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Chelsea should bring Drogba back as player/coach

By Rucker Haringey

Oct 25, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Impact forward Didier Drogba (11) reacts after scoring a goal against the Toronto FC during the second half at Stade Saputo. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Impact forward Didier Drogba (11) reacts after scoring a goal against the Toronto FC during the second half at Stade Saputo. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports /
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Interim Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink is courting Didier Drogba to return to Stamford Bridge as an assistant

They say you can’t go home again, but former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has already proven that maxim wrong once before. Reports are that Guus Hiddink wants him to return to Chelsea again, but this time as a member of his managerial staff. While I think Drogba could certainly help Chelsea’s coaching staff, I’m also pretty confident he could still help them on the pitch.

If we’re honest with ourselves, Chelsea’s production at striker on the season has been pretty poor. We expect more out of Diego Costa, Loic Remy’s and company, but the production just hasn’t been there. They’re almost certain to add a new striker in the January transfer window to address their issues up top. Since they need striking reinforcements and already are planning to add Drogba on the coaching staff, why not allow him to do both?

He has been quite productive in his most recent MLS season. Granted, MLS isn’t the Premier League, but you can’t ignore the fact that he posted a Whoscored.com rating of 7.7 and scored 12 goals for the Montreal Impact. He did all of this in just 14 appearances for the club. It’s not an exaggeration to say that he was one of the league’s best strikers once he arrived in Montreal. The point is, Drogba is not out of gas in his playing career.

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Don’t forget that his last spell at Chelsea wasn’t entirely without production either. No, he wasn’t the Drogba of old but he didn’t look out of place in the Premier League. He did manage to score six goals on the season for Mourinho as the club managed to win a Premier League title.

With that being said, Drogba’s career is certainly on the decline. I’m not advocating that he return to Chelsea to be an every-week starter in the Premier League. What he can do, is provide then some relief appearances in all competitions. Even more importantly, he can model what a good professional looks like for players on the pitch. It’s one thing to have a coach tell you how you should act. It’s quite another to have a player of Drogba’s accomplishments telling you while showing you at the same time.

To me, the solution is clear. Bring Drogba in as a player/coach. That way he can get his feet wet in terms of being a part of the managerial staff, but he can also provide the club assistance as a player. It allows Chelsea to get the most benefit from him they possibly can. It also allows Drogba to continue to play the game he loves while also preparing for life after his career as a player.

It might not be in vogue to have a player/coach in the Premier League any longer, but it’s not without historical precedent. Chelsea would be wise to bring Drogba back in just this capacity. It’s their best route back to respectability.

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