There is a saying that you should never go back to your old love, for it is like reading a book over and over again, when you already know how it ends. Didier Drogba is now in between a rock and a hard place as he ponders about a switch back to his beloved Chelsea or not. His time in the Premier League was one that brought both him and the club, some unprecedented success.
In 2012, he scored the club’s most important goal as he sealed their first-ever Champions League title. He was even voted as the club’s greatest player ever, shortly after that and that reaffirmed his status as one of the legends of the club. In just eight years, Drogba has managed to transform a club that rarely fought for too many trophies to one that is now fighting to win every competition they find themselves in.
Now 36, Drogba is approaching the end of his career and now faces a difficult question. Should he return to the club in which he made his name, when he looks past his prime or stay away and keep his legacy intact? The question of whether Drogba should return to Chelsea is as much a philosophical one as much as a footballing one.
It begs the question of whether you should ever return to your old stomping ground if you are highly regarded there, to begin with. Is it okay for a hero to go back and continue as though nothing has happened, when so many things have? Should Drogba return to Chelsea, when he is quite clearly nowhere near his best and tarnish his legacy which has only gotten greater since he left?
The very fact that Chelsea are even considering a 36-year-old striker who has only scored 20 goals in the last two seasons is only because of Jose Mourinho. With Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard now gone, Terry looking like he might leave very soon, Mourinho wants to bring back another faithful lieutenant for one last hurrah. Why is it so? When he already has four strikers at his disposal, one of whom is Romelu Lukaku, who looks like a younger version of Drogba? Does he not trust any of them?
With the signing of Diego Costa, Chelsea have their first-choice hit man. While Mourinho’s distrust of Lukaku is certainly baffling, what is even more puzzling is why he would want a 36-year-old striker who looks out of sorts, as a backup striker? Drogba’s main strengths was his pace and ability to stretch defences. With age, the pace that made him so deadly is all but gone, so why does Mourinho want him?
In a non-footballing sense, the move makes plenty of sense. The addition of Drogba will mean that Mourinho has at least a couple of on-field lieutenants he can call on at any time. Drogba’s love for the club has certainly been there for all to see and bringing him back would certainly have the fans on his side.
But, on the pitch, it doesn’t seem like a good move at all. It seems like a move that smacks of sentiment more than anything else. Especially, when Mourinho has a younger, fitter and stronger version of Drogba, currently in the trenches at Chelsea. The simple fact that Drogba is even mentioned as a possible transfer might mean that Lukaku might feel enough is enough and force his way out of the club.
With Demba Ba on his way out and Torres also looking at other options, the arrival of Drogba might mean that they are left with just two recognized centre forwards. Having cringed about not having a centre forward throughout last season, Mourinho’s pursuit of Drogba might result in domino effect and the club losing out on three recognized centre forwards.
All things considered, it doesn’t seem like a good move for either the club or the player. And should he move, it would do nothing more than boost Mourinho’s ego and force the club to play a pragmatic style of play, which wouldn’t please the owner, who would want to sack him and the cycle of a finding a new manager would start all over again. Do Chelsea really want that?