Drogba '100% committed to Blues'

I'm still in touch with him, the relationship is good

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has reiterated his commitment to the club after going back on comments suggesting he was seeking a move.
He told tznews: "If you are not happy to be somewhere it is difficult to give 100%.

"Now I'm giving 100% because I feel good. I love the fans - I think they show me the respect I deserve and this is very important."

Drogba also said he was in regular contact with former boss Jose Mourinho.

The 29-year-old admitted he was upset to see Mourinho leave the club in controversial circumstances last month.

"How could I not be emotional when he brought me to England, to the best league in the world," added Drogba.

"He was always behind me and protecting me, If I had a good season last year, it was because he was behind me and the team was behind me.

"I'm still in touch with him, the relationship is good. It's important to keep in touch with people you worked with for four years."

Drogba, speaking at an event to promote the new anti-racism single he has recorded with team-mate Michael Essien, said Chelsea had not written off their Premiership title hopes despite their poor start to the season.

"Being eight points behind is a situation we are not used to," he said.

"Now what is good is that there are a lot of teams who are competing to be champions, more than two or three years ago. Maybe this will help us.

"It was very painful to lose the league last year - when you get used to something, it's difficult to lose it."

Last week, Chelsea issued a statement on Drogba's behalf in which he said he regretted his comments to a French magazine in which he made it clear he wished to leave.

"I am a Chelsea player and will be 100% committed and supportive to my manager, my team-mates and the club," he said.

"I will not be discussing my future any further until I meet privately with the club at the end of the season."

In an interview with France Football, he said he "wanted to leave Chelsea".

"Something is broken with Chelsea," he was quoted as saying. "The damage is big in the dressing-room.

"Nothing can stop me from leaving now," he added, listing Barcelona, Real Madrid, and both Milan clubs as possible destinations.

Drogba, 29, joined Chelsea from Marseille for £24m in July 2004 and has been the subject of regular speculation since then despite a prolific record with the Blues.

His comments suggested the Ivory Coast star was keen to leave the club in the January transfer window.

But Chelsea manager Avram Grant said he was keen to speak to the player in private to quell any further dressing-room unrest.

Drogba signed a four-year contract in November 2006 but told the BBC the following month he had considered leaving the previous summer in the wake of Chelsea's second successive league title.