Drogba’s Near-Suicidal Depression Could Be a Boon For Milan

By: Martha | October 18th, 2007

AW. It’s no secret that Didier Drogba was close to Jose Mourinho. Like, really, really close. So close, in fact, that he can’t continue at Chelsea without him, and doesn’t care who knows it. In an interview with France Football (it’ll come out tomorrow), the Ivorian spoke at length about his plans for the future, and none of them involve staying in London, even if the long-shot rumors of the arrivals of assorted Brazilian superstars turn out to be true. According to Drogba, Chelsea are “broken,” and he personally has “to get a chance of scenery.” So, Kaka or no Kaka, he said, “nothing can stop me from leaving now.” (I know, right now it’s just really sad — I’m getting to the good part, I promise.)

When he leaves, Drogba says, there are only four clubs he’s interested in joining: Inter, Milan, Real Madrid and Barcelona. God. How great would be it to be a good enough, productive player that you can say something like that have all the clubs sit up and go “Wait, really? Sweet!” Anyway, there’s no reason to believe Drogba’s not serious about this: 1)the Milan talk has been going on for a while, 2)he’s profoundly unlikely to find a way to deal with being around the club that tore itself apart by dumping his beloved Mourinho, and 3)everything he says is so raw there’s no way he’s just blowing smoke to get an extension, or a raise. (For example: “I need new challenges, new horizons and these two countries really appeal to me … I need a club with whom I’d be ready to break my leg to win. I want to get back to playing with butterflies in my stomach for a club who make me dream.” Sniff. If that doesn’t bring a tear to your eye, you’re not freaking human.) He’s so depressed right now, it’s like he’s writing emails to the world at 3am or something — he knows he’s being way too honest but he just can’t stop himself from pushing the send button.

Nothing will happen until summer, presumably, by which time Inter will still have 5.20 (that .20 is you, Adriano) functioning strikers, while Silvio Berlusconi will have sold off several TV networks and four yachts just so he’ll have enough money to buy just one Ivorian striker who actually works. Come to think of it, maybe he could just send Abramovich the boats, instead of trading them for cash. I mean, who doesn’t need a spare yacht?