It’s hard not to lament Didier Drogba’s exit. He is the genuine, complete centre-forward.
He has wonderful touch, awesome pace and power, is impossibly strong and athletic, majestic in the air, devastating with the ball at his feet, can dribble, defend in his own box and, when at his peak, was pretty much unplayable.
He scared opponents to death, is a talisman on the pitch and an inspiration to those around him.
No right-minded Chelsea fan would surely want him to leave.
Drogba in numbers:
157 goals in total
100 in the Premier League
Nine goals in nine cup finals
Three Premier League titles
Four FA Cups
Two Carling Cups
One Champions League title
But, and maybe I’m still high on the buzz of Saturday’s Drogba-led Champions League victory, but it could just be for the best.
Okay, before you start throwing your laptop, pc, tablet device, mobile etc at the wall, consider the following.
How can he possibly top last weekend? He can’t. He’s leaving on the most incredible, unbeatable high.
He’s won everything he can while at Chelsea and will forever be revered and idolised.
He’s rightly a Chelsea legend following his eight-year spell in England and is fourth on the club’s all-time leading goalscorers’ list.
What more is there for him to do? He’s 34 and it just seems the right time to bow out.
It’s a real shame he will not get the chance to break Bobby Tambling’s record, but maybe that’s Frank Lampard’s destiny.
And of course there’s a certain expensive Spaniard ready, willing and able to take over. He’s younger, desperate to get back to his best and hungry for domestic medals.
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This post was last modified on 22/05/2012
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Connor Ray - no real fans will stop supporting Chelsea because Drogba (or any other single player) leaves. If they do, they are not proper fans and aren't really worth bothering about.
Aside of that, I'm disappointed to see drogba go but I agree he is leaving in style, at the top, in a blaze of glory it would be impossible to better.
The man is an absolute Chelsea legend.
I'd have been happy to see him stay, even if it was just to be phased out gradually as he got older but still an important part of the squad, in the way Ryan Giggs famously has been at Manchester United.
But a friend pointed out to me that if Drogba, even an ageing Drogba, was sitting on the bench his status is such that fans would always call for him to come on, he'd arguably get priortitised over young strikers however good their form is. By staying, however much he still contributed on the pitch, he might inadvertantly have been to the detriment of the club.
So perhaps going now, after achieving so much both over the whole eight years and in the very recent past, and letting the club move on and grow without him, is the very best solution?
Don't leave mun loads off fans will stop supporting chelsea if he leaves, it will never be the same without him, he is chelsea!! your making a big mistake because no striker will replace drogba!! why would anyone want to get rid of him he's like the best striker in the league, after everything he has done for Chelsea and your getting rid off him, it's just wrong, teams want to sign him because they know how good he is, give him the two year deal he deserves it, I LOVE DROGBA!!