Admittedly, for a long, too long time , almost two seasons, I could not get it why Didier Drogba was José Mourinho`s first buy (together with his Porto-boys Ferreira and Carvalho). I thought we paid too much money to Marseille.
OK, he was a somewhat competent, strong powerful forward. Not as bad as other acquisitions the club have been like Veron, Bogarde to name the worst. But I, me, did not see it. True to my nature I bitched a bit about him.
Especially with a friend of mine, a kiwi living in Sweden and supporting Chelsea as much as I. He used to arrange screenings of Chelsea games at the pub he worked, my regular the Bagpiper`s Inn. He always liked Drogba a lot and we argued a bit about that. The pro`s was always met by some con`s from me. For every good point, I could always come up with some less good.
Then it dawned on me and I could no longer deny Drogba`s qualities however much I wanted just to keep the banter alive. I, and not only I, started to see Drogba with his eyes. Didier Drogba was on fire and could do nothing wrong on the pitch. He stopped some of his earlier antics and carried us last season. He would have done so this season too except for the injuries and the ANC.
I used to think that Drogba was a good footballer with way too much self-esteem. Almost American in his self-appreciation. It ticked me off, naturally as that superiority thing is the single worst thing with Americans. After all it was God in person that told George Bush that the Iraqi war was the right thing to do. I always wondered what Allah thought?
My friend Tim, finally opened my eyes to the fact that he was not only a person that lacked certain self-control with his statements, he was the best forward not only in Africa but the world.
One of, those incredibly rare players like Pelé, Maradona, Messi, Puskas, Nordahl, Ibrahimovic to mention some, that actually can do it all on his own, if the ball just comes within reach. And Drogba`s reach is great as he is a big man. I saw not only his immense strength in keeping big lumbering, hardheaded defenders at bay to trick and outsmart them every time. He could take on two defenders at the same time and come out with the ball. I saw his exquisite first touch. His shot with both left and right foot. Not to mention that he came close to Kerry Dixon`s (unbeatable?) goal record. He also had a free-kick arsenal. In my eyes he totally outshone the show pony and had the votes been cast in Spring instead around Xmas, Drogba would rightfully been elected Player of the Year instead.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention the effort he puts into our defensive play, in particular at corners where Drogba actually heads the ball away more often than even JT and Alex.
Now the whiners, the grumpies, the one`s that hate for a player to open his mouth have open season on Didier. They want him to leave Chelsea! They actually want our best player to leave our club! They nag, bray and complain every time some tabloid invents a quote and claim it to come from Didier.
It strikes me as significant that it is a lot of the same people that urged us all to stand in attention behind Grant, despite his very obvious “shortcomings”. Things we are not allowed to mention, while Didier is beheaded for things we do not really know the truth about.
Why? According to them because Drogba speaks without thinking. That he is not loyal to Chelsea for saying his mind. He supposedly says things about Chelsea that are not allowed. Or is it that a player is not allowed to speculate in things not only connected to the club he belongs to. I doubt any player contract actually puts a muzzle on players. He has voiced his admiration for JM, his worries about how JM left the club, his admiration for Barca and Eto`o (though he a couple of years ago had very little positive to say about Eto`o, nobody complained then). He has said that he might want to try another avenue towards the end of his career. He is hardly media smart.
Things his enemies in Chelsea and British media have gulped up. Please, reality check here. It is basically the same things just about any player says.
Despite some embarrassing facts, like that he never have said most of the things attributed to him as it turned out and that most quotes was dated back to before Didier Drogba even joined Chelsea.
Is Drogba a media darling? Yes, as he speaks his mind and his immediate thoughts without the normal filter. Is he media-dumb? Yes, because he seems to trust journalists. Is he pissing on Chelsea. Not at all. He has expressed admiration for a manager, other players and claimed that he might want to finish his career in another club. What is wrong with that?
Statements that easily, could be attributed to any player in the world. But when the mudslingers in the press put Drogba`s name to it, just too many are willing to believe it and hold it against him.
Please judge him instead for what he gives to us every time he pulls the Blue shirt on. How he gives everything when playing, even injured. And he has played with minor injuries almost as much as JT. Appreciate Drogba because he plies his immense skills at Chelsea and not another club. There are many that would welcome him. If he leaves for a huge sum or stays another 3,5 years, his contract, before he leaves I for one will send him off as a Chelsea hero for what he has given us. Among that two premierships.
Drogba, unlike no other footballer (even George Weah in Liberia) is an icon. No one has meant more for his people in his native Ivory Coast.
In the Ivory Coast, Drogba is a hero. He loves his country in a way a load of English players should learn from. He puts his country above Chelsea, I for one can not blame him. He does a lot of things for football and charity in his country.
In the Ivory Coast he is praised for doing more to end a five year civil war than any other person, armed force, politician or organization. Imagine that!!! He has overbridged ethnic and century old tribal rivalry. He is so much larger than just a footballer there. Appreciate it, we do not only have a great footballer in Chelsea. We have a true folk hero that is almost as admired in the entire continent of Africa as Nelson Mandela.
So stand up for a player that shows his commitment to Chelsea on the pitch and who is not only a narrow minded footballer, instead of taking some statements that very likely are out of context and just as probably not true. We have a manager that lies about our games every press conference, and is sniping away on the former manager that only had 6 trophies to his none – is that preferable?
I say with love, stand up for Didier. He is no Gallas, that always complained about his playing time, playing position, not getting a contract when he wanted it, refusing to play and ending up a gooner.
Get the big picture. Grow up. Drogba is one of the best players ever to wear our Blue. Yes, he is not media-trained like Sven Göran Eriksson (thank god) or as loveable as Zola the god. He is however a true professional that always gives his best, which even at low times is better than most anyone`s. Respect him!
(When he comes back after taking his beloved Elephants to the title in Africa Nations Cup and being top goal scorer in the tournament)
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