Guus Hiddink has ignored me says Chelsea's Didier Drogba

09 March 2009 09:06
Drogba has now scored three goals in his last four games following his predatory strike in the win over Coventry. The Ivorian, so central to Chelsea's success under Jose Mourinho, was a peripheral figure under Felipe Scolari, and had only scored three goals all season until Hiddink's arrival last month. Hiddink has been credited for reviving the striker, though the legendary Dutch manager has apparently spent little time working closely with Drogba. "Guus hasn't said anything to me – that's normal, you don't have to speak every day to a player. Just being in the team is enough and it means a lot,' said Drogba. "He doesn't need to speak to me – he has just picked me in the squad and put me in the team – then I know what I have to do. "I've been in this situation before – you just work, work and work, and you want to improve. If you continue to do that, something good will happen to you. I kept working hard and now people have forgotten what happened over the past few months." Looking back to his uncomfortable time under Scolari, Drogba said: 'The start of the season was non-existent for me really – I was out with injuries and, when I came back, it was very difficult for me. "That's football. When everything is going well, and you are scoring goals, your confidence is getting higher and nobody speaks to you because they don't need to.' Hiddink's influence has injected fresh confidence into Chelsea ahead of their Champions League meeting with Juventus, when Michael Essien could return to add his unique brand of energy and ability into the mix. "He [Essien] can make a big impact,' said Drogba. 'In the pressure of big games, we need people like him, physically and technically. We are in a difficult situation and we need to be clever if we are to end the season with success."

Source: Telegraph