Didier Drogba has written an autobiography titled Commitment which will be released this week.
In the book, Drogba shares some of the secrets of Stamford Bridge. He tells the stories about the battles inside the dressing room and he also gives details of relationships between players.
Drogba has been at Stamford Bridge for all but three seasons of the Roman Abramovich era and the man voted Chelsea’s greatest player is better placed than anyone to talk about the club.
His recollection of his first day of training reads: ‘I noticed a tall, strong guy who looked so young, and who walked and carried himself in such a way that I assumed he was from the reserves.
‘”That’s interesting,” I thought. “They’ve obviously brought him over to get a bit of senior squad experience.”
‘Towards the end of the session I asked another player who the young guy was. “It’s the captain!” he replied, laughing. “John Terry.” That’s how little I know about the team – I hadn’t even recognised their new young captain.’
He also disclosed that Frank Lampard was the reason he stayed on, he wrote Frank Lampard’s influence as the reason why he stayed on, after receiving a text message from the Chelsea midfield legend that summer that convinced him he was wanted.
‘The guy who single-handedly convinced me to stay was Frank Lampard,’ he says, before detailing the first message he ever received from him: ‘Hi DD, I hope that you’re staying, because we have to win the league together, and we have to win the Champions League together!’