Former Chelsea FC player Ryan Bertrand has said that he should still be plying his trade in West London although he admits that his move to Southampton has only been beneficial to his career.
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The English full-back made 56 appearances over four seasons for the Blues, but he struggled to nail down a regular spot competing with the likes of Ashley Cole and Cesar Azpilicueta for the majority of his time at Stamford Bridge. In fact, more than half of his total appearances came in the 2012/13 campaign in which Rafa Benitez led the club to the Europa League trophy.
With both parties realising that Bertrand’s playing opportunities would be minimal going forward, Jose Mourinho loaned him out to a keen Saints team last summer, who then made the move permanent for a reported £10 million in the winter transfer window.
Fast forward a few months and Bertrand now finds himself in Roy Hodgson’s England squad for the games against Ireland (friendly) and Slovenia (qualifier). Not only that, he’s almost nailed on as the starter for both games as he’s competing for the left-back spot with Kieran Gibbs, who has played second-fiddle to a Mexican dish in Arsenal’s set-up for a large part of the season.
Should he start against Ireland on Sunday, it will be only his second appearance (4th total) for the senior side since 2012, having put in a brief shift against Italy earlier this year. For Bertrand, the chance to get regular games down at St Mary’s was one he didn’t have to think twice about taking.
‘For me it wasn’t a case of ‘my career isn’t going right, I’m not playing for Chelsea’,’ he said speaking to the British press ahead of Sunday’s game.
He also claimed that while there is no ill-feeling between him and his former employers, Chelsea did indeed miss a step by allowing him to leave permanently:
it’s only a matter of time before one of the ‘bigger’ clubs comes knocking
‘I know personally I should still be there and I should still be playing [for them]. I know that in myself. That’s my inner confidence. It’s nothing to do with my capabilities that I’m not there, it’s purely circumstance but it is no drama. That is football and these things happen. I’m not trying to prove people wrong and I’ve no grudges, no chip on my shoulder. Football is football, business is business.’
While that is a very level-headed response demonstrating both his self-confidence (a quality that is undeniably needed to make it at the top) and that he is ready to move on from the past, it’s easy to see why he doesn’t care much about taking a supposed ‘step-down’.
The Saints finished this season in seventh position despite having had their squad dismantled and shipped north by Brendan Rodgers in the summer. A combination of shrewd investment and great team performances has meant that Ronald Koeman’s men will be playing Europa League football next campaign, while the success they’ve enjoyed is in no small part down to Bertrand. The Saints defence was vital, as they kept 15 clean sheets, 3rd highest in the league.
Meanwhile, the Englishman personally has no regrets:
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‘I am fantastically happy at Southampton now, playing week in, week out, developing as a footballer and really enjoying life. I don’t even look back and wish I’d made the move sooner. Everyone has their own path and this is mine, and I’m thankful for everything I learned in my years at Chelsea. I played with some fantastic players and under some world-class managers – 10 or 11 of them – and drew aspects from each and every one.’
This is nothing but great news for an honest, hard-working player and there is no doubt that Chelsea fans everywhere will be happy for him. He is, after all, one of the men that helped the Blues capture the Champions League that had eluded the club for so long, starting and debuting in the final.
Being asked to make your European debut in a final in which you are playing out of position is no small task. Producing a solid 70 minute shift is just silly.
If Bertrand continues on his current trajectory, it will only be a matter of time before one of the ‘bigger’ clubs (either domestically or abroad) come knocking. Having added a PFA Team of the Year starting berth to his FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League medals, he may just find at the end of his career that his ‘awards drawer’ is looking more like a cabinet.
Next: Chelsea FC's Most Disappointing Players Part 1: Ramires