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Guus Hiddink pleads for Didier Drogba leniency
Simon Johnson08.05.09
Chelsea manager GuusHiddink today refused to confirm Didier Drogba has a long-term future at Stamford Bridge but urged UEFA to be lenient over his actions against Barcelona.
Drogba could be sold in the summer after the Blues hierarchy were reportedly left unimpressed by his behaviour when he was seen to verbally abuse Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after the final whistle.
But when asked if the striker will be staying next season, Hiddink said: “That is not up to me to be honest.”
UEFA will decide next week whether to punish Chelsea and some of their stars over the ugly scenes at the end of their 1-1 draw with the Catalans.
Drogba, along with Michael Ballack, could be charged for the abuse they gave Ovrebo after he turned down four penalty appeals from the Blues.
Jose Bosingwa is also in the spotlight after labelling the official a “thief” on Portuguese television while Chelsea could be charged with failing to control their players after the Blues besieged Ovrebo.
UEFA said today: “We are currently examining the referee's and delegate's report, as well as gathering additional evidence. We will decide which action to take in the course of next week.”
But Hiddink is still standing by his man and hopes that any punishment will not be too severe.
“They have to take into consideration the power of emotion,” he said. “It's up to them but when he's apologised then it's the first step made.
“I don't regret saying that I would protect him.
If you lose in the normal way you can normally just be sad but the way we were eliminated was the cause of this reaction.
“We have talked about this and he shouldn't have reacted the way he did. It's up to me and the board whether we punish him, but I don't think we will because apologising is a big step forward and we have to go on.”
Drogba and Bosingwa both tried to limit the damage last night by issuing public apologies.
“I was very upset at what happened during the game but having seen the pictures on TV I accept I overreacted,” said Drogba “I regret that in the heat of the moment I let out my incredible frustration and disappointment in this way and for that I apologise.''
Bosingwa added: “We were all very frustrated after the game but I regret describing the referee as a thief.
“Having had some time to reflect I would now like to withdraw those comments.” Drogba has one year left on his contract but the Chelsea hierarchy were keen to sell him last year after he was sent off in the Champions League Final against Manchester United only for no bids to be forthcoming.
He was in line for a new deal in light of an impressive run of form sinceHiddink took over in February but those plans are now on hold.
The club will not sell the 31-year-old on the cheap and value him at £15million, which could scare off a number of potential suitors off in light of his age, injury problems and temperament.
But Manchester City and Inter Milan are expected to still make him one of their targets for the close season.
Hiddink also played down reports that owner Roman Abramovich was furious at the behaviour of Chelsea's players in midweek.
He said: “He didn't say anything to me about that when I spoke to him yesterday and of course we are all disappointed but he said Chelsea put in a very good performance.”
Meanwhile the Dutchman has also urged UEFA to think about their selection policy for referees in future.
He said: “UEFA have to think about the best referees for these kind of games.
“There is a tendency to bring refs through who aren't having tough competition every week, although in Ovrebo's defence it wasn't his first Champions League game.”
Reader views (33)
Drogba has not got the desire to play top football anymore
- Pacifus, Newcastle Australia
if barca had not scored they wouldnt of mentiond the poor decisions, it was chelseas own downfall that they couldnt hang on for the last 2 mins against 10 men
- Tony Houghton, merseyside
both him drogba and Michael Ballack should get a lengthy ban
- Tony Houghton, merseyside
In reply to Kypros from Cyprus:keep their foul language & threatening behaviour under control,thank the officials and clear off.Let the manager express their frustration/disappointment for them in measured tones.Not the Chelsea way I know.Much better to have a filthy language rant and scream like 3 year olds knowing fans & manager will describe it as passion.
- Peter Doff, york UK
i certainly backed Barca on the match. i believe sport should be this interesting. By the way iam FULLY A Man Utd fan, and we are going for it.
- Tendai, Mozambique
John Terry stripped of captaincy after going into the opposing dressing room to congratulate the entire squad and mangement with Guardiola quoted as saying: "John Terry acted like a gentleman - and we were impressed he took the time to come and congratulate us." If you dont like the passion in sports then you should go and watch showjumping,
- Melly, Cartagena
I understand some of the dislike levied at Chelsea & their players. However feel some is unfair & unjust. Yes Drogba whines & falls over. He is not alone in this in the prem - Gerrard, Ronaldo, Van Persie to name a few high profile ones. Yes Lampard has underperformed for ENgland, but so have Gerrard & Rooney. & He still pulls on the shirt with pride rather than throwing his toys out like Carragher.... Yes they argue with the ref, they are not the only ones see Ferdinand & Rooney + many others.
- Nc, Essex
as expected the usual Chelsea bashing, most of which entirely deserved. However interested to know if Uefa change the rules & look at over turning Fletchers card will they do like wise with the terrible decisions made at the Bridge? Think we all know the answer
- Jk, London
I am a Spurs fan ........I watched the game from start to finish, It's exactly the result UEFA wanted. In My opinion the ref was the sole reason we don't have another EPL final two. You just have to think that this Referee was given a task and he stuck to it. Great going Uefa, it's all for the big money that you can now sell the game for around the world. There is absolutly no way that Chelsea lost that game, it was a forgone conclusion from the very start that Barcelona was going to qualify. Someone somewhere should have the balls to investigate wrong doing here as it was so obvious even to a Neutral fan. This was outrageous from the get go and someone should and will be taken to task.
- Coloneyjohn, Vancouver Canada
Joe, London
I suspect most of the negative comments are from decent football fans who dont throw coins at fans or verbally abuse match officials.
Decent football fans are now getting sick and tired of these vile multi millionaire footballers constantly behaving like animals and destroying the beautiful game.
Drogba and Ballack should be banned from next seasons Chapions League and John Terry should have the Englands captain armband stripped from him.
- Steve, Medway,England
Let me guess?....All the negative comments are from West Ham, Arsenal and Tottenham fans....Or Man Utd/Liverpool fans from Surrey!
- Joe, London
Throw the book at these Chelsea thugs.
- James Hennessy, london england
"Guus Hiddink pleads for Didier Drogba leniency". After the game Hiddink tried to defend their actions and talked of conspiracies. He should also be charged and banned.
- Mick, London, England
Les, from Woking.
Maybe the media and the public would be focusing more on the awful performance of the referee if the idiotic Chelsea players had enough sense and dignity not to overshadow an incompetent refereeing performance with mindless thuggery!
I'm sure there would be far more sympathy for Chelsea's plight were it not for the contemptible actions of the contemptible characters in the Chelsea team.
The only person who deserves any sympathy in this whole saga from the neutral's point of view is Guus Hiddink, who has conducted himself impeccably throughout his tenure at Stamford Bridge.
The sooner he leaves Chelsea the better, before he gets tarred with the same brush as his selfish, egomaniacal, loutish colleagues.
- Alex, London
Well done Micky you are a true and fair spotsman.Everybody knows the cheaters in the game and Drogba is the best of the sordid bunch.We have one or two at the Arsenal.
- G.Diamond, Romford Essex
Drobga pretends to be injured at the slightest contact,hobbles off the pitch then minutes later is
fit to run and rant at the cameras.He is a cheat and
got his just deserves.
- G.Diamond, Romford Essex
All of these articles are simply focusing on just one of the issues from the game.
What about the ref? Why aren't people up in arms about his selection and performance?
- Les, woking
Its funny how Drogba had the energy to remonstrate with the referee, when he was perfectly tackled and thought it was a penalty, then on, the referee decided that he weren't going to give him anything...
But he had the best chance of scoring, failed to do so, so he was trying to say on tv, did you watch my poor performance? This is how you don't or can't score in a big game.
Drogba, look at your game before judging the refs, if you had scored then you wouldn't be having this debate...Simple do your job!
Sounds like he wants to be a referee
- Adrian, london
Just another thug in a football shirt
- Mike, London England
How can a football player be possible even considered as a genius what utter nonsense.But he is a professional Football player and as such his standards should be beyond reproach,people in his position should be a example of sportsmanship to the youth and a ambassador for the sport,the examples we have had from him are the examples of a foul mouthed street yob who looses his temper when things go wrong,he is paid thousands for being a professional,Chelsea should ask for there money back as he has got it under false pretence.the man has no self respect and no dignity.
- Kev, london south
It wasn't the beaviour after the game but his constant feigning of injury and finger wagging that nauseated me and other Chelsea supporters. I have been a season ticket holder since 1969. Deogba is an embarrassment to the club. When he rolled back onto the pitch against Liverpool in the last round that should have been enough for the club or UEFA or the FA...SOMEONE should have banned him.
Such a shame as he is a marvelous striker and could have been a Chelsea great.
- Micky C, London
I agree that certain players behaved badly after the game but its a highly charged atmosphere and some times people in life and sport get carried away! The comments regarding rugby are laughable as the players may not react with refs they way footballers do but the fights that happen on a rugby pitch between players is not exactly a shining example for children either. I mean Martin Johnson is a legend of English Sport but even he admits that sometimes in his career the passion got the better of him and we all know he along with others got involved in fighting on the pitch that makes Didier´s & Co behaviour the other night look tame by comparison. Plus please note that John Terry after the match went in to the other dressing room to congragulate each and every one of the other teams players and staff, and was then clapped out of the room by all the players and coaches - this has only made some papers as it does not make such exciting news but a little perspective is needed here - in the highest levels of all sport like life pressure can mount and we can do stupid things - the culprits have apologised and we move on - stupid behaviour definitely - warranted this reaction - come on now - and please people bad behaviour is not unique to football!
- Melly, Cartagena
I wish someone could tell me on how the Chelsea players should have behaved after such a match.
- Kypros Shacolas, Nicosia, Cyprus
How about like adults, or even better -like professional sportsmen.
Instead we get the likes of drongo Drogba throwing a tantrum like a spoilt schoolgirl.
Name another sport where the competitors behave like thugs who constantly throw their teddies out of their prams?
A pathetic episode.
- Steve, london
Drogba - a genius when it comes to being flawed.
- Rogan, Irving
Didier Drogba is just as repulsive as Wayne Rooney if not less petulant. You never hear or read Rooney wanting to be sold after costing the England national team and club time and time again and he will do likewise in South Africa,because, it is written in the clouds. I see the barrage of criticism of Drogba nothing short of cynicism. Chelsea should sell Drogba based on performances alone and not some buffoonery speculations and suggestions. If anyone put the pressure on Chelsea to deliver it was John Terry not Didier. Terry had the time and space to score, he bottled it, when no defender was breathing down his neck;penalty kick. Drogba had defenders chasing, and the keeper closing thew angles. Seven out of 10, he has scored in such difficult circumstances. Bar Gerard's own goal and Kezman's goal, Drogba has scored and won trophies in finals all by himself since Roman arrived at the bridge. Chelsea have been undone by referee's countless times and when will it stop? Some insanities could be avoided easily during and after football games by simply using TECHNOLOGY, not rocket science, is it?
It is only a matter of time before Uefa and the FA together with incompetent referees will kill the beautiful game. The credit crunch proved nothing on earth is immune to stupidity, incompetence, foolishness and utter greed. Football must sit up, shape up and move up or face demise and how many shall rue such a catastrophe.
- Dennis Koranteng, London, UK
Drogba is an imbecile and a cheat! Simple as that!
- Alex, London
I always condemn when a refree become a player in the match as in the semi final we watched.How could a well known refree make that much mistake?If I were Drogba, I would do the same thing.At least the referee should feel ashamed of his mistake.Think if it were you?
- Wondwosen, Ethiopia,Adddis Ababa
Football players should behave like any sportsmen and be gracious in victory and defeat. Did they expect the referee to change his mind by abusing him?, this behaviour is now creeping in to the FA sponsored football leaugue my grandson plays in as an under 9 and it's little wonder if our overpaid football stars act this way and are not punished. What kind of example is this to set? do you see this type of behaviour in professional rugby matches? belated apologies do not cut it, Club Captains should act like captains and control their players.
- Patrick Pinkney, London, UK
1..A genius does not need to constantly con or fool refs with his infamous theatrical dives to try and gain advantage over the opposition.
2..A genius does not throw coins back at opposition fans as was the case earlier this season at Stamford Bridge.
3..A genius does not try to attack a match official no matter how bad he was and then turn to the cameras and swear in front of millions of TV viewers including young children who will now think this is acceptable behaviour.
Drogba is far from being a genius, in fact he's nothing more than a vile little thug whose mental state of mind is as worrying as a certain Mr Joey Barton of Newcastle.
- Steve, Medway,England
I hope Drogba gets a lenghty ban for next year, i for one do not like his style of play, his antics on the pitch, are more designed for the theatre or a swimming pool. Drogba and Ballacks disrespect to the officials during and after the game must be punished by EUFA
- Mr.S.[Port, London
I really don't know how I feel about Drogba. He is an enigma and he plays and scores great goals for Chelsea and then does some horrific things where he acts like a maniac. Wednesday evening was one of his worst. I believe he brought the clubs name down by his actions.
He missed two glaring chances. Then when it was too late he harangues the referee who admittedly deserved criticiscm for his poor display. But to almost physically harass the guy was so far over the top it was embarrasing. Not far behind was Ballacks rants either.
There have been too many nasty disturbances over the last three years and when Jose left I thought it might all calm down. I really think that Chelsea should sell him
but only if they can get a suitable replacement.
Abromovitch cut the spending down last two years and we lost a chance of getting a couple of great players like Arshavin and The Spanish great who signed for Liverpool. We must compete with Man U who are after Ribery and Benzema, who they dont need of course, just to keep good players from their rivals. So come on Roman spend some of your money on Chelsea and get some good class atackers into the club. If Chelsea are going to win the holy grail for their owner, they must get some world class attackers into the club.
- J D Smith, Sydney Australia
Drogaba world best striker? no way.. he is the worst player i have ever seen. always falling over so easily on a simple tackle just to claim penalty, corners etc. he plays dirty football. he has bad discipline and he is pompous. who does not know drogba? the boy who cried wolf..
- Eeee, sg
I wish someone could tell me on how the Chelsea players should have behaved after such a match. Walk up to the ref, shake his hand and say goodnight to him?
- Kypros Shacolas, Nicosia, Cyprus
