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José Mourinho has called Didier Drogba “remarkable” after the yesteryear striker’s performance against Tottenham Hotspur which helped the Stamford Bridge team to equal their 23-match unbeaten record. The veteran started the game in place of the suspended Diego Costa and also scored the team’s second goal.
The legendary striker, who came back to his former club in the summer transfer window, had an incredibly successful match, having provided the assist for the first goal by Eden Hazard and also netting a goal in Wednesday’s London derby.
The other Chelsea striker Loic Remy, who came on as a substitute, also scored his debut league goal to win 4-0 against Spurs.
“Humble guy who fights for his place”
The Guardian reports that the former Real Madrid coach praised his old horse, who left the club after winning the European Cup final in 2012 for short tenures in Chinese and also Turkish football.
“He’s remarkable,” Mourinho said.
“You know … first of all he’s a team player. He’s a team player. After that, he’s got one of these ‘old-days’ mentalities: not selfish, not vain, a humble guy who plays and fights for the team. Fantastic. When he is on the bench and comes on for the last few minutes because the team needs someone to hold the ball up or to defend set-pieces, he does that with the same enthusiasm and spirit as he does when he starts a game against Tottenham.
“[My team] played against him when I was at Real Madrid and also with Chelsea, last year, so I could feel the kind of potential he still has. I was expecting exactly this [impact]. And there was not even a doubt in my mind about a player who would not be playing every game like before [in his first eight-year spell at the club]. I knew that, from a mental point of view, he would adapt very well to this role, which is so important in the team.”
“Drogba should stay at Chelsea for long”
Mourinho wishes Drogba should stay at the club for long after he decides to hang up his boots, by either being an ambassador of the club or becoming part of the coaching staff. The 36-year-old Ivory Coast international signed a one-year deal to be with the Blues last summer.
“The important thing is he is here and will finish his career with Chelsea,” said the manager. “It looks, for me, that he’s going to stay doing other things when he finishes his career. I don’t know if this will be his last season as a player. It must be his decision. He came here to stay, I want him to stay, the club wants him to stay. It will be his decision when he decides when he must stop as a player. Something personal.”
Costa will be back after his one-match suspension to play the weekend’s fixture against Newcastle, whereas Nemanja Matic will miss the match with a fifth yellow int he season.
“But it is not a problem, no problem,” added Mourinho, whose side remain six points clear at the top.
“[We will] play another one, like we did with Diego Costa. Did you remember Diego Costa today? I didn’t. We give confidence to the other people. We don’t cry when somebody cannot play. So, obviously, Matic is playing fantastically well for us. Obviously. But that’s the way we think: to forget him.” Mourinho remarked about his player missing the matches.
Tottenham Spurs have failed to register a win at Stamford Bridge in 28 attempts, dating back to 1990.
