The Premier League title is so close that Chelsea can smell it. Higher stakes, higher tension - you could have cut it with a knife at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday against Bolton Wanderers. Every near miss was greeted with a more anxious gasp from the crowd than the last. The morning after the night before Salomon Kalou cuts a relaxed figure, reclined in a chair at Chelsea's Surrey training ground.
Stakes are higher for the Ivorian than most. He arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2006, signed by Jose Mourinho, in the wake of the Blues’ title celebrations. Manchester United have won the Premier League in each of the three seasons since. “This would be my first Premier League,” acknowledges Kalou, speaking exclusively to Goal.com UK. He is hungry to complete the domestic set. “We’ve won the FA Cup, the Carling Cup, since I’ve been here, and this is the only (domestic) title that I haven’t won with Chelsea.”
Not that the rest of the dressing room isn’t champing at the bit. “For players who’ve won it or players just looking to win it (for the first time), it could be something amazing for everybody here.”
Reflecting on the clash with Owen Coyle’s side, Kalou smiles wryly at mention of Sir Alex Ferguson’s “easy game” comments. “We knew it was going to be hard. It’s always a difficult game against Bolton.”
He is rightly unapologetic about the unspectacular nature of his team’s win. “Right now, it’s not about playing well, it’s about getting points to get us closer to the title. We’re doing well, we’re winning games so we have to be happy with that. Every game now is going to be difficult, because most teams are fighting to get in the Champions League, or into Europe or stay up. So they’re all like finals.”
Chelsea’s recovery from their Champions League exit to Inter, and Mourinho, has been painful but ultimately galvanising. Kalou, who scored what at the time looked to be a vital away goal in Milan, is beginning to put into perspective that most deflating of losses.
“I think we were good at the San Siro,” he says. “We played very well and we dominated. I think our mistake was not to play as we did in the San Siro when we played at home. We let Inter have the ball too much. But it’s part of the game. When you play in the Champions League, you are punished for the little mistakes you make.”
Closer examination can wait until the end of the season, one senses. “We have to try not to think about it now as we have two trophies still to go for, so we have to concentrate on them and go for the Champions League next year.”
Kalou has had to deal with more than club matters recently. The Ivory Coast’s national side have endured an uncertain period, with coach Vahid Halilhodzic fired in the wake of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAF) quarter-final exit to Algeria. Sven Goran Eriksson was recently appointed to replace Halilhodzic, but not before the Ivorian Federation (FIF) declared an interest in Guus Hiddink. Was Kalou disappointed not to be reunited with the former Chelsea boss at international level?
“I never spoke to Guus about it,” he says, and admits he never believed it was a genuine probability.
“He was already too involved with other national teams, so it was always going to be difficult to get him.”
Kalou is effusive in his praise of the man who had such an impact in his short spell at the Bridge. “He is a great manager, and brought a lot of great things to Chelsea when we really needed it, and I think he would have done the same with the Ivory Coast national team,” concedes Kalou.
Still, he is positive about Eriksson’s appointment, and hopes the Swede can bring order to the ranks after a difficult few months. “Now we have Eriksson, who is also a great manager. I’m really happy to work with him and I think he’ll bring what we need.”
Praise for the new Ivorian manager has been fulsome from the England players among Kalou’s team-mates. “When I speak with JT [John Terry], Lampsy [Frank Lampard] and Joe Cole they all say good things about him so I look forward to working with him.”
So why did Halilhodzic’s side fall short in the CAF? Kalou rubs his chin and considers, briefly looking as confused as the rest of the football-supporting world.
“We have great players,” he begins, “and players with a lot of experience. I think what we miss is a team. We’ve never got enough of a team together to win the cup (CAN).”
The squad now hope Eriksson’s World Cup pedigree can give them an extra edge. “I think the manager, with the experience he has, can help us during the World Cup.”
The CAN tournament in Angola was an unusual and humbling experience for all the participants, including the Ivory Coast, following the attack on the Togo team bus in Cabinda just before the competition began. For once Kalou’s gentle smile disappears. He exhales. “It was hard for all the teams,” he says.
“Mixing football with politics is not something you want to be involved with. It was something we were all scared about, as well as feeling sorry for the Togo team. Football is something to get people together and to enjoy, so this story affected all of us.”
A far more positive celebration of the game is to come, and Kalou can barely contain his excitement at the prospect of the first World Cup to take place in Africa. He’s not alone in this, he says. The smile is back. “It’s amazing for African players, who never imagined playing a WC in Africa. It’s something we all dreamed about,” he enthuses.
Kalou hopes all African sides will be able to make their presence felt. “It’s a great opportunity for African players to show the level of our game. Football in Africa is improving and African players are playing at some big clubs, so it’s going to be a good tournament to play in.”
The Ivory Coast themselves have perhaps the toughest task of any of the African nations, drawn in a group with the favourites and the 2006 semi-finalists. “Brazil and Portugal have so many great players who can make the difference, and that’s something we have to be aware of,” warns Kalou.
“They play similar styles. Players like [Cristiano] Ronaldo and Deco are great players, and can always create something. You can’t single out anyone in the Brazilian side because they have so much quality.”
He believes the Portugal game will define the Ivorians’ destiny, and needs no reminding of their quality, as it is quite close to home. “Of course I know many of the Portuguese players from here, and I think that will be the most important game – the first one,” he says.
“If we play a good game in that, we can have the confidence to go on and do well against Brazil, and in the competition.”
Finally, are there any players in the Ivory Coast side we should keep an eye out for? “Me!” he grins, but he clearly feels that at 24, this tournament has come at just the right time for him.
“I feel good, and it will be my first World Cup, though I hope to bring my team this far again. I hope to do my best to be on great form and in great shape. I want to bring my team to the second round, at least. With the group that we’re playing in, it would be a tremendous result to do that.”
By the look of the current Premier League table, Kalou will at least be going into the finals on the crest of a wave of confidence.
Stakes are higher for the Ivorian than most. He arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2006, signed by Jose Mourinho, in the wake of the Blues’ title celebrations. Manchester United have won the Premier League in each of the three seasons since. “This would be my first Premier League,” acknowledges Kalou, speaking exclusively to Goal.com UK. He is hungry to complete the domestic set. “We’ve won the FA Cup, the Carling Cup, since I’ve been here, and this is the only (domestic) title that I haven’t won with Chelsea.”
Not that the rest of the dressing room isn’t champing at the bit. “For players who’ve won it or players just looking to win it (for the first time), it could be something amazing for everybody here.”
Reflecting on the clash with Owen Coyle’s side, Kalou smiles wryly at mention of Sir Alex Ferguson’s “easy game” comments. “We knew it was going to be hard. It’s always a difficult game against Bolton.”
He is rightly unapologetic about the unspectacular nature of his team’s win. “Right now, it’s not about playing well, it’s about getting points to get us closer to the title. We’re doing well, we’re winning games so we have to be happy with that. Every game now is going to be difficult, because most teams are fighting to get in the Champions League, or into Europe or stay up. So they’re all like finals.”
Chelsea’s recovery from their Champions League exit to Inter, and Mourinho, has been painful but ultimately galvanising. Kalou, who scored what at the time looked to be a vital away goal in Milan, is beginning to put into perspective that most deflating of losses.
“I think we were good at the San Siro,” he says. “We played very well and we dominated. I think our mistake was not to play as we did in the San Siro when we played at home. We let Inter have the ball too much. But it’s part of the game. When you play in the Champions League, you are punished for the little mistakes you make.”
Closer examination can wait until the end of the season, one senses. “We have to try not to think about it now as we have two trophies still to go for, so we have to concentrate on them and go for the Champions League next year.”
Kalou has had to deal with more than club matters recently. The Ivory Coast’s national side have endured an uncertain period, with coach Vahid Halilhodzic fired in the wake of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAF) quarter-final exit to Algeria. Sven Goran Eriksson was recently appointed to replace Halilhodzic, but not before the Ivorian Federation (FIF) declared an interest in Guus Hiddink. Was Kalou disappointed not to be reunited with the former Chelsea boss at international level?
“I never spoke to Guus about it,” he says, and admits he never believed it was a genuine probability.
“He was already too involved with other national teams, so it was always going to be difficult to get him.”
Kalou is effusive in his praise of the man who had such an impact in his short spell at the Bridge. “He is a great manager, and brought a lot of great things to Chelsea when we really needed it, and I think he would have done the same with the Ivory Coast national team,” concedes Kalou.
Still, he is positive about Eriksson’s appointment, and hopes the Swede can bring order to the ranks after a difficult few months. “Now we have Eriksson, who is also a great manager. I’m really happy to work with him and I think he’ll bring what we need.”
Praise for the new Ivorian manager has been fulsome from the England players among Kalou’s team-mates. “When I speak with JT [John Terry], Lampsy [Frank Lampard] and Joe Cole they all say good things about him so I look forward to working with him.”
So why did Halilhodzic’s side fall short in the CAF? Kalou rubs his chin and considers, briefly looking as confused as the rest of the football-supporting world.
“We have great players,” he begins, “and players with a lot of experience. I think what we miss is a team. We’ve never got enough of a team together to win the cup (CAN).”
The squad now hope Eriksson’s World Cup pedigree can give them an extra edge. “I think the manager, with the experience he has, can help us during the World Cup.”
The CAN tournament in Angola was an unusual and humbling experience for all the participants, including the Ivory Coast, following the attack on the Togo team bus in Cabinda just before the competition began. For once Kalou’s gentle smile disappears. He exhales. “It was hard for all the teams,” he says.
“Mixing football with politics is not something you want to be involved with. It was something we were all scared about, as well as feeling sorry for the Togo team. Football is something to get people together and to enjoy, so this story affected all of us.”
A far more positive celebration of the game is to come, and Kalou can barely contain his excitement at the prospect of the first World Cup to take place in Africa. He’s not alone in this, he says. The smile is back. “It’s amazing for African players, who never imagined playing a WC in Africa. It’s something we all dreamed about,” he enthuses.
Kalou hopes all African sides will be able to make their presence felt. “It’s a great opportunity for African players to show the level of our game. Football in Africa is improving and African players are playing at some big clubs, so it’s going to be a good tournament to play in.”
The Ivory Coast themselves have perhaps the toughest task of any of the African nations, drawn in a group with the favourites and the 2006 semi-finalists. “Brazil and Portugal have so many great players who can make the difference, and that’s something we have to be aware of,” warns Kalou.
“They play similar styles. Players like [Cristiano] Ronaldo and Deco are great players, and can always create something. You can’t single out anyone in the Brazilian side because they have so much quality.”
He believes the Portugal game will define the Ivorians’ destiny, and needs no reminding of their quality, as it is quite close to home. “Of course I know many of the Portuguese players from here, and I think that will be the most important game – the first one,” he says.
“If we play a good game in that, we can have the confidence to go on and do well against Brazil, and in the competition.”
Finally, are there any players in the Ivory Coast side we should keep an eye out for? “Me!” he grins, but he clearly feels that at 24, this tournament has come at just the right time for him.
“I feel good, and it will be my first World Cup, though I hope to bring my team this far again. I hope to do my best to be on great form and in great shape. I want to bring my team to the second round, at least. With the group that we’re playing in, it would be a tremendous result to do that.”
By the look of the current Premier League table, Kalou will at least be going into the finals on the crest of a wave of confidence.
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