Barclays Premier League // Current

Portsmouth coach Adams 'has job for Bergkamp'

Portsmouth manager Tony Adams has offered former Arsenal teammate Dennis Bergkamp the chance to return to the English Premier... more

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Levy sets the record straight on Berbatov

Daniel Levy has claimed that Dimitar Berbatov twice refused to play for Tottenham as he looked to secure a move away from the... more

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CSKA Moscow Youngster interested in move to Chelsea

CSKA Moscow youngster Alan Dzagoev has played down speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid, claiming he would be more... more

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David Beckham linked with Spurs

According to the Daily Star, Harry Redknapp is lining up a sensational move for England hero David Beckham. The LA Galaxy star,... more

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Tottenham sack Ramos for Redknapp

Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp as their new manager after sacking coach Juande Ramos late on... more

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Tottenham Hotspur Hire Harry Redknapp As Manager After Firing Juande Ramos

Ramos had led Spurs to their worst ever start to a league season and had acknowledged that his job was under threat. Tottenham... more

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Perfection is Luiz Felipe Scolari’s next goal with Chelsea

Luiz Felipe Scolari sounded an ominous warning to Chelsea’s Barclays Premier League rivals yesterday by claiming that his... more

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Ajax Legend Bergkamp eyes Premier League return

Dennis Bergkamp has revealed he would consider returning to England as a coach. The 39-year-old former Arsenal striker retired... more

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Manchester City target Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

Ajax star Klaas-Jan Huntelaar admits he will consider a move to the Premier League next year. Dutch international striker... more

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Didier Drogba: I want to see out my career at Chelsea: Football - Telegraph

In one sense it was little short of a miracle that he found himself at Stamford Bridge on Thursday providing some calm reflections on his autobiography, so frequent have been his machinations for a move. This complex striker, always a bundle of contradictions, instead insisted he wanted to see out his career at the club.

In the context of Drogba's career this was an extraordinary volte face. There was, for example, the turmoil created in his life by the departure of Jose Mourinho – an event he likens in the book to being "punched in the face". His murmurs of discontent even brought an official rebuke from his employers. Then there was his ill-starred turn in last season's Champions League final, when his sending-off deprived Chelsea of a crucial penalty-taker for the shoot-out they ultimately lost and appeared sure to precipitate his exit.

Drogba, on the surface, is sanguine about such embarrassments, claiming that he could equally have missed a penalty just as John Terry did. Still, that does not square with the tone of the many other interviews he has given in the four months since, in which he did not mention – let alone apologise for – the dismissal once. "There is a lot of regret, when you get to the final and you lose it," he said here. "I have more regrets about that than about being sent off. The most important thing was the team."

The Ivorian remained a marginalised figure yesterday, but this time as a result of his latest knee injury, sustained during Chelsea's Champions League draw two weeks ago against CFR Cluj. "I was very frustrated," he said, describing the moment he had to be taken off a stretcher, but added he was relieved to be assured the cruciate ligaments were not damaged. Recovering from the setback was, he argued, his "top priority", although he also indulged in a glance further into the future, to a time when he might emerge from his awkward mould as a lone striker to become an effective strike partner for Nicolas Anelka.

"I would love that, because I know what Nico is capable of bringing to a game," he said, although knowing the egocentric characters of both players few Chelsea supporters will be holding their breath about a double act.

Drogba has endured an ambivalent relationship with his fans. He is perhaps fortunate to have retained their loyalty at all given his persistent agitating to leave, not to mention the unease he has caused by his penchant for diving. But he rejected the notion: "Both parties understand each other. When I first arrived I perhaps didn't know what they wanted from me.

"I have had problems with supporters, but those have been more to do with my English and the way I understand things. This is why I needed to write this book, to understand exactly who I am. It made me think a lot about what I have to do change."

One idea might be for him to accept the ways Chelsea have changed under the influence of Luiz Felipe Scolari. Drogba is effusive about how the Brazilian has led the club to the top of the table despite an injury crisis that has accounted for such crucial players as himself, Michael Essien and Ricardo Carvalho: "This is why we have this type of manager, to deal with these types of situations."

But he could not hide his nostalgia for Mourinho: "He was fantastic, the kind of person you have to meet at least once in your life."
In one sense it was little short of a miracle that he found himself at Stamford Bridge on Thursday providing some calm reflections... more