ZOLA! Gianfranco Zola will sign a new one-year deal with Chelsea after the club made an increased offer. (Daily Mirror)
Great player-some world class moments given to the club over the years, that goal against Norwich in the FA Cup will be remembered forever. However, i just wonder if this in fact a good thing or not.Of course the fact that Zola will play one more season in itself could not possibly be a bad thing.But, look at that big pictyure for a second here. We will have Forssell coming back off loan from the Huns.We have Cole trying to break into the first team on a permanent basis, not to mention Gudjohnsen and Hasselbaink. Now, on match day we aren't going to have all 5 of them in the squad. Somebody is going to be unhappy. It probably won't be Zola or Hasselabink that won't do the traveling with the team, hard to imagine Guddy being left out as well. That will leave Both the young guns fighting for an odd appearance with the squad, never mind playing time. Both, especially Forssell will not put up with that. Another Evans situation will develop. Of course both Zola and Hasselbaink have a very limited time left with the club-and of course we may yet not enter the start of the new season with all 5 strikers-and the ideal situation would be to be able to hold onto the bunch of them. But, what with a footballers career being so short and all, i don't see that happening. To be honest if Zola had not re-signed i think i would have been a little bit happier as now i fear we may lose one of our future starts.
Today Saw news that Eidur penned a new deal for around 30K a week. Gallas and Terry to follow soon on 25-30K deals. Congrats to them all and to Birch for getting these deals done. Zola was offered 15K (after making 40K last year) and that is why there seems to be a fuss in the press. New deal is rumoured to be for 20K + appearance/goal bonuses. Let me start by saying I think Zola is a great player and a role model for all fans young and old. He is the best player by far I have witnessed play for Chelsea in the relatively short time I have followed the team. He has got 1 year of top-flight football left in him and even then I don't think he can start more than 20 matches. I am a bit perturbed to see the way this thing is being run through the muck in the tabloids. Birch should have known better than to make such an insulting offer, Franco should know better than to expect more than 25 K/week at this stage in his career for the role he will play (especially with 4 other top notch strikers in the team). He has always said he plays for the game, not for the money. Well we are offering him CL football and the chance to end his career the right way - in blue and at a place where he is a legend. Take the 25K, don't get upset about not being a first choice striker, and stop leaking your moans to the press. You will play in the CL and be the club's ambassador - what more can you ask for? You have more than enough money - this should be about you helping us try and win the league and finish your career on Europe's biggest stage. Rant over. On to the striker dilemma - I don't think Jimmy will be 100% for our CL qualifier so I think we will keep all 5 strikers for now. I think Gudjohnsen and Zola will be first choice at the start of the season with Forssell first off the bench and Cole 2nd. Forssell should gradually take over for Zola as the season progresses. If we are out of the CL by the Xmas trading deadline Jimmy should go to clear wages - end of. The 2005 season should see us line up like this after the probably exits of Marcel, Jimmy, Petit, Zola, and Le Saux: ------------------------------Carlo--------------- ???????--------Terry---------Gallas---------?????? Gronkjaer--------Lampard-----??????--------?????? ------------------Gudjohnsen--------Forssell------ Subs: Cole, Huth, Pidgeley, ?????, ????? Melchiot, Baba and Zenden could fill three of those spots admirably but I think one or two may be gone and we may see some fresh faces in their places. I think we will fill the other CM spot this summer with someone who can share time with Manu in the EPL. Bit disappointed to see Evans have a good performance last night for the U-21's. I'm sure he has an attitude problem but I'd hate to see him end up at Leeds or Spurs and turn into a great keeper. Anyone watching the England match? Some comentaries say Frankie is having a mare. Usual anti-Chelsea bollocks or truth?