DROGBA: ENDING ON A HIGH
Posted on: Wed 23 May 2012
Having called time on his Chelsea stay, Didier Drogba sat down at Stamford Bridge yesterday to discuss his decision to leave. Before facing questions, the 34-year-old, who scored 157 times in our colours, and for the final time in the Champions League Final in Munich on Saturday, said:
'It has been a pleasure and honour to wear the blue shirt and to achieve everything we did here, all these trophies and the best thing was to finish on a high with this Champions League Final. It was the best of the best, the crème de la crème.'
Then, it was time to face the questions...
What's next for you?
I will have time to make my decisions. The most important thing for me was to stop all these rumours about playing or not for Chelsea next year. It's good for everyone to know that this is the end of eight years of constant improvement, constant big moments.
To play for Chelsea was the best thing that could happen to me in my life. Not only as a player but as a person. I have played in many great teams with great people, but I never spent eight years in a club, so it was an experience and it's the one that helped me to become a better player, a much better player now than what I was before.
Those eight years really changed me and improved me as a man. I made a lot of friends here, which is very difficult in football. We made this story here altogether and the feeling that stays in my head is that we made history for the club, for the fans and for ourselves.
I need a new challenge because I have done everything here. I was lucky to score in a lot of cup finals, and it's a nice feeling, a fantastic feeling but I am going to find a new challenge.
My decision hasn't been made and I want to keep thinking about what happened on Saturday rather than talking about China, America or I don't know. I am so happy because it's my first Champions League. Since I was 18 I was dreaming of these moments and the scenario was just perfect, until the penalty... It's like a movie. Even today I still want to be in Munich in that stadium and cheer with the fans, celebrate with them. It was too quick. I could have stayed longer in the stadium.
Are you surprised the club didn't try harder to keep you?
They tried hard enough. My decision is not based on what the club offered me or not. My decision is not based on money, because to stay here wasn't a question of money. I have always been happy with what I had here. My family was happy, it was not about the money. It's just I think it is time. After eight years trying to achieve the best thing, when you are looking for something like the Champions League for years and years and you finally get it, what's next?
Here i could stay as long as I was performing and as long as the club wanted me. It's not like they don't want me anymore. It is my decision and we sat down all together and everybody understands that. The boss understands, Ron Gourlay and the board, and I know what they did for me, and they know what I did for the club as well.
We started a new era and I was lucky to be part of this. We built something really strong in terms of identity. Now you can go everywhere in the world and everyone knows
about Chelsea. I see kids in Africa wearing Chelsea jerseys in the streets. Chelsea is a brand now and we are very proud to have achieved what we have in eight years. None of this would have been possible without the big boss, Roman Abramovich. If he wasn't here there would be less chance for me to be at this club, so the best way to repay him was to win the Champions League.
Are you finished with English football?
I won't play for another English club. I am too attached to Chelsea. My blood is blue and it won't change.
Would you have stayed if you had not won the Champions League?
Yes, because that was my challenge. That's what I wanted to achieve and the boss gave so much for this club, he did so much. Everybody speaks about buying players but nobody speaks about trying to develop this club. It was a very good club when I came, an ambitious club, and as the players we always tried to improve and do this for the club.
Would you have left in 2008 if you'd won?
It would have been different because my contract situation wasn't the same as it is now. The challenges would have been different I think.
What did the owner say about your decision?
He said that he understands my feelings and respects my choice. We talked in the last few days and will keep talking because he is a very good man and he gave me everything, the chance to put my family in a certain comfort and environment, which for me is fantastic with where I come from. As a kid I didn't have all these things. My family now can benefit from all these things. Maybe he doesn't know but he helped a lot of people.
Should Roberto Di Matteo be given the job after what he's done?
I think Robbie is in the same situation as me. I think he will speak with the board and the boss to do what is good for him and for the club. No matter what happens, he made history. There are no other words. No matter what happens, if he stays or not, he is a Chelsea legend. The job he did was great, and exceptional.
Are you interested in management?
Maybe, but it's not something I am really thinking about now. I have learned a lot from all these managers and the most important thing again is the communication. The mental aspect is maybe more important than the football skills because if a player isn't right in his head it is difficult for him to give his best.
Can this Chelsea team be successful in the future?
Of course because I think now the expectation from the fans and from the owner himself will be the same as what we did on Saturday. So now we set up something that when you come to Chelsea you will have to do the same thing as a minimum, to be in the Champions League Final, or to win it. That's what the club has to do to be like Barcelona, AC Milan and Real Madrid. We only have one Champions League and we need more. But at least we started.
This season has been like a movie, who would play you?
I don't know, because Jupp Heynckes said I am a good actor, so maybe me!
What was your lowest moment at Chelsea?
The low point for me was when we lost in the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool in the first season, because I think that's the season where we could have really achieved something very, very big for the club, winning the league and the Champions League.
Do you have a favourite goal?
It's difficult to choose - The FA Cup Final against Manchester United, the first one at Wembley in extra-time. It was also the first time we won the FA Cup with these players and then Saturday. Saturday - there's more moments like this I could name but it's difficult to choose.
What do you remember of walking up to the ball on Saturday night?
I was like, we done it, we did it! Everything was so, like, the green lights everywhere, like Petr saving three penalties before that so for me I just had to go and score. I knew; I had a good feeling walking there.
You were very good with the German players afterwards, they were obviously crushed.
Yeah, I remember that I have been in that situation before; a few months ago I was in the same situation so I know how they felt. So I went to see them and tried to celebrate normally and then when they left the pitch we could go wild, go crazy. You have to respect that team because they are great players and losing on penalties is difficult.
There have always been stories about the senior players controlling the club, we can ask you now - is that right?
When we win games everyone says the senior players are doing well, when we don't win, they're old. When the manager is sacked, they sacked the manager. But I really think that when a manager goes, it's because he sat with the owner or with the board and they have decided they have some objectives to achieve and if they don't do it, then that gives the reason to the boss to do what we has to do. But never a player. I am a player and I will never want some players to have an influence on the manager, it is not good for the team. It is not good for the team at all.
Finally, what will you miss the most from Chelsea?
I will really miss the fans because it's not common as a player to hear that the fans want you to stay. It's not everywhere. I'm lucky to have this special relationship with the fans and I will miss them. But they will always be in my heart.
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