After last night would you still take Drogba?
It seems the higher ups at Chelsea want to go for a one year contract while the striker would like to go for a year and seems unlikely he would accept their offer. So he will be on the market for one last paycheck. But is he worth the risk or is he a liability?
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Didier Drogba puts Chelsea in a dilemma
Apology notwithstanding, the striker's behaviour may have hastened his move towards the Stamford Bridge exit
Matt Hughes, Deputy Football Correspondent
Of all the decisions facing Chelsea's next manager, whether it be Carlo Ancelotti, Frank Rijkaard or Stamford the Lion, the most difficult regards the future of Didier Drogba.
The Ivory Coast striker is both the club's greatest attacking asset and biggest liability, as he demonstrated against Barcelona, legitimately bullying the Spanish club's centre backs before taking out his anger on Tom Henning Ovrebo, the hapless referee, in a show of petulance that could bring a premature end to his eventful time at Chelsea in the wake of their Champions League elimination.
As Winston Churchill might have put it, Drogba is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. The 31-year-old has always lived on the edge, capable of producing acts of blinding brilliance and utter stupidity within the space of a few seconds, but the difficulty of managing his multidimensional personality is further complicated by the diminishing time left on a contract that has little more than 12 months to run.
After seemingly spending much of the past five years agitating for a move, Drogba is suddenly desperate to stay, pushing for a new four-year deal that would allow him to end his career at Chelsea, but the club are reluctant to commit for that length of time. Even without his frequent histrionics, there is a perception that Drogba's best years may be behind him, particularly as he required two knee operations in the past 12 months.
Related Links
* Chelsea prove their own worst enemies
* Respect an alien concept to football
* Drogba and Ballack could face Uefa punishment
Whether offering Drogba a new long-term contract is a gamble worth taking depends on who you are talking to, and more importantly when - his form and mood change like the weather. Avram Grant and Luiz Felipe Scolari showered Drogba with praise during their time in charge, but were let down when it mattered most. The forward was sent off for a petulant slap on Nemanja Vidic during last season's Champions League final against Manchester United, Grant's last match in charge, and delivered an astonishingly supine performance at Old Trafford in January in the 3-0 defeat that effectively sealed Scolari's fate.
Of all the managers he has worked under at Stamford Bridge, José Mourinho is the only one to have consistently championed him and even the Portuguese failed to ride to his rescue last summer, when Chelsea were searching for a buyer but Inter Milan failed to follow up their passing interest. Chelsea's fans are equally divided, with a large minority booing Drogba after being embarrassed by his diving during a Barclays Premier League match against Manchester City three years ago.
The Ivorian appeared to have turned things around with a series of outstanding performances in recent weeks, most notably in Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final win over Arsenal, but a considerable body of opinion at the club is now hardening against him. Guus Hiddink, the interim manager, spoke up on his behalf in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday's outburst, but other senior figures have had enough. “Can you believe he still wants us to pay him more money after that?†was the tone of one incredulous Chelsea employee yesterday.
Drogba retains the backing of most of his colleagues, who appreciate the hard work he puts in for the team, even if in private some have expressed embarrassment at his antics. “I can understand Didier's reactions and he's an emotional man,†Frank Lampard said yesterday. “That's the sort of player you want to play with and I think people can relate to that.â€
Chelsea's board is paid to take a broader view than the playing staff, however, with Peter Kenyon, the chief executive, charged with turning them into the world's leading club by 2014 as well as winning trophies. A desire to improve the club's image was an important factor behind their decision to dispense with Mourinho two years ago and outbursts such as Drogba's are hardly likely to broaden their appeal, as Howard Robinson, a director of edp sports marketing, the leading branding company, said yesterday.
“Scenes like that don't do anybody any favours and are not the kind of thing that sponsors want to be associated with,†Robinson said. “In the context of that game, given the emotion and everything at stake, I think they can let it pass. If it was a regular occurrence and became a pattern of behaviour, it would start to affect their brand value.
“I think they're a million miles away from that at the moment and can put it down as a one-off. But they need to be aware of it and take steps to ensure their players are aware of the potential damage that can be done to the club by their misbehaviour.â€
Those who know Drogba best claim that he is simply an emotional man who wears his heart on his sleeve - his apology last night appeared to be genuine - but uncontrolled passion is no use to anyone in professional sport. Drogba's hot-headed temperament has brought about Chelsea's downfall on several occasions and could ultimately prove his undoing.
Chelsea would have sold Drogba last summer had they received a suitable offer, but with his transfer value eroding as his contract runs down, that option is no longer so attractive. Given the club's misgivings, a new four-year deal seems out of the question, with Chelsea preferring to risk losing him for nothing next summer than saddle themselves with another long-term commitment.
Chelsea are preparing to offer Drogba a one-year extension that would keep him at the club until 2011, although given his desire for one final payday there is little expectation that he will accept. The deadlock is likely to continue until the new manager examines his in-tray
It seems the higher ups at Chelsea want to go for a one year contract while the striker would like to go for a year and seems unlikely he would accept their offer. So he will be on the market for one last paycheck. But is he worth the risk or is he a liability?
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/chelsea/article6244934.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ ... 244934.ece</a>
Didier Drogba puts Chelsea in a dilemma
Apology notwithstanding, the striker's behaviour may have hastened his move towards the Stamford Bridge exit
Matt Hughes, Deputy Football Correspondent
Of all the decisions facing Chelsea's next manager, whether it be Carlo Ancelotti, Frank Rijkaard or Stamford the Lion, the most difficult regards the future of Didier Drogba.
The Ivory Coast striker is both the club's greatest attacking asset and biggest liability, as he demonstrated against Barcelona, legitimately bullying the Spanish club's centre backs before taking out his anger on Tom Henning Ovrebo, the hapless referee, in a show of petulance that could bring a premature end to his eventful time at Chelsea in the wake of their Champions League elimination.
As Winston Churchill might have put it, Drogba is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. The 31-year-old has always lived on the edge, capable of producing acts of blinding brilliance and utter stupidity within the space of a few seconds, but the difficulty of managing his multidimensional personality is further complicated by the diminishing time left on a contract that has little more than 12 months to run.
After seemingly spending much of the past five years agitating for a move, Drogba is suddenly desperate to stay, pushing for a new four-year deal that would allow him to end his career at Chelsea, but the club are reluctant to commit for that length of time. Even without his frequent histrionics, there is a perception that Drogba's best years may be behind him, particularly as he required two knee operations in the past 12 months.
Related Links
* Chelsea prove their own worst enemies
* Respect an alien concept to football
* Drogba and Ballack could face Uefa punishment
Whether offering Drogba a new long-term contract is a gamble worth taking depends on who you are talking to, and more importantly when - his form and mood change like the weather. Avram Grant and Luiz Felipe Scolari showered Drogba with praise during their time in charge, but were let down when it mattered most. The forward was sent off for a petulant slap on Nemanja Vidic during last season's Champions League final against Manchester United, Grant's last match in charge, and delivered an astonishingly supine performance at Old Trafford in January in the 3-0 defeat that effectively sealed Scolari's fate.
Of all the managers he has worked under at Stamford Bridge, José Mourinho is the only one to have consistently championed him and even the Portuguese failed to ride to his rescue last summer, when Chelsea were searching for a buyer but Inter Milan failed to follow up their passing interest. Chelsea's fans are equally divided, with a large minority booing Drogba after being embarrassed by his diving during a Barclays Premier League match against Manchester City three years ago.
The Ivorian appeared to have turned things around with a series of outstanding performances in recent weeks, most notably in Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final win over Arsenal, but a considerable body of opinion at the club is now hardening against him. Guus Hiddink, the interim manager, spoke up on his behalf in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday's outburst, but other senior figures have had enough. “Can you believe he still wants us to pay him more money after that?†was the tone of one incredulous Chelsea employee yesterday.
Drogba retains the backing of most of his colleagues, who appreciate the hard work he puts in for the team, even if in private some have expressed embarrassment at his antics. “I can understand Didier's reactions and he's an emotional man,†Frank Lampard said yesterday. “That's the sort of player you want to play with and I think people can relate to that.â€
Chelsea's board is paid to take a broader view than the playing staff, however, with Peter Kenyon, the chief executive, charged with turning them into the world's leading club by 2014 as well as winning trophies. A desire to improve the club's image was an important factor behind their decision to dispense with Mourinho two years ago and outbursts such as Drogba's are hardly likely to broaden their appeal, as Howard Robinson, a director of edp sports marketing, the leading branding company, said yesterday.
“Scenes like that don't do anybody any favours and are not the kind of thing that sponsors want to be associated with,†Robinson said. “In the context of that game, given the emotion and everything at stake, I think they can let it pass. If it was a regular occurrence and became a pattern of behaviour, it would start to affect their brand value.
“I think they're a million miles away from that at the moment and can put it down as a one-off. But they need to be aware of it and take steps to ensure their players are aware of the potential damage that can be done to the club by their misbehaviour.â€
Those who know Drogba best claim that he is simply an emotional man who wears his heart on his sleeve - his apology last night appeared to be genuine - but uncontrolled passion is no use to anyone in professional sport. Drogba's hot-headed temperament has brought about Chelsea's downfall on several occasions and could ultimately prove his undoing.
Chelsea would have sold Drogba last summer had they received a suitable offer, but with his transfer value eroding as his contract runs down, that option is no longer so attractive. Given the club's misgivings, a new four-year deal seems out of the question, with Chelsea preferring to risk losing him for nothing next summer than saddle themselves with another long-term commitment.
Chelsea are preparing to offer Drogba a one-year extension that would keep him at the club until 2011, although given his desire for one final payday there is little expectation that he will accept. The deadlock is likely to continue until the new manager examines his in-tray