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A player can be out of form, he can be struggling for confidence, and he can also not contribute to the extent expected of him – those are all uncontrollable elements with a football player, and they can all be tolerated by a manager and a club.
But the moment he starts taking issues out of house and straight to the media, that’s where you have to draw the line. It’s so selfish and typical of the pampered modern player.
What was so disappointing about Fernando Torres’ comments over the weekend was obviously the timing; never will you get a purer example of a player putting himself before the team. A generation of Chelsea stars reach a goal that they’ve collectively worked towards for eight years, and Torres is bleating about not starting the game. Really?
Even if this is an integral performer, a key component of the squad, it’s completely intolerable – there’s no excuse for talking out of school – especially not when it’s to the backdrop of a European Cup parade.
Whoever is installed as the next Chelsea manager has to remodel this team, and top of the agenda is replacing Didier Drogba, who’s supposedly off to China to join Nicolas Anelka. Torres doesn’t fit that role, he’s not a fraction of the presence the Ivorian is, and he’ll never develop the same talismanic quality that Drogba brings to the side.
The logical next step here, is to acknowledge that Torres is never going to be what he was at Liverpool, and that he’s never going to be able to occupy the role Chelsea need him to perform. He’s a £50m elephant in the room, and if his attitude is focused on himself rather than how he can contribute at Stamford Bridge, then why should the club continue to persevere with him? Regardless of his poor form, Torres still has a decent value in the market, so why not cash him in?
Financial Fair Play is just around the corner, and regardless of their affluence, Chelsea can’t afford to carry players who aren’t pulling their weight – and especially not ones who are going to be actively disruptive.
Recoup some of the original fee, and go after someone like Roberto Soldado. Fernando Torres has shortchanged Chelsea with his contribution, and the club can’t wait forever for him to snap out of his malaise.
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