Didier Drogba doesn't do quiet. No matter what, the Ivorian is always the centre of attention.
From being carried off the pitch by team-mates on Sunday during his final game for Chelsea to enlivening the crowd and saving the club's limp TV coverage of it's championship open-bus parade yesterday with ear-splitting renditions of Blue is the Colour.
You ignore him at your peril.
So waiting three hours for him after Chelsea's celebratory final match of the season, was always going to be worthwhile - it would be his final press interview as a Chelsea player.
Drogba, 37, decided that his one-year stay back at the Bridge would be his last.
“I spoke with Jose and the board and both of us we found an agreement (about me leaving)
"Next year, I want to have more minutes on the pitch than I am having now, I just want to play you know, and finish maybe on a high. Saying that I gave everything,
and I can’t any more. This year I didn’t have that feeling. In fact I felt I could still play, and I still want to enjoy it before I stop. So, for me to stay here and to finish with
frustration, no that is not possible, so we all agreed and we all understand what is good for all of us.
It's odds on that Mourinho's priority in the transfer market will be a striking replacement for Drogba and Atletico Madrid's French forward Antoine Griezmann is
favourite to join his former team-mate Diego Costa at SW6.
But Drogba is urging the club to also take a closer eye to those younger players already at the club.
"I think the team needs to be stronger next year, to compete in the Champions League," he said.
"And they are going to buy new players, and we also have young players coming up, the likes of Dominic Solanke’s, Rubén Loftus Cheeks, Nathan Ake, all these
boys. They need to play. Not that I am not a competitor, but I think its time to give them a chance.”
Wherever Drogba decides to play his last ever game as a professional footballer, he won't be short of offer with the MLS an obvious destination.
“Since I put it on social media (that I was leaving Chelsea) i was in the dressing room and I was receiving some calls from teams. Really unusual. But it was funny and
interesting also because it really showed that maybe I can still bring something to a team. Yeah, it was funny to see this.”
So what about joking good mate Frank Lampard in the USA?
“Yeah of course," he said. "But I am going to take a few weeks to think about what is good for me next. But all I want to do is play.”
Would he ever consider an English team asan option?
“No. because a few years ago when I first left I said I would never play for another English team. No disrespect to them, there are some brilliant, fantastic teams in the
Premier League, but my love for this club, I can’t share it with another team.”
Drogba believes he has one more year left as a top player and will probably then hang up his boots. So would he consider returning to Chelsea in some capacity?
“I think we are going to find a way (for that to happen)," he said "Something that is best for me at this club. We have time for that, but as I always say, I am one of the
ambassadors for the club, everywhere I go, whenever I go abroad, people mention Chelsea all the time, so it’s good to know that people recognise me as a Chelsea
player, a Chelsea ambassador."
Ever the mischievous joker, Drogba tried - in vain - to convince me that actually he wasn't going to leave the Blues at all.
“Actually, today was a joke. See you in pre season!," he laughed.
"No – if I come back it’s for a reason. I have got such great memories of this club, and I wanted to prove to myself that I could come back at the very highest level
possible, playing and scoring in Champions League games, with Chelsea, winning the league with Chelsea – that was what I wanted to achieve when I came back –
winning the league with Chelsea, because it has been five years – and if we had had the Champions League it would have been the prefect season, but I can’t ask for
too much.”
Did he feel he played enough this season?
“I think I played enough games to give a contribution to win the league – and that is the most important thing," he conceded.
"I’m a bit frustrated because you want to play, like every player, you want to play more, play every game – but it is not possible. But to be honest when I see all the
players we have in this squad, playing the amount of games we have, I feel myself not lucky but happy, because I gave a good contribution.”
While Drogba has confirmed his exit from Stamford Bridge, the situation with Petr Cech seems to be in flux. While the general feeling is that the 32-year-old shot-
stopper has also played his last league game for Chelsea, Drogba is ever hopeful his friend will remain.
“He’s got one more year (on his contract). I think the club should keep him because we know what Petr Cech means to this club. Look at the fans today. But it is his
decision also, and no matter what happens I think the club will respect his decision. If he wants to stay, he can stay I think he is more than welcome here – if he wants
to go its his choice as well. Its up to him. But we want him to stay."
Drogba ended his career being carried off the pitch after 30 minutes in the 3-1 win over Sunderland .
What did the star of the day think of it?
"I have never been carried off like that. It was a strange feeling. I think it was John Terry's idea. The wind-up stared just before the warm up. But they did that before
when I started running and everybody is behind me stopping, and I am the only one on the pitch. Can you imagine the feeling? "But it's always nice and it shows the
spirit of this team and the atmosphere. You are always having fun, so it's really good."