22 Mar 2025 20:15:52
Those who like me have cried out for experience, have a look at the experience and leaders who started against Liverpool, rolled over 2-0 today at anfield today. ?.
23 Mar 2025 17:42:56
Strange comment tbh. Liverpool fan?
{Ed001's Note - it was a joke, he was referring to the legends game last night.}
23 Mar 2025 18:34:01
Oh lol. Crouchy with the double. could do a job for your lot for the last 8 games mate?
{Ed001's Note - he couldn't be any worse than Jota has been.}
24 Mar 2025 09:32:20
The Crouchy goals - one v powerful header the like of which we haven't seen from a Chelsea striker in recent times - and a clever angled lofted ball over our keeper were impressive.
Just watched the highlights so can't comment on the game in general but it seemed to be played -- as a charity match for good causes should be - in very good spirit.
I think for once our side was on average quite a bit older than the opposition but neither side lacked experience!
{Ed001's Note - it was nice to hear the greeting for Zola - one of those players who is loved everywhere, even by opposition fans.}
24 Mar 2025 10:14:57
Thanks for this Ed001 it's good to hear this. Fact is that I reckon there are quite a few players who are at least respected by fans of others sides but not that many who are actively liked.
Reckon that Crouchy might himeself fall into that category though and perhaps it has something to do with seeming joy they express when playing the game - and his robot celebration part of the fun - and lack of malice they display to players on the other side.
Haven't really thought about this or who CFC fans would put on such a list but might make a good banter topic!
{Ed001's Note - that is a really good point, I think you have 2 there, but I can't think of another off the top of my head. I am sure there must be a few though.}
24 Mar 2025 10:58:09
Thanks Ed001 and off top of my head neither can I at the moment!
{Ed001's Note - it is hard to think of any others. I mean Dwight Yorke used to play with a smile on his face, but he is such a piece of **** off the pitch that it is difficult to not dislike him.}
24 Mar 2025 12:27:33
I would think Kante is another one who is well loved by all fans regardless of who he plays for. Extremely likeable person both on the pitch and off it.
{Ed001's Note - great shout! I agree.}
24 Mar 2025 12:57:52
Vialli was a lovely man. This will come as no surprise about one ex player but Zola once sent a hand written letter to my son (not very good English) when he had no need to. This will come as a surprise but Wise also sent the same son a hand written letter having been told of the problem by GZ.
{Ed001's Note - it doesn't come as a surprise to me, Wise was a knob of a player, immature off the pitch at times, but he is well known for doing nice things as well. At Como he employed a homeless man to do oddjobs around the club, for example.}
24 Mar 2025 14:51:25
Ed, that is such a nice DW story.
My GV experience was born from embarrassment. Seeing him having dinner with GZ in a well known Italian restaurant in Fulham my rush to get the autographs made me knock over there bottle of red wine. They were both so nice about it and both still gave me there autographs.
Please note. I did buy a replacement bottle if there wine and Italians have expensive taste in wine.
{Ed001's Note - Vialli was all set up to do a day guest editing for the site, it was a few years back, he was set to release a video game and wanted to do it for advertising. Unfortunately, it was then he found out how ill he was and it never happened.}
24 Mar 2025 15:55:41
That was a shame for all concerned.
26 Mar 2025 20:14:24
Vialli was such a legend. Zola remains a legend – always a kind and happy man, clearly loved playing. Another who falls into that bracket was Juninho (Paulista) . I don't know how anyone, especially in that period, who liked football couldn't like him. He was just so good, and so happy on the pitch.
I don't know if he was universally liked, but Xabi Alonso is one of the players I always wished played for Chelsea. An amazing footballer – oozed class.
Mata, I think, appears to be a really nice guy. Didn't most fans enjoy watching him play? Measured and intelligent. Set up that charity using wages.
I hate to say it, because he's a gooner, but Saka seems like a really nice young man. I don't think I've ever really liked an Arsenal player before him. Respected, certainly – Bergkamp, Henri, Viera, Pires etc. – but not actively liked. Oh, actually, that's a lie – I liked Kanu (until he scored that hat-trick that led them from 2-0 down) .
26 Mar 2025 20:16:40
To flip the topic, footballers who are so dislikable as characters their own fans find it hard to get on their side?
El Hadji Diouf would have to be up there, Ed001?
{Ed001's Note - Michael Owen is another.}
27 Mar 2025 07:45:04
You can now add trent to the disliked list ?.
27 Mar 2025 12:04:07
I was never a fan of Lukaku after the “I deserve to picked in front of Drogba” comment many years ago and sadly over those years nothing has changed.
I’m not sure why and he is probably the nicest bloke in the World but I never warmed to Courtois.
The player I disliked from any other team was Barton. What a tool.
27 Mar 2025 16:58:46
Barton is another level. I never really warmed to Courtois either, Tom. I couldn't exactly blame him for not caring, given how he was at Athletico for two years, but the pattern of behaviour, forcing his way to Chelsea, then joining Madrid despite the Athletico connections. just seemed to speak of someone who had no sense of gratitude. I guess these days we'd say he's focused on what's best for him and his family, and say that's fine. I'm not sure I really buy that as an excuse.
Yes, Ed001, Michael Owen is a ridiculous human. Somehow evokes strong feelings of antipathy despite also being bland to an almost unrealistic degree. An AI-generated man. His video promoting Dubai is incredible – the one in the helicopter. Quite funny with how much of a d*ckhead he is within that blandness. A friend has a good story about him; Owen was apparently doing some ambassadorial work for the Premier League in China, and, having had a few too many drinks kept telling the mostly female staff from the FA the same story about the time when he had a vasectomy without telling his wife. Predictably they reacted with a mixture of horror and contempt – he seemed genuinely affronted they didn't see it his way, finishing with the immortal line "my balls though aren't they? '
{Ed001's Note - Owen is a friend of my uncle, they were neighbours for years. Personally I found him a repulsive human being who used to bully youth academy players into playing big stakes card games, that they could not afford, knowing that otherwise he would ensure they never got near the first team. Plus he is the reason Houllier sold Fowler, which is the biggest no-no of all time in football for me. That is the one and only time I have ever been bothered about losing a player as I absolutely loved him. But Owen hated the way Liverpool fans adored Fowler and hated being second fiddle. So he forced Ged to sell him on. I will never be able to forgive him for that.}
28 Mar 2025 21:43:47
That's crazy about his bullying of academy players – I guess basically taking their money. I used to think he was just a tool, devoid of all charisma, but that's pretty dark.