For
a transfer revolving around the world’s highest paid player, who has commanded fees
totalling more than £75m and is one of the most decorated players in modern
football, it is remarkable that Samuel Eto’o move to Chelsea - a club not exactly shy of a headline itself – has almost
snuck under the radar this summer.
During
a window in which the limelight has ultimately been stolen by Gareth Bale’s
emigration from the Capital to Spain’s central principality, Mesut Ozil’s
switch in the opposite direction and the Blues’ failed pursuit of Wayne Rooney,
the signing of Eto’o has been positively discreet by comparison with its column-hogging
counterparts.
Perhaps
this is somewhat symptomatic of a much-sought-after striker who simply seemed appreciative
of the opportunity awarded him, even humble, upon arriving in London last week:
"I
have had a career where I have been lucky enough to win a lot of trophies in
different countries, but one of my last dreams as a professional is to come and
play in England and see if I can have the same success as in my previous clubs”,
the 32-year-old announced in typically understated fashion.
But
there is a fascinating story lying behind this transfer and one that may amount
to one of the more crucial in recent Premier League history.
After
all, the Cameroonian is the only man ever to claim two ‘trebles’ in Europe, the
most successful African footballer of all time with four African Player of the
Year trophies to his name and holds the record number of appearances for an
African in La Liga, where he won three titles with FC Barcelona.
He
is also his country’s all-time top scorer with an Olympic Gold Medal from 2000 to
cherish and has won three Champions Leagues, while being only the second man to
score in two finals and one of four to win successive cups with different clubs.
However,
his appreciation has not always been totally reciprocal and, as much as he lauds
Blues boss Jose Mourinho, part of the reason for his relative anonymity, surely
disproportionate to his talents, may be that he played in the shadows of the
Portuguese while at Inter Milan, in much the same way as he did with regard to another
egotist, then-colleague Ronaldinho, during his time at Barcelona. It is worth
noting that his goal ratio for both clubs was better than one in every two
matches.
When
he was sold to Inter by the Catalans in part-exchange for Zlatan Ibrahimovic in
2009, a deal that remarkably rated the striker as inferior to his Swedish peer
to the tune of £35m, no less a figure than Lionel Messi was said to have
approached the then-manager Pep Guardiola and begged him:
“Sell whoever you like, but not Samuel”
The omitted detail here, of course,
which gives credence to the claims of those who criticise the proven goalscorer’s
temperament, is that this was explained by none other than Eto’o himself in an interview
the following year.
And,
despite referring to Ronaldinho at one time as: "a genius, and not just in
football”, he also said, in that 2010 interview, that “When Ronaldinho arrived at
Barcelona, he had won nothing. After my arrival, we won everything”. He
subsequently fell out with the Brazilian, with his attention-seeking team-mate alleged,
ironically, to have labelled him “selfish”.
It
is true that Eto’o has never been short on confidence but, where most would
have viewed his part in the Ibrahimovic transfer as an affront to their ability
and potentially allowed the inevitable chip on the shoulder that accompanies
such rejection to weigh them down, the African hitman immediately knuckled down
and made clear to both parties who had got the better end of the deal, as Inter
reached the pinnacle of the game, beating Barcelona en route to the Champions
League title, as he replicated his trophy haul from the previous season.
While
he has apparently taken a significant wage cut from $20m after tax to just $8m
per annum to join the Blues, it is fair to say that Eto’o has courted
controversy in the past. He was handed a 15 game-ban by the Cameroonian FA,
eventually reduced to eight months, just last January for leading a player
strike over delayed bonus payments.
However,
the idol of all Cameroonian football did not appeal the decision, while players
supported him and widespread fan protests were threatened in the wake of the
sanctions.
Eto’o
has been made to endure far more serious discriminatory treatment throughout
his career, seemingly encountering racism wherever he has played, dating back
to a goal celebration in Zaragoza in 2005, which he explained by insisting: “If
they want to treat me like a monkey then I'll dance like one". His actions
in the face of such sustained abuse, despite threatening to leave the field
after a repeat the following season at La Romareda, have frequently been met
with widespread acclaim for their restraint, sincerity and integrity and, as a
result, his standing in the game is second to none both on and off the field.
But
what of his tempestuous relationship with Chelsea?
"I've
had a couple of opportunities to come to England before, including the first
time Jose was here, but it didn't work out for one reason or another," he
admitted in his first interview with the club’s in-house channel on Thursday.
“One
reason” could be that he has enjoyed great success against the West Londoners on
recent visits to Stamford Bridge, scoring in both 2006 for Barcelona and in 2010
for Inter in Champions League knock-out ties.
“Or
another”, alternatively, might be that, in the wake of Barcelona’s 4-2 defeat
at the same stadium in 2005, he accused stewards of calling him a “monkey” – an
allegation categorically denied by the club - when he and Ronaldinho were seen
tussling with security staff as the players left the pitch, and subsequently declared
that: “I would rather pick groundnuts in my local village than play for a
pathetic club like Chelsea”.
That
strongly-worded quote has been disputed since but what he most certainly did
say in an interview with El Mundo
Deportivo shortly after the match was:
"We
were the only team that wanted to play football. Chelsea going through is a disaster for football.
"If
this team wins the Champions League, it would make you want to retire.
"With
so much money and so many players, what they do is not football," he
added, before turning his disdain to the man whom he now credits as his inspiration
for joining the club, Mourinho:
"Mourinho
is shameless.
“At
the end they followed his game, did what he wanted, although this time I
suppose he will have appeared in the press conference" he said, alluding
to Jose’s media no-show following an acrimonious first leg.
Certainly, he is not alone in his love-hate relationship with the pugnacious Portuguese trainer, as one recalls the manager's celebration of an Eto'o strike that settled a Champions League second round clash in 2010 being met by a section of his most vociferous and staunch followers in the Matthew Harding Stand with a chant of "F*** off Mourinho" to the tune of his more commonly used tribute song.
Indeed, now
it is all change. In answer to the question “What made you choose Chelsea?” he
replied, with a beaming grin, “Because Chelsea have Jose Mourinho and other
clubs do not”.
In
many ways, Mourinho could have pulled off the signing of summer; Eto’o arrives
on a free transfer and, although he will take home a huge wage packet, this
still represents a sizeable drop from that which he received from Russian side
Anzhi Makhachkala, while a one-year deal would appear to present little risk in
the event that this statement of intent goes the same way as those involving other
ageing star strikers previously lured to the Bridge, such as that negotiated for
the services of Andriy Shevchenko and current team-mate and rival for a
starting berth, Fernando Torres.
On
the other hand, were the at times outspoken superstar to experience a
difference of opinion with the manager, clearly a love of the club could not be
counted on as a motivating factor to fall back on, which may lead to a
stand-off and consequent disruption to the rest of the squad, as has been the
case with his recent dispute with Russia captain, Igor Denisov in Dagestan,
where he was rumoured to have halted training so that he could be brought a
drink of Cola from the local supermarket.
"I
am very happy to be here but also anxious because I want to get playing as soon
as possible" was his opening declaration. But will he be guaranteed a
place and where is he best utilised?
Perhaps,
at 32, the yard of pace once relied upon to get goal-side has been lost and his
intelligent positioning and timing of runs, as well as an efficient use of
space that is key to the modern game, will need to be used more consistently to
create the shooting chances that will allow him to exhibit his world class finishing
abilities.
Will
he be preferred to Torres? In all likelihood, the answer is yes, despite an
improved performance from the oft-criticised Spaniard in last Friday’s Super
Cup Final; certainly to begin with.
Will
he play up front or is his newly refined game more suited to a ‘Number 10’ role
or even the wing? The latter options are improbable due to his phenomenal strengths
at the spearhead of the attack – reflected by his 36 strikes in 71 games for
Anzhi; a side that claimed no silverware during his spell there – and especially
with the team now seemingly set up for him to showcase his prowess in front of
goal, as well as Chelsea’s surplus of options behind the striker and in wide
positions. Although, he did perform well in the hole for former Chelsea boss
Guus Hiddink against Liverpool in the Europa League last season, playing off imposing
frontman Lucina Traore.
Either
way, in much the same manner as Mesut Ozil could be set to bring the best out
of Theo Walcott at Arsenal, the
incisive through-balls of Oscar, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard could mean that a
lot of the hard work will be done for him, so that he can concentrate on getting
back to doing what he does best and consistently finding the net at the top
level from all areas of the final third.
Whether
he stays on beyond this season, having proved a success or otherwise, may be a
moot point if we take the 32-year-old’s statements from 2009 while with Inter
at face value:
“After
the career I have had, playing for PSG would make me dream. But, to do a
favour for Roger Milla, it wouldn’t cost me a thing to say that I will
play my last season in Montpellier.”
In
any event, much talk has been of the 'Special One' tag and Mourinho’s experience accumulated
abroad as having moulded him into an even better manager this time around than
last. But the most noteworthy of all the attributes to have returned to these
shores could turn out to be the coach’s little black book, which is becoming
gradually fuller with every passing stint at Europe’s finest institutions,
regardless of Chelsea’s non-participation in the chase for Ozil from Mourinho’s
previous employers.
September
14 will hand Mourinho an initial opportunity to pit the new jewel in his gleaming crown
against the rest of a division often dubbed the Best League in the World away to Everton in front of the Sky
cameras in the day’s late kick-off and the robust striker will surely be given
ample further opportunities to impress in what will be a long, intense campaign.
If
the Portuguese can get the great man playing as he did in his pomp and maintain
his happiness in SW6, he may become as important to the coach as another
African striker, recently voted the club’s best ever player, Didier Drogba,
whose leadership skills, generosity and overall popularity within the
dressing-room eerily echoes anecdotes involving Eto’o in his homeland, including
the time when, in celebration of
qualifying for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, the Cameroonian bought each of
his team-mates a £29,000 watch, complete with personal inscription, much as
Drogba was said to have done for his fellow 2012 Champions League winners
before leaving the club last May.
"It
wasn't a hard decision. I saw the qualities Chelsea have, and I was very happy with Jose Mourinho before, so
when the opportunity came, I was very happy to take it" was the message from
Eto’o last week and, while the focus will be on his impact on the Blues’
attempts to wrest the title back down from Manchester, it may also turn out to
be the ideal move for one of the all-time great centre forwards to re-establish
his once enviable reputation in Europe before walking off into the sunset.
Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta was quoted as saying, in
August 2009, "History
shows that this club has had very few strikers like him. I do not know if there
has ever been anyone like him before. What I do know is that Barcelona should
erect a statue for him. Samuel was a fundamental player here in recent years
and was key to all of the titles that the team won."
The
prospect of his integration into this vibrant Chelsea side, even on a
rotational basis, should exhilarate their fans and, should the Blues catch even
a glimpse of the greatness to which Iniesta referred over the coming months, the
Premier League could be about to witness a seismic shift in power with football
on offer of a pace and directness arguably absent since Mourinho left London in
2007 to hit unprecedented heights in Milan with Eto’o as his chief trail-blazer.
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