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Drogba applauds Chelsea's English talent
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-12-25 09:48
COBHAM, England, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Striker Didier Drogba hit back at FIFA
president Sepp Blatter's criticism of Chelsea for importing expensive foreigners
on Friday, saying home players remained the English champions' backbone.
Speaking after training for Chelsea's packed festive season programme,
Drogba, who cost billionaire owner Roman Abramovich 24 million pounds ($41.74
million) when manager Jose Mourinho lured him from Marseille in 2004, said
Chelsea's success proved the money had been well spent.
"It has not been spent for nothing. Last year we won the Premier League, we
got to the semi-finals of the Champions league and we won the League Cup. We
want to go on winning," the Ivory Coast striker told a news conference.
"Our English players are still the spine of our team. Frank Lampard is one of
the best players in the world and John Terry is one of the best defenders," he
said, adding the Chelsea vice captain and captain were also inspirational
leaders.
Chelsea played Lampard and Terry plus Joe Cole when they beat Arsenal 2-0 at
Highbury last Sunday.
Blatter would like six homegrown players in each side.
"If Chelsea were forced to have only five foreigners then Roman Abramovich
could not go on buying the best players across the world for exorbitant fees.
Chelsea is the example of what should not happen," Blatter said in a magazine
interview earlier this week.
Abramovich has spent more than 200 million pounds on players, including
Ghana's Michael Essien, Argentina's Hernan Crespo and Dutch winger Arjen Robben,
since buying the London club in July 2003.
Ominously Drogba believes the team have improved since winning the league at
a canter last season.
"We are better in terms of statistics," he said. "We are not playing as well
as we might like to but we are still winning.
"And we have improved in terms of experience. We know how to deal with
difficult games. Even if we are losing we know can come back," he said.
Chelsea are nine points clear of second-placed Manchester United while at the
same time last year they were five points clear. This year, from one less game,
they have three more points.
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