The Chelsea Daily Drivel (Catch up)

"'It is six months out and I think that he will be excited to play tomorrow, Essien will start tomorrow, maybe for 45 to 60 minutes. I don't want to use players for all 90 minutes. It is the first game so we don't want to take a risk to put players out for 90 minutes.'"

"'It is good to start the pre-season games after two weeks everyday with training, We start with what I think is a difficult game and we don't have many of the other players here yet, but we have a good group with the reserve team coming in to play a part and it is important to win the first game of pre-season.

It is good for us in training games because the young players never stop running, They are always up and down the pitch and it is good for your condition. You always have to pay attention. It has been good working together with players like Jeffrey and Michael Mancienne who are sometimes also as left back and right back.'

When I arrived here two weeks ago the doctors spent one training session with me in the morning but I felt good and I trained normally. I had a problem the last two pre-seasons but this season it's very good. I rested two months almost and now it is a double session each day but we need this for starting the season in one month.'"

""I have met with Fernando. I found him to be a very pleasant man and we had a nice conversation, As far as we are concerned he is a Liverpool player and we want him to remain a Liverpool player. He is not for sale and we don't welcome any offers for him.

We want to keep him. My conversation with him was only short because I had to leave to come to the training camp in Switzerland. We spoke about football, the World Cup, his injury, and I told him how much I am looking forward to working with him. Christian Purslow was also at the meeting and chatted to Fernando for a lot longer after I left but my chat with him was only about football matters.""

""It's true Liverpool have knocked back the first bid of £40m but it's highly unlikely that will be the end to it. Let's see what happens when an offer of £50m lands on Christian Purslow's desk.""

""The club were quick to reject Chelsea's £40m bid and tell them Torres is not for sale. But the worry is it still won't be the end of it and that Chelsea will be back.
Fernando could kill the deal stone dead by coming right out and committing himself to the club. Hopefully he'll do that sooner rather than later.""

""There were rumours flying around already during the spring, but at that time there were more clubs around me. It became more specific only after the U-17 European Championship in Liechtenstein in May. Chelsea scouts were present there. Then I, my dad and Olomouc were proposed a specific offer. But Mr Arnesen told me I had been on the list already before the Euro and they had been following me for two years.

Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim from the Bundesliga and apart from Chelsea also Arsenal (when asked who else was interested in him). I have been to both German clubs and also Arsenal, but the best impression was left on me by Chelsea.

People say that Arsenal are famous for their academy, but from what I could see during my days at Chelsea, that really impressed me. Even my dad thought of Chelsea as the best option. Moreover, I have been a Chelsea fan since I was a little kid.
I am convinced I have made the right decision by joining Chelsea. After all, by this I am making my dream come true.""

""I was a Barca player when I left (to go on holiday) and I'll be a Barca player when I go back, I have four years left on my contract. I want to congratulate everybody that has used my name, because it's fun to have been at Chelsea, at Manchester City, without having been there!. "