Hello Guys! Let me start by apologizing for my long period of inactivity on the website, but that was owing to some professional and personal reasons. But that’s that, and I will try and be more active from now on. Now with no due, let me start.
It is no secret that Mr. Roman dreams of a Chelsea dominance in European Football, the kinds that Real Madrid and Barcelona have had. And for that he has signed in many cheques to provide the coach, or rather coaches, with the best ‘young’ talent from around the world. ‘You want him? Go get him’, seems to be his ideology, and now we have one of the most promising young talents in our squad. The likes of Eden Hazard, Oscar, Mata and Luiz and Schurrle and so on and on are just going to get better with time, but that leaves us with the question. What about the ‘Old Guard’? The Old Guard comprising of Petr Cech, Ashley Cole, Michael Essien, John Terry, Frank Lampard and the newly acquired Samuel Eto’o. Oh yeah, we can all but forget Eto’o, he is just a guest and is already made up plans for his next destination after the season ends. And let’s leave Petr out too, as you know goalkeepers tend to excel further in their 30’s. About Michael Essien, well the poor man knows that he is loved at the club, but his performances doesn’t justify his presence, and so he remains silent. But what about the other three?
As a fan’s reaction you or I would say ‘WHAT? JOHN, FRANKIE AND ASH TO LEAVE? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?’ Umm, no. Didier Drogba leaving was unimaginable for us for a while, but we got a reality check and things turned out just fine. (Except the fact that there is this huge void that none of our current strikers are able to fill in) Didier is enjoying his days at Galatasaray and if our three English legends are to leave, they will enjoy their spells elsewhere too!
Now again you will say, ‘WHAT ABOUT RYAN GIGGS? HE IS OLD, YET HE IS STILL PLAYING FOR UNITED!’ Yes he is, but count the number of games he gets to play these days. Do you think that playing that sparingly these three are going to like it? Even with the likes of Jose around, the player power that these three have is quite amazing, and it’s just because they are dealing with Jose that Ash hasn’t yet come out and criticized the manager. (Remember AVB?) Frank constantly reminds the world that ‘I am better when I play regularly.’
But quite spectacularly John and Frank have yet again had numbers and performances do the talking. Ash’s performances have become a little shaky. And even if they were okay, isn’t his exactly what we shouldn’t be looking at? Jose recently came out and said that ‘Ashley Cole might just earn another contract extension.’ How long with the one year deals? With Frank Lampard at 35, John at 33 and Ash at 32, they are not going to get younger. And with postponing the problem we are causing another problem to pile up. The younger players are having to wait and wait and wait! John is stunting the growth of David Luiz and the little experience that Tomas Kalas must be receiving. Ash is causing Ryan Bertrand to sit on the bench more than often and Frank’s presence is causing harm to a more suitable John Obi Mikel’s presence in the starting lineup. Van Ginkel is still injured so that leaves out one more candidate for the pivot role that Frank has seemingly owned this season. Not forgetting our long waiting young prodigy – Joshua McEachran.
Don’t misunderstand me, the idea of having these three end their careers with Chelsea seems magnificent to me. But since none of the three will take up the role that Paulo Ferierra took up, and since their wages are not affordable to be given to some stand in players, I think this season must be the last. We can push and postpone the problem, but it won’t go. Frank still might have atleast 2-3 top flight football in him, John and Ash will have more, but with the likes of Luiz, PVA, Ryan and Mikel waiting on the sidelines playing second fiddle, and our already favorite Luke Shaw up for grabs, doesn’t it seem that these are necessary sacrifices?
With the ideology that Roman has, he knows better than not to force them out of the clubs, fearing the wrath of the supporters, but for us to become a young, exciting squad, all three are too much of a load to shoulder. Their experience and passion might be invaluable, but the ‘Old’ Old Guard needs to make way for the ‘New’ Old Guard, don’t they? With the likes of Ivanovic waiting to form the ‘New’ Old Guard, along with Gary Cahill, Ramires, and David Luiz raring to deputize soon (more like the ‘New Guard’, rather than ‘Old Guard’), the future is already bright. And if you’d ask me, I’d keep one of the three for maybe another 2-3 seasons, preferably John Terry, but keeping all three is just like ‘One Step Forward, Two Steps Back,’ isn’t it?
Please leave your thoughts and views in the comments section below. I’d love to hear from you.
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Follow the writer: @T_L_Kuzhi
Let them leave and let us fill the there voids
very true insight the big question is if anyone will accept
very insightful big question is do ey care abt the club more than their ego’s
Lamps dnt hav anytin to do in dis chelsea team..all his passes dis season hav bin inaccurate..mikel shud fill his boots
Well, if had in mind of playing the young lads, we shouldn’t have employed Mou cos he can’t do without his old players especially Lamp and doesn’t believe in fielding entirely young players..Mou ain’t the right man to rebuild cfc
Glad that I am not the only who thinks our “Old guards” should leave their stands.
Okay, They still have a lot to give for this team, but you can’t put players like John and Frankie in every goddamn game. What are we gonna do when them leave ? whereas Luiz, Van ginkel and De bruyne don’t get a enough time on the pitch. These lads have a great potential
You can focus on the present, but do not lose attempt to make a bright future for the club, Jose.
PS. Sorry for my English though 😛
Bit difficult to play Van Ginkel when he is injured and out for the season
wouldnt have said it better…we need young blood
The earlier the better for CFC for the old guard to go.Most of them were not getting younger everyday but Mou doesn’t understand that.They’re no longer giving their best to the team.If they don’t leave now,what would happen to the future of our young players like Chalobah,Feruz,Piazon,Mceachran,Omeruo,Van Ahnolt,and the rest?A food for thought!
I am impressed that someone has finally been bold enough to analytically part with the truth.
@Kuhzi, yes that’s our first road block to success. I believe that no player remains at his prime forever. For the likes of the aforementioned trio, someone gave them a chance; assuming Desailly & Zola where still taking up their roles am not sure the pair of Terry & Lamps would’ve been above par.( an instance).
Will the CFC fans revolt? funny question eh? but that is ridiculous to believe that a player will be at top despite his age and weekly evidences of drastically dropping in rating.
Abramovich is the boss and I do believe he does know how important it is, when he supported FFP rule. Jose Mourinho has to be reminded by the board that he has to let go the heroics 2004. And that he has to start building a new dream with these numerous young talents at he’s disposal, as there are the new face of CFC.
The young folks are good. Players develop when they’re frequently exposed. They have the right to play, so that ironically they can also eventually be heroes ( probably old guards too).
We love em, but its time for the boys to exit.
I must agree with you, we should look at long term..
well, i truly appreciate ur insight into dis long lingered dilemma. no doubt, they three are of a gr8 importance to the maturity and growth of some of our younger players. the question we should ask is if they are to go, do we really have able replacements?, look at since the LION OF TRIBE OF CHELSEA, Drogba left, we have struggled on that department. lets nt push them out to our detriment
It is unthinkable to believe that a player cannot have a replacement. Did you think of Malouda being replaced by Hazard, or Ricardo Carvalho replaced by David Luiz, or probably Ballack in Oscar, or Ferrera replaced by Ivanovich…etc ?
To think a player must continue till God knows the yr his 100% replica (not always possible) pops up, is not a good idea. As far as football is concern, players come and go in clubs and even excellent talents come and go. Drogba is our past, and we have moved on as he himself said.
The legends today used to build their game from their mistakes. That is applicable to those younger players being clouded from the bench. Its not as if you’ve won all matches with our Legends featuring.
Give the new players a chance to prove & develop themselves, they don’t have to wait till 30-35 yrs old.
If it is inevitable not to give new contracts to the guards, then they should try a new challenge off the pitch at cfc on the younger lads and only feature sparingly.
Exactly bro… exactly.. u said it.
Its good to know a lot of people share this same view with me.This old guard needs to be forgoten because we have good young players that need to player more and get the experince for the future.Frank can play but not all the time.we need mikel there to shield our midfield..nobody does that better than him.I want to see Luiz in our starting line up.I know he has been on&off this season living a lot of ? Marks in his defensive duties but we all know the kinda talent he has and he’s not a player we could easly get again.Admin I want to thank you for this post too.kEEp thE BLUE flag flying high.CFC
Me would prefer leting go Lamps and Cole at the end of this season, Terry and Cech at the end of next season. Our young lads deserves to get a run-in of games to get better, we all know how talented most of them are so lets let go of our legens TERRY, LAMPARD, ASHLEY COLE and CECH.
Its true, altough it makes me cry. Nothing lasts forever, huh?
THIS PLAYER IS KILLING US ACTUALLY. I THINK ITS HIGH TIME WE LIVE WITHOUT THIS.
It would be a dream to see John or lamps take up a player-coach role at the club… Luiz, Kalas or even the young midfielders would benefit immensely !
Mou as manager, drogba as striking coach, lamps as the mids coach and Terry the defense coach… What a fantasy!!!
We don’t need these old guards after this season. This is because some of the younger prayers are not getting adequate playing due to the same problem these old guards. The earlier we release them, the better for us.