Didier Drogba Burns the Other Bridge, Just to Make Sure

By: Daryl | November 3rd, 2007

Didier Drogba pouty Didier Drogba’s emotional outpourings know no end. Not so long ago he was telling us that “something is broken at Chelsea” and that he was offski come summertime. Despite his impressive return to action coinciding with a convincing Chelsea winning streak, that still seems to be the plan. But now The Offside’s favourite rumour mongering red-top The Sun has done some actual research and watched a copy of Drogba’s official DVD (on sale in France) in which Double D says he also regretted joining Chelsea in the first place.

Someone at The Sun did some translating and they came up with this:

“The day I signed for Chelsea I just felt disgusted. I know this is something which can’t have happened to many players but that’s how it is. I was disgusted.I know that when I say this people are going to look at the financial aspect of my move — but money didn’t count for me.”

“I was unhappy and it remains as simple as that.”

“I was lucky as the French-speaking clan at Stamford Bridge in those days — Geremi, William Gallas and Claude Makelele — tried to help me. But the truth is I wanted to leave after only a few weeks. I wasn’t happy at all. I had no desire to be there.”

Talk about burning the other bridge. He’s planning his exit, but also retrospectively ruining his entrance. But wait, there’s more. He apparently hoped he was injured so he would fail the medical.

“I did some absurd things just so that I wouldn’t have to go to Chelsea. The medical was in a Paris hospital and I clearly remember praying they would find a problem with my knee or something so the move would collapse. I didn’t care what I’d lose, I wasn’t interested in the money I’d make, I simply didn’t want to leave Marseille.”

“I admit that playing in England one day had always been a dream for me but the impact of being at Marseille completely changed me. I wanted to ‘do a Maldini’ — by staying with Marseille until the end of my career. I’d had affection for other clubs but this was pure passion.”

Which all ties in with the exodus of top talent from Ligue 1 we were talking about last week, and as the DVD was released in France it could be seen as an apology to Marseille fans and French football fans in general for taking the big money move. It also explains why Drogba - possibly the best striker in the Premiership right now - was so absolutely awful in his first season at Chelsea. I distinctly remember Blues fan Andy Jacobs (of top Talksport radio show Hawksbee & Jacobs) describing the £24 million signing as “basically a very expensive Ade Akinbiyi.” For those unfamiliar with Akinbiyi, that’s not a compliment.

But mental as Drogba’s pronouncements may seem, I’m pleased to hear a footballer open up. In this media managed age there’s a genuine danger of all footballers expressing themselves in nothing but meaningless “yeah, the boys have done well” banality. Chelsea fans won’t be happy (though they’ll forgive him as their season depends on him) and Chelsea FC probably won’t be happy (though ditto) but at least Drogba’s unstable outbursts are bringing some emotion back to top flight footballers, making them seem almost human.