably leave at 28).

If he leaves and joins Madrid, I wish him nothing but the best and he will always be welcome back at the club for future events. I always hold out a glimmer of hope he will stay with us, but there's always been a raging inevitability about him moving to Madrid and wouldn't begrudge him of the opportunity to play with them.

1 hour ago, Mod Stark said:

Again, I stand by my point. Player sale prices make no difference at all to us fans, that money doesn’t end up in our bank accounts.

What the club chose to do with sales is down to them.

What matters to us is how our team perform and for that, Hazard is pretty priceless.

This isn’t Fifa manager mode. I’d rather have Hazard than an extra centimetre added on the end of dodgy match day hot dogs.

Think is from the fan point of view of wanting to be self sufficient, in case Roman does go. But agreed, the money does not go to us and tends to go on Bakas, Drinkwaters et al so does not help inspire confidence.

 

Very difficult to replace Eden, but not impossible. Did we not say the same with Zola? We have won trophies and played wonderful football since he left.

 

How about JT? How could we replace the best defender the league has ever seen and his leadership? We did not but we have won trophies since he left.

 

How about Lamps, no way we can get another 20 goal a season midfielder? No we could not, not yet anyways, but we still won trophies without him.

 

How about Drogba, our best striker of the modern era, you cannot get one like him right? Nope but we still won trophies.

 

Now Eden, can we replace him like for like? Nope, we have to evolve once again. RLC, CHO, Pulisic, James, Mount, who knows who is the next legend. Up to the club and manager to find those who will step up.

His behaviour during the celebration was my moment of his career so far.

Hazard is a gentleman. He was the man of the final and still he let others taked the stage. I never have seen that before.

He's not Messi.

He's not Ronaldo.

But Eden is a special one!

I'm very proud that he's a countryman, a patriot and that he has played amazing years for this beautiful club!

Shine on you crazy diamond!

We got the best years out of Eden.  He will always be remembered as a Chelsea player first.  Who knows, he may come back in his golden years to grace us once more

4 hours ago, Nibs said:

With the realisation sinking in that I have probably seen Hazard's final performance in a Chelsea shirt, must admit the eyes are moistening up somewhat and that shouldn't happen to a guy in his 50's!

I can't think of the last time I was this gutted that a player is leaving. In recent years my "favourites" who have moved on have all been because we decided to sell due to age or their decline or the time was right:

Eidur, Lamps, JT, Zola, Joey Cole..................................McEachran!!! 

I think the last time we sold a player and I was really gutted and it ruined my summer would have been Pat Nevin after relegation in 88.

Football eh? The highs and lows.

   

Great points.  The other thing that makes it harder is when he says he will always support Chelsea, Chelsea is his family, that he "grew up here", and could never play for another Premier League team.  It's harder when he has genuine affection for Chelsea.

It was a little different with Cech because his successor was already here.  We are still left wondering how we will replace Hazard's creativity and goals.

Edited May 30, 20197 yr by Boston Blue

 

I'm glad I got to see Eden play live. Having only ever seen him on tv, coming over in March and April let me see him play. That's something to remember.

Edit: Pressed submit once, it posted twice....why does it take so long to post and then do it twice anyway. Ergh

Edited May 31, 20197 yr by Cam

15 hours ago, Nibs said:

With the realisation sinking in that I have probably seen Hazard's final performance in a Chelsea shirt, must admit the eyes are moistening up somewhat and that shouldn't happen to a guy in his 50's!

I can't think of the last time I was this gutted that a player is leaving. In recent years my "favourites" who have moved on have all been because we decided to sell due to age or their decline or the time was right:

Eidur, Lamps, JT, Zola, Joey Cole..................................McEachran!!! 

I think the last time we sold a player and I was really gutted and it ruined my summer would have been Pat Nevin after relegation in 88.

Football eh? The highs and lows.

   

Same here Nibs, Nevin was the one I was really gutted about, remember as a young lad also Ray Wilkins but I was only about 10 and hadn't seen him play and there wasn't much TV coverage in those days, I think it was because he was the only star player we had at the time.

Regarding Hazard it may well sink in more when we go back to the bridge in August, but his departure seems more like when Kerry Dixon left, he'd had a great career with us and left with our memories intact. To be fair to Hazard he's leaving to play for his boyhood club and the manager who was his idol and the most famous club in the world, it's like you and me going back to 1984 and signing for John Neal's Chelsea!. You never know like many players who go to Real Madrid it could all go pear shaped and he comes back home.

I was gutted when we sold Peter Osgood to Southhampton. 

The second season under Jose, after we had a shocking season and some fans turned on him for being one of the 'rats', a lesser person would have handed in a transfer request and we'd let him go for about 3/4 of not 1/2 of the money we will get now. Instead, he hang around and proved doubters wrong again, true to his word he's on going to leave like a winner. Now it's the time, no grudges against him what so ever, as long as Real being respectful with their bid, I wish him well and thanks for the great memories.

apparently f**kers thought that they'll gonna get him with their first bid

sorry for the picture

 

Edited May 31, 20197 yr by mojo

I think they shrunk his shirt!

10 hours ago, icecoolguy22 said:

The second season under Jose, after we had a shocking season and some fans turned on him for being one of the 'rats', a lesser person would have handed in a transfer request and we'd let him go for about 3/4 of not 1/2 of the money we will get now. Instead, he hang around and proved doubters wrong again, true to his word he's on going to leave like a winner. Now it's the time, no grudges against him what so ever, as long as Real being respectful with their bid, I wish him well and thanks for the great memories.

It's this moment that made me have a lot of respect for Hazard especially when he said he would only leave Chelsea on a good note. You look at Sanchez and Suarez, for example, and they both left their clubs because they wanted to get off the sinking ship at the time. Hazard could have done the same not only that season but also last season when we dropped from first to fifth, instead, he stayed with the club and waited for us to be in a good position again before he left. That is class, and I'll always remember Eden for that.

Edited May 31, 20197 yr by Frankie8Lampard

A year ago, after the WC, Hazard told the club he wanted to go to Real. We told him he was staying. Real were getting Courtois and that was going to be their lot for one summer we said. He could have sulked, he could have downed tools, he could have gone on strike, much as Courtois did until he got his move, but Eden's made of different stuff, he's not your typical superstar footballer. He stayed, he gave his all, he sparkled, he got us into the CL almost singlehandedly let's face it.

 

Yes we could have got more for him last summer, but we wouldn't be in the CL today, so whatever we get for him this summer he's more than made up for the deficit. We could get nothing for him and we've still done good business, because that CL pot of gold awaits. We should get as much money as we can but we have to grant him his wish, so we shouldn't let money be the sticking point. He's given us 7 years. We've had one of the top 3 players in the world, for 7 years. We've had the PL's best player, for 7 years. 7 years is a lot. He could have gone at any time, to any club he fancied. He's an absolute Chelsea legend, by far the most talented player to ever play for us, and because I love you all I don't want any of you to argue, because you'll only embarrass yourselves, and I wouldn't want that, purely out of love.

 

7 years ago Nibs described him as a poor man's Joe Cole. Nibs is a shedend legend of course. We'll forgive him that one on the basis that even the best struggle for form from time to time. Eden said he wanted to leave like a boss. The result on Wednesday was never in doubt. We shall miss him but he goes with all of our blessings. I hope he does well and I hope we see him in the white of Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge.

 

So long Eden. We know you love the club, and we sure as hell all love you.

On 30/05/2019 at 21:20, Mod Stark said:

Again, I stand by my point. Player sale prices make no difference at all to us fans, that money doesn’t end up in our bank accounts.

What the club chose to do with sales is down to them.

What matters to us is how our team perform and for that, Hazard is pretty priceless.

This isn’t Fifa manager mode. I’d rather have Hazard than an extra centimetre added on the end of dodgy match day hot dogs.

This is oddly specific ?

Strange that nothing has happened yet, I thought we were lead to believe it was all but wrapped up?

I assume we are driving a very hard price and rightly so. 

Seems like a tough negotiation, but I do expect the deal to go through. 

120m seems fair