Drogba once again confirms June departure

[MannyJello]

I'm not sure what upsets me most...the fact he's leaving, or the fact he's being so g-damned brazen about it. I mean, at least follow the program and keep your yap shut until the summer, and then leave with class and give lip service to how difficult the decision was, how much you'll miss the club and the fans, etc. etc.

if, like me, you harbored any illusions that perhaps Drogba might change his mind, i think this essentially seals the deal.

Drogba to leave in June

by Laurent Picard, 05 January 2008

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has confirmed his intention to leave Stamford Bridge next June.

The Blues star confessed last October that he wants to leave the London club and the Ivorian has once again expressed his intention to move.

The former Marseille star has confirmed that he said to magazine France-Football he has always felt unsettled at Stamford Bridge, but he still wants to win titles before ending his Chelsea adventure.

Drogba has refused to reveal the name of his next club, with Serie A giants Milan possible suitors.

The striker was operated on on December 8 and has not played since the surgery. He is hopeful he will defend his country’s flag during the upcoming African Cup of Nations in Ghana.

“It comes from me, I said what I am thinking, that I wanted to leave,” he told Eurosport.

“The problem is that I say that I want to leave since two or three years.

“Mourinho’s departure didn’t help, to the contrary it made my desire to leave even bigger.

“I am not going to speak about that (his next club), we will in the meantime.

“My major objective is the ACN and winning all the interests we have to win when I’ll return for Chelsea.

“The most important is the Champions League but when you are playing for the English title, you don’t swipe on it.”

[iframe:rt33k223]http://sport.setanta.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/01/05/Premier-League-Drogba-on-departure/[/iframe:rt33k223]

[Backbiter]

You don't swipe on it

Translation, anyone?

[TT]

That sounds like the old interview regurgitated.

[thespecial1]

that has really pissed me off...hate the way he is talkin to the media so happily about it...like he dnt give a sh*t bout chelsea no more...fantastic player but lost respect for the guy now...he seems a bit clueless and disrescpectful towards the club

[callista]

I saw this too - it's either an that old interview or he's said it again. Although the intro line mentioning the October interview may give the game away a bit I guess!

I personally not shocked if true, I've always thought that he was going in any case, Mourinho's departure probably may have just reinforced the idea in his mind but he was going any way.

I will always respect Drogba for what he has given us that will not change, it's his life, his career, his family to think about and that's what players care for ultimately despite what fans may think - I'm a realist and good luck to him whatever he decides to do eventually.

We will need Berbatov now I have a feeling or some other striker and Anelka.

[MannyJello]

two things lead me to think this is a fresh, new interview:

- although the article references the October interview, it goes on: "The Blues star confessed last October that he wants to leave the London club and the Ivorian has once again expressed his intention to move."

- i did a few google searches for some of the quotes in this article and the only link was to this same article. so they don't seem to be repeats (unless the translation is different?)

but then again, the eurosport website does not seem to have a link to this interview, and no other websites have picked it up - yet. so not 100% sure.

[BlueBosnian]

I cannot wait for September. I cannot wait to see Drogba warming up those seats of the Premiera or the Serie A. I cannot wait to see him start regreting the move, because he can be as sure as I am that he will never adopt there. I just hope we don't make a mistake of feeling sorry for him and trying to bring him back. He is not a blue and he does not want to be one. He is not a team player which we need in a striker if we want those glorious two seasons we had back. And you know what? It is not a coincidence that the minute he started playing class football - Chelsea stopped!

[Guest Brian M]

Coming out mid-season so publicly and saying it is a bit ordinary, but I'm guessing it's nothing he hasn't told Kenyon and co. And better he's up front about the move now, so we can start planning, than stringing the management along (like Lamps is doing) and then jumping ship.

I always thought Drogs would follow JM to Milan. And that's exactly what he'll do.

It amazes me no end the fans (newer fans, I'm guessing) who instantly start slagging him off. I wish him nothing but the best. He was HUGELY instrumental in us winning two titles and a shed load of cups, and is a Chelsea legend IMHO.

[loz]

Legend? Not for me. 'Legend' like 'world class' is a term thrown around far too easily and although there is clearly no official criteria for what constitutes 'legend' status I am content in my mind that Didier doesn't deserve the title.

When he leaves (and it would appear it will be at the end of this season unless pound signs change his mind) I wll look back on Didier's time at the club as a period of a player doing what he is paid to do, I will never look back on it with any great affection in terms of a personal affiliation.

I won't wish him all the best when he moves on, I also won't wish him all the worst. I will just forget about him. There are a number of players at the club just now (both first team regulars and bit part players) whose careers beyond Chelsea I would follow with far more interest then I will Didier's.

I guess it all boils down to what constitutes your opinion of 'legend.' For me the simple fact that you were involved in a title winning side is nowhere near enough. For example Erland Johnsen and Kerry Dixon do not have the medals that Didier has but both are a country mile ahead of Didier in terms of Chelsea legend status in my mind. Zola, Di Matteo, Petrescu will never be able to boast title medals altough they can boast cup medals and Didier pales into insignificance beside them. John Bumstead can't boast a single major medal with us but he ranks well above Didier in my mind. Etc etc etc

[Guest Brian M]

I guess it all boils down to what constitutes your opinion of 'legend.' For me the simple fact that you were involved in a title winning side is nowhere near enough. For example Erland Johnsen and Kerry Dixon do not have the medals that Didier has but both are a country mile ahead of Didier in terms of Chelsea legend status in my mind. Zola, Di Matteo, Petrescu will never be able to boast title medals altough they can boast cup medals and Didier pales into insignificance beside them. John Bumstead can't boast a single major medal with us but he ranks well above Didier in my mind. Etc etc etc[/quote

Yeah, fair call on that. Maybe legend was too strong a word, as I certainly wouldn't put him in the class of Zola, Kerry, Osgood, the Cat, Wise, et all. But whatever title we give him as he sails off into the sunset, we need to be under no illusions that without his goals we would not have been champions. And that deserves more respect than, 'he was just doing his job'; because a more passionate and committed player in a Chelsea shirt you're going to have trouble finding.

[mad_mac]

NO WAY is drogba a Chelsea legend. Yes he scored some great goals, and he battled hard while he was here. But it took him a long time to reach his level that he is at now. He has sulked pretty much since day one that he has been here, and had it not been for jose's blind faith in him, I doubt he would have stayed. He is aphysical presence, but his close control is still woeful. I hope he goes on to another club and rots in their reserves. I was never a huge fan of Drogba, I thought he bitched too much for a player that was not as good as he thought/felt he was. I was appreciative of his goals, and I felt that he has come on leaps and bounds since his arrival (complaining to the refs for 10 minutes that someone's studs caught his shorts...limping about after being merely touched; when, look at the size of him!!!0, but i never felt he had a great attitude, and I think he'll go somewhere like the Serie A where he will be shown up for what he is...a physical presence, and not much more.

remember, he had a quarrel with fans in the crowd because they called him out for being cr*p in his first couple of seasons. Beating his chest and giving it the whole "I am."

Now he has gone and mouthed off about the club that is paying him? the club that has obviously met his demands for being operated on so he can be fit for the ACN. If he is that bothered about the ACN, then f*ck off and play for an african club and don't bother b*tching about Chelsea anymore, we've given him enough!

[JT26CFC]

I cannot wait for September. I cannot wait to see Drogba warming up those seats of the Premiera or the Serie A. I cannot wait to see him start regreting the move, because he can be as sure as I am that he will never adopt there. I just hope we don't make a mistake of feeling sorry for him and trying to bring him back. He is not a blue and he does not want to be one. He is not a team player which we need in a striker if we want those glorious two seasons we had back. And you know what? It is not a coincidence that the minute he started playing class football - Chelsea stopped!

exactly what I'm thinking. Nicely said Drogba thinks he's a big striker now that he's "resurrected" his career, thinking that he has to go to a top spanish/italian team. whatever, he wants to move, move. Guess he doesn't think about the fans

[MannyJello]

agreed - for my taste, he's been pretty whiny, and although nowhere near as petulant as Arjen, a bit of a baby.

i disagree that this par for the course or ordinary...what's wrong with simply telling the front office your feelings and then not shooting off to the press and media about your desire to leave? as long as you don't pledge your undyining affections for the club, i wouldn't be surprised if he left. honestly, on the current club, the only person about whom i'd be surprised if he announced he wanted to leave at the end of the season would be JT, because he has worn his heart on his sleeve about the club. everyone else? for all we know, they are not content at the Bridge, and i wouldn't begrudge them if they left, especially if they didn't start complaining to the press.

took him several seasons to find his stride, and his first 1.5 seasons he thought the way to play well was to fall down and act dramatically whenever touched. i was somewhat embarrassed to be a Chelsea supporter a few times when he was at full theatrics.

i love him for scoring goals for us. but i hate him for being the primary reason Jose switched to the "hoof it upfield" approach that was so damn ugly, and from which we are still recovering.

perfect player for the premiership, with his primary attribute being his strength. i predict he will struggle for a year at least in Italy or Spain, where strikers are expected to have more than a first touch.

i won't root against him, except when we play whatever team he lands at. but i guess part of me is happy DD recognizes that our next goal is the CL title. don't know if we have the squad to do it this season, but i sure wouldn't mind him ending his CFC career by scoring a few goals in the CL final in May 08.

[Guest]

and I think he'll go somewhere like the Serie A where he will be shown up for what he is...a physical presence, and not much more.

You wanna call him immature, unappreciative, unsporting, etc thats okay, I can agree with all of that to at least some extent, but there is no doubt in my mind he IS a world class striker and we WILL miss him.

[Tim W]

I'm with mad_mac on this one, appreciate his goals, but if he didn't score them some one else would have done and at some point in nearly every game you always turn you head in embarrassment at his antics/play acting.

[Gem]

This is one of the reasons I wanted Jose to manage a National side - Drogba can't follow him there!! At the beginning of last season we lost Duffa, Gallas, Guddy... next we lost Robben, after that we could lose Drogba and even Lampard? Are we selling club? Bah

SkySports etc haven't got wind of this intervire next, but they'll have a field day.

[Guest Brian M]

This is one of the reasons I wanted Jose to manage a National side - Drogba can't follow him there!! At the beginning of last season we lost Duffa, Gallas, Guddy... next we lost Robben, after that we could lose Drogba and even Lampard? Are we selling club? Bah

SkySports etc haven't got wind of this intervire next, but they'll have a field day.

Selling club Gem? How can you say that when in the last season we've bought world class players like Sidwell and Gentle Ben!

[Gem]

[The Moos]

Speaking of Mourinho. I read that he'll be joining Liverpool in the summer

Hopefully complete rubbish rumours.*

*Seems to be missing the praying-smily (or is it smilie?)

[Enrico]

Bitch. "I wanna go I wanna go!" And what about that "it made me sick to think about signing for Chelsea" line? Blah blah blah just f**k off Didier. You were used right and you were effective, but you're still a peasant first and footballer second.

What's the problem with selling him this month?

[callista]

Coming out mid-season so publicly and saying it is a bit ordinary, but I'm guessing it's nothing he hasn't told Kenyon and co. And better he's up front about the move now, so we can start planning, than stringing the management along (like Lamps is doing) and then jumping ship.

I always thought Drogs would follow JM to Milan. And that's exactly what he'll do.

It amazes me no end the fans (newer fans, I'm guessing) who instantly start slagging him off. I wish him nothing but the best. He was HUGELY instrumental in us winning two titles and a shed load of cups, and is a Chelsea legend IMHO.

Agree with you 100%, I'll always be grateful for what he's done for us. As for loyalty and what not, well I work for a firm and they pay for my loyalty and work but if I want to leave I have every right to move, be thankful for the time I had there (and they had the use of my labour) and then off I go. I don't see players at clubs being any different and holding some romantic view that they owe something of their soul to a club and some higher calling than a simple employer/employee relationship - well I just don't buy into that.

I think Roman probably already knows infact his first outburst was enough probably to seal his fate any way.

The club will get the use of his excellent labour and work ethic until the summer and we will get a hefty transfer fee in the summer for a 30 year old player - sounds like a good deal to me.

You don't cross or embarrass Roman in public - ask Mourinho.

Funny that no other news sources have picked up on this though, normally something like this would be all over the news wires.

As for Drogba automatically following Mourinho, I'm not so sure, I think he will choose the best pay day for him and best league that suits his talents.

[youlots]

Better still, why not just f**k off Enrico. Take a peasant that a pissant softtoy for brains like you anyday. Wholeheartedly agree with Brian and Callista on this. The article is just recycled rubbish.

[evissy]

Bitch. "I wanna go I wanna go!" And what about that "it made me sick to think about signing for Chelsea" line? Blah blah blah just F*** off Didier. You were used right and you were effective, but you're still a peasant first and footballer second.

What's the problem with selling him this month?

The problem is we want to keep him! Why sell on of the best players in the world? He's been whining from the first day he got here so why would he instantly stop it. I'm guessing Didier don't do really well in interviews and that he has a bit of an ego but that is what superstars are in many cases.

[Lofty]

Ok, two points here. Firstly "legend" is a hugely subjective term, which is ultimately down to your own individual opinion and interpretation. Mine being that Drogba, which hugely instrumental in our recent success - goals scored, work rate, defensive qualities - hasn't been here long enough for legendary status. Drogba I don't think, has done enough on a personal level to endear himself to the fans. If he leaves in the summer then no, if he stays another year or three, then maybe. Of course, length of time at the club isn't the only factor - Ray Wilkins for instance, came through the ranks, was our youngest ever captain, and was at the club a fair few years. A Chelsea Legend? Debatable. Fatty Foulkes on the other hand, was here a single season, and yet (in my opinion) is undoubtedly a Chelsea legend.

Secondly the article: my feeling is, as youlots says, that it's nothing more than recycled rubbish.

[callista]

Secondly the article: my feeling is, as youlots says, that it's nothing more than recycled rubbish.

There is nothing in the news about this at all which leads me to believe you are spot on sir.