29 03 2006 Poor old Drogba
So today is Wednesday - four days after the infamous Man City match where a certain Chelsea player picked up a
football with his bare hands and threw it into the net to score, before committing mass genocide on a random Bosnian
village - and people are still going on about Drogba being a cheat.
Chelsea fans are going to have to get used to spiteful vitriol from the press, but I also feel that many are succumbing to
the media pressure against the Blues. Much of what is written is sensationalist stuff from people who seem to abhor the
fact that Manu$a, Arse or Liverpool are not Champions for once.
Drogba admitted he dived - but it seemed quite clear that he misinterpreted the meaning of the word "dive".
The thing that has grated me most is the general hypocrisy among the media and some of our fans.
It was amazing that Wenger called for divers to be punished, and the press copied his eulogy word for word as if he was
the new Messiah. Pires, Vieira, Reyes, Bergkamp anyone?
Shearer criticised SWP for diving, and yet when booked for diving in an England game stated, “That was in desperation.
I was wanting to do something for my country. If that is now seen as a black mark against me, so be it. But nobody
cannot accuse me of not giving 100-per-cent, and not wanting to win.”
His Newcastle teammate, Michael Owen won two penalties in international competitions, but was generally seen as
"clever". After all, if it's us against the Argies or the Krauts, that's all right isn't it?
The biggest disgrace was to hear Drogba getting booed. The last time I saw this happen was when we drew 2-2 at home
to Leicester after being 2-0 up. Before that, Stein being booed for having one terrible game. All embarrassing moments
as a fan.
Chelsea fans are of course entitled to their own opinion, but booing your own team is the lowest form of expressing your
feelings for your club. I would prefer to shout abuse at the likes of Panucci who certainly deserved what he got, but no
booing!
If those who booed bothered to sing just as loudly in support then we would undoubtedly have a better atmosphere at
the Bridge. These are probably the same fans who sing songs about gassing Jews and the Munich plane crash with glee
in the pubs.
Drogba is no saint. But there are other players in the Premiership who are not even on the same planet when it comes
to bad sportsmanship (whatever that means nowadays). Look at this lot and try and see if you can even compare them
to Didier: Diouf, Savage, Nistelrooy, Ronaldo, Ferguson, Pires, Baros, Dickov, Bellamy, Giannakopoulos, Jeffers,
Hamann, Sissoko, and so on.
It is obvious that many Chelsea fans are unimpressed by Drogba's tendencies to stay on the floor having barely been
touched.
He is not the only one who exaggerates injury. On the other hand, two wrongs do not make a right.
However, does anyone recall the blatant foul against him in the penalty area at Villa last season before he became
infamous? And he was booked for it (later rescinded).
Personally I would like to see Didier cut this activity out - not for the benefit of the media, but for me as a Chelsea fan. I
can see he is passionate but he needs to learn how frowned upon theatrics are seen over here by our fans. He also
needs to cut out the complaining to the referee - it shows passion, but not brains - he has collected eight yellows this
season already. Apart from that I am overall happy with his performances. He plays in a team where he is the lone target
man and has to lay on the ball for the midfield, and so his lack of goals is really irrelevant. Rooney has scored only four
more goals than him this season! Drogba's ball control occasionally let's him down, but he is perfectly suited to our 4-1-
4-1 system - more than Crespo anyway!
Some have suggested that Didier gets more abuse because of the colour of his skin. To a certain extent I suppose this
may be true - but I certainly recall Jokanovic amongst others receiving his fair share of abuse. Chelsea fans will always
give a player the benefit of the doubt if they give 100% and don't bottle it. Drogs has failed in the latter in many fans'
eyes. I do know that Chelsea fans were unconvinced with him last season and even at the victory parade many had
raised eyebrows when they saw how much Drogs was celebrating us winning the league. In some eyes they felt his
contribution to the team was dubious.
So Didier, I am backing you 100% even if a minority is not. I am sorry that many Chelsea fans are regurgitating what
those who hate us say or write. I don't think you are a cheat, just a bit of a pansy sometimes!