Didier Drogba is leaving Chelsea but he leaves as a champion, a club legend, a role model for millions with his extensive work for good causes and his wonderful refusal to give up in his beloved team’s quest for the Champions League.
Won it all: Dider Drogba says having won the Champions League, now is the right time to leave Chelsea Photo: GETTY IMAGES
“I would have stayed if we hadn’t won the Champions
League,’’ he reflected on Tuesday, his watch still on Munich time.
“We’ve been chasing this trophy for eight years. We even saw the cup in
Moscow [in 2008], walking by it, and we could not touch it.
"That was the challenge for the guys who were in Moscow. We wanted to go back
and win it. We did everything to do that. It cost us the league. But it was
worth it.
“Saturday was my last Chelsea
game and it has been a fantastic eight years. To finish on a high with this
Champions League final was the best of the best, la crème de la crème as
we say in French.
"The last two days I was feeling more 40 than 24! To play a final at 34, and
play extra time, and to give what I gave, I can be proud of myself.
“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 made a lot of friends here which is
very difficult normally in football, and they will be my friends for life
because we made history here.”
So what’s next? Chelsea tried to keep him. “To stay here was not a question of
money, as people claimed. I’ve always been happy with what I have here with
contracts and my family were happy.
"It’s not like they don’t want me any more. We sat down all together and the boss [Roman Abramovich], Ron Gourlay [chief executive] and everyone on the board respected my decision. I know what I did for them and they know what they did for me.
“I will take time to make the right decision. My wife and I will go and relax a bit, even though there are national team games. I won’t play for another English club. I owe too much allegiance to Chelsea.
“My blood is blue. I will really miss the fans but they will always be in my heart.”
He has been linked with a reunion with Nicolas Anelka at Shanghai Shenhua. “Obviously I played with him for many years. It was difficult to see him leave but that’s part of football and life. He is happy there. He is trying to do his best to help the club. But I really want to keep thinking about what happened on Saturday rather than talking about China, America, wherever.
“Since I was a kid I was dreaming of this kind of moments, the scenario was just perfect. It’s like a movie. Even today I still want to be in Munich in that stadium, cheering and celebrating with the fans. It was too quick the first time. I wanted it to be longer.’’
As well as Saturday, Drogba listed two other cherished moments: “Winning the first title at Bolton [in 2005] and the best goal was in the [2007] FA Cup against Manchester United, the first one at the new Wembley, scoring in extra time.’’
He is proud of his legacy. “I would not say we created Chelsea, but we started a new era. We built something really strong in terms of identity. Now we go everywhere in the world and everyone knows about Chelsea. You go to Africa and people speak about Chelsea. I see kids wearing Chelsea shirts in the streets. India, everywhere, Chelsea is a brand.”
Chelsea can build on the victory over Bayern Munich. “Of course. The expectation from the fans and the owner himself will be the same as we did on Saturday. Now we set up something when you come to Chelsea you have to try as a minimum to do the best. You have to get into the Champions League final or win it.
"That’s what the club has to do to be a Barcelona, AC Milan or Real Madrid in Europe. We only have one Champions League and we need more.’’
Could Atlético Madrid’s Falcao fill his boots? “I know he’s a very good player but that’s not for me to decide. The only thing I know is we have very good strikers here already. Everybody knows Fernando [Torres] is a very good player. He’s been through difficult moments here. It happens to everyone.
"My first few seasons here were difficult. The good thing is he has our support. I know next season he’s going to improve. Chelsea is in good hands with Fernando. Of course we will need new strikers but Torres will do the job.’’
In saying his farewells, Drogba was paying tributes. “None of this would have been possible without the big boss, Roman Abramovich. So the best way to repay him was to win the Champions League.
"The boss gave so much for this club. Everybody speaks about buying expensive players but nobody speaks about the facilities at Cobham, one of the best in the world, and improving the academy.
“He said that he understood my feelings, he respected my choice and I told him that I would be a Chelsea player forever. He’s a very good man. He gave everything to my family, gave them the chance to have a nice lifestyle which is fantastic when you remember I came from the Ivory Coast where I didn’t have all these things.
“This Champions League is for all the managers who’ve been here chasing this trophy. Everybody knows the man who gave me the strength and the man I’ve learnt a lot from was Jose [Mourinho]. He gave me this winning attitude, this desire to make history. He’s a winner and we have it in our DNA now.
“I speak about Jose because he was very important to me but the one who spent less time as a manager here is the one who won the Champions League [Roberto Di Matteo]. He is a Chelsea legend. The way he managed to change the mentality of the players is enormous because we were not in good shape mentally.”
Things had not worked out under Andre Villas-Boas. “Andre is a friend. It’s difficult. It feels strange to know that he’s gone and he didn’t give to Chelsea what he really wanted to. When you don’t win, it’s easy to point the finger at the manager. But we all know inside that we are responsible for this.”
Drogba dismissed the suggestion that “senior players run” Chelsea. “When a manager comes here, he’s sat with the owner, with the board, and they’ve decided they have some targets, some objectives, to achieve.
"If they don’t do it, that gives a reason to the boss to do what he has to do. But never a player. I’d never want some players to have an influence on a manager. It’s not good for the team.”
Di Matteo restored confidence. “You can put a player on the pitch and give him 30 games but if he doesn’t feel the belief or the communication is right he’ll never perform.
"Robbie talked to us individually and collectively when he took charge and then we had to do everything to save our season. Everybody had to look at himself and change the way we behaved for the good of the group.
“Robbie is in the same situation as me because he’s going to speak to the board and the owner and see what is good for him and for the club. No matter what happens now, he has made history.
"If he stays or he goes now then he is even more of a Chelsea legend. The job he did was great and exceptional. From the worst season in my Chelsea career we got to the best ever.’’
Drogba has experienced some difficult times like “when we lost in the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool in the first season, the ghost goal’’ in 2005. He admitted that during the brief Luiz Felipe Scolari era in 2008-09 “there were a few moments in my head that I thought I’d have to go.’’
Drogba also felt “bad” about his rant about the Norwegian referee, Tom Henning Ovrebo, after the controversial 2009 defeat to Barcelona. “It was a bit difficult for him after this game and it is only football. Sometimes we attach too much importance to it as I did that day. I wanted to achieve the win so much that when it went wrong the emotions got the better of me.”
Drogba has also faced accusations of applying Newton’s law of gravity too readily, most recently against Barcelona. “I feel people were not really happy that Chelsea beat Barca and they were expecting us to lose at the Nou Camp and that was why they were focusing on me being on the floor.
"We deserved to win that game not because we dominated the game – we didn’t – but our desire was stronger than their qualities. I was a bit surprised with the critics, even if it is true that I went on to the floor. Someone touched me and there were fouls that the referee didn’t give.”
Asked who he would like to play him in a film of his life, Drogba replied wryly: “Jupp Heynckes [Bayern’s coach] said I’m a good actor so maybe me!”
Drogba leaves England a truly respected sportsman, even asked to carry the Olympic torch through Swindon today. “My only disappointment is that I can’t do the Olympics. I wish with the Ivory Coast we could come and play. If it was at Wembley I’m sure we’d win!’’ He usually does.
Throughout it all, Drogba has stayed humble, “trying to save lives and reduce poverty” with his UN work. “I have to say thanks to my parents for the way they educated me and also to my friends – my real friends. They never see me as a star.”
But he leaves England as a champion of Europe.
"It’s not like they don’t want me any more. We sat down all together and the boss [Roman Abramovich], Ron Gourlay [chief executive] and everyone on the board respected my decision. I know what I did for them and they know what they did for me.
“I will take time to make the right decision. My wife and I will go and relax a bit, even though there are national team games. I won’t play for another English club. I owe too much allegiance to Chelsea.
“My blood is blue. I will really miss the fans but they will always be in my heart.”
He has been linked with a reunion with Nicolas Anelka at Shanghai Shenhua. “Obviously I played with him for many years. It was difficult to see him leave but that’s part of football and life. He is happy there. He is trying to do his best to help the club. But I really want to keep thinking about what happened on Saturday rather than talking about China, America, wherever.
“Since I was a kid I was dreaming of this kind of moments, the scenario was just perfect. It’s like a movie. Even today I still want to be in Munich in that stadium, cheering and celebrating with the fans. It was too quick the first time. I wanted it to be longer.’’
As well as Saturday, Drogba listed two other cherished moments: “Winning the first title at Bolton [in 2005] and the best goal was in the [2007] FA Cup against Manchester United, the first one at the new Wembley, scoring in extra time.’’
He is proud of his legacy. “I would not say we created Chelsea, but we started a new era. We built something really strong in terms of identity. Now we go everywhere in the world and everyone knows about Chelsea. You go to Africa and people speak about Chelsea. I see kids wearing Chelsea shirts in the streets. India, everywhere, Chelsea is a brand.”
Chelsea can build on the victory over Bayern Munich. “Of course. The expectation from the fans and the owner himself will be the same as we did on Saturday. Now we set up something when you come to Chelsea you have to try as a minimum to do the best. You have to get into the Champions League final or win it.
"That’s what the club has to do to be a Barcelona, AC Milan or Real Madrid in Europe. We only have one Champions League and we need more.’’
Could Atlético Madrid’s Falcao fill his boots? “I know he’s a very good player but that’s not for me to decide. The only thing I know is we have very good strikers here already. Everybody knows Fernando [Torres] is a very good player. He’s been through difficult moments here. It happens to everyone.
"My first few seasons here were difficult. The good thing is he has our support. I know next season he’s going to improve. Chelsea is in good hands with Fernando. Of course we will need new strikers but Torres will do the job.’’
In saying his farewells, Drogba was paying tributes. “None of this would have been possible without the big boss, Roman Abramovich. So the best way to repay him was to win the Champions League.
"The boss gave so much for this club. Everybody speaks about buying expensive players but nobody speaks about the facilities at Cobham, one of the best in the world, and improving the academy.
“He said that he understood my feelings, he respected my choice and I told him that I would be a Chelsea player forever. He’s a very good man. He gave everything to my family, gave them the chance to have a nice lifestyle which is fantastic when you remember I came from the Ivory Coast where I didn’t have all these things.
“This Champions League is for all the managers who’ve been here chasing this trophy. Everybody knows the man who gave me the strength and the man I’ve learnt a lot from was Jose [Mourinho]. He gave me this winning attitude, this desire to make history. He’s a winner and we have it in our DNA now.
“I speak about Jose because he was very important to me but the one who spent less time as a manager here is the one who won the Champions League [Roberto Di Matteo]. He is a Chelsea legend. The way he managed to change the mentality of the players is enormous because we were not in good shape mentally.”
Things had not worked out under Andre Villas-Boas. “Andre is a friend. It’s difficult. It feels strange to know that he’s gone and he didn’t give to Chelsea what he really wanted to. When you don’t win, it’s easy to point the finger at the manager. But we all know inside that we are responsible for this.”
Drogba dismissed the suggestion that “senior players run” Chelsea. “When a manager comes here, he’s sat with the owner, with the board, and they’ve decided they have some targets, some objectives, to achieve.
"If they don’t do it, that gives a reason to the boss to do what he has to do. But never a player. I’d never want some players to have an influence on a manager. It’s not good for the team.”
Di Matteo restored confidence. “You can put a player on the pitch and give him 30 games but if he doesn’t feel the belief or the communication is right he’ll never perform.
"Robbie talked to us individually and collectively when he took charge and then we had to do everything to save our season. Everybody had to look at himself and change the way we behaved for the good of the group.
“Robbie is in the same situation as me because he’s going to speak to the board and the owner and see what is good for him and for the club. No matter what happens now, he has made history.
"If he stays or he goes now then he is even more of a Chelsea legend. The job he did was great and exceptional. From the worst season in my Chelsea career we got to the best ever.’’
Drogba has experienced some difficult times like “when we lost in the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool in the first season, the ghost goal’’ in 2005. He admitted that during the brief Luiz Felipe Scolari era in 2008-09 “there were a few moments in my head that I thought I’d have to go.’’
Drogba also felt “bad” about his rant about the Norwegian referee, Tom Henning Ovrebo, after the controversial 2009 defeat to Barcelona. “It was a bit difficult for him after this game and it is only football. Sometimes we attach too much importance to it as I did that day. I wanted to achieve the win so much that when it went wrong the emotions got the better of me.”
Drogba has also faced accusations of applying Newton’s law of gravity too readily, most recently against Barcelona. “I feel people were not really happy that Chelsea beat Barca and they were expecting us to lose at the Nou Camp and that was why they were focusing on me being on the floor.
"We deserved to win that game not because we dominated the game – we didn’t – but our desire was stronger than their qualities. I was a bit surprised with the critics, even if it is true that I went on to the floor. Someone touched me and there were fouls that the referee didn’t give.”
Asked who he would like to play him in a film of his life, Drogba replied wryly: “Jupp Heynckes [Bayern’s coach] said I’m a good actor so maybe me!”
Drogba leaves England a truly respected sportsman, even asked to carry the Olympic torch through Swindon today. “My only disappointment is that I can’t do the Olympics. I wish with the Ivory Coast we could come and play. If it was at Wembley I’m sure we’d win!’’ He usually does.
Throughout it all, Drogba has stayed humble, “trying to save lives and reduce poverty” with his UN work. “I have to say thanks to my parents for the way they educated me and also to my friends – my real friends. They never see me as a star.”
But he leaves England as a champion of Europe.
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