Zola farewell to Chelsea

2003-07-07 15:32

London - Italian striker Gianfranco Zola on Monday said farewell to Chelsea the same way he played - with class.

Zola signed with Cagliari of Serie B - the club the Sardinian supported as a boy - last week after contract talks with the high-profile London club stalled.

He was offered a new and improved contract on July 2 - just after Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the cash-strapped club - but had already given his word to Cagliari.

"Unfortunately Chelsea were going through a bad situation (financially) and we couldn't find an agreement," he said at a farewell news conference in London on Monday. "I had to do something. I couldn't keep people waiting as it would have been disrespectful for them. So I decided to go.

"There is no blame for Chelsea. They had problems more important than renewing my contract, so I have no reason to say anything about this club that has been so important for me and my family."

Still, Zola, who spent eight years at Stamford Bridge, admitted it was hard to go.

"I feel bad. I feel sad," the 37-year-old said, adding he plans to keep his London home and visit often. "It's the place where probably I received the most satisfaction of all.

"It's the place where I received everything I was first dreaming of when I first started playing football. I'm not going to get anything like that anywhere. Even the best things have to end."

Dribbling skills

Zola joined from Italy's Parma in 1996 and quickly became a favorite, dazzling fans with his dribbling skills, free kicks and creative play.

He turned underachieving Chelsea into title contenders, with the team winning two FA Cups, the European Cup Winners' Cup and Super Cup.

Chelsea also made it to the Champions League quarterfinals in 2000 and qualified for European soccer's top club competition next season.

Winning the first FA Cup in 1997 was a particular highlight, he said.

Zola and his teammates were paraded around Chelsea on a double-decker bus.

"When they put me on a bus, and we went (on the streets), there were so many people out there. It was incredible," said Zola.

There will be no Champions League football with Cagliari, but Zola was looking forward to the challenge.

"I'm going to a place where everyone's going to be very demanding of me," he said. "It makes me feel alive because of my reputation going in after many years. I like the challenge, really. I feel I can do something for the people who supported me in the first place. Football is very important in their lives."

About the only tough times Zola had at Chelsea was when fellow Italian Gianluca Vialli managed the club from 1998-2000: Zola was regularly left out of the starting lineup.

He admitted he was close to leaving for Italy's Napoli, but added he had no hard feelings.

"With Vialli, we had moments of when we had different opinions," he said. "It doesn't mean that you don't respect somebody. Vialli had different opinions, but I believe he respected me as a player."

Zola talked with several of his teammates in London on Saturday and also thanked fans for their support.

He hopes a friendly can be organised between Cagliari and Chelsea.

"To say (goodbye) with feet instead of my mouth would be better," he said. "It would be nice for the supporters to say hello."

- SAPA