Gary Cahill defied his doubters all the way to Chelsea’s captaincy

Gary Cahill came to Chelsea for £7 million from a club that was about to make its final exit from the Premier League. Five years and every trophy later, he is the club’s next captain.

A familiar refrain throughout the 2016/17 season was “Gary Cahill certainly will not survive this next (fill in the blank).” Antonio Conte’s arrival, David Luiz’s return, the switch to the 3-4-3, Nathan Ake’s recall. Each of those was supposed to consign Cahill to the bench alongside his mentor John Terry. But whereas Terry would end the season with a legend’s farewell, Cahill would quietly pack his locker and ply his trade elsewhere.

Instead, the season was a microcosm of Cahill’s Chelsea career. He stubbornly survived, sometimes opportunistically and rarely gracefully. He did not undergo a Victor Moses-style extreme makeover nor did he barge to the top as Terry did in the early 2000s. But he parried every challenge and grew stronger from every threat, emerging a better player and a more complete Blue.

Cesar Azpilicueta will be Cahill’s vice-captain. Another £7 million defender, Azpilicueta and Cahill reinforce the idea that the most expensive and flashy players are rarely the ones who provide the deepest, longest-term value. Didier Drogba is truly exceptional for being a then-club record marquee signing who matched his playing prowess with flair, leadership and gravitas.

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Cahill has fought for his place his entire career. The perspective he earned in that journey will be a large part of his character as a captain, and what he will instill in the team.

"For [Antonio Conte] to show that faith in me means a lot. I will fight for the manager and fight for all the players as long as I’m at this club… I’ve been on loan and played Championship football, so to climb the ladder and work my way up, I’m now at a level where I feel I’m at the top of my game, and I want to stay there as long as I can. – Chelsea FC"

Gary Cahill has spent his career doing something Antonio Conte expects from all his players: fighting every day for his place in the squad. Conte quickly showed Chelsea that he has no untouchable players. Every training session and every game is a chance to earn your way into the next XI.

Cahill has lived this ethos, and is now the example of how far it can take you. He is not the best player nor is he even the best centre-back. But he is a leader for club and country, and few at either squad could dispute his character..

His detractors will say that he is only the captain because he is the senior Englishman at Chelsea. What they will not specify is whether Chelsea’s Russian owner, Nigerian technical director, Italian coach or the previous string of Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian or Israeli coaches adhere to this mandate. Could Ray Wilkins’ few weeks as caretaker manager have instilled the armband with such nationalism?

The captain represents the club’s culture and ethos, both as it currently stands and beyond the transience of managers, staff and players. Hopefully Gary Cahill will be a part of building Antonio Conte’s dynasty and legacy at Chelsea. But if history repeats and Conte leaves prematurely, Cahill will do what John Terry did so many times before and tie the club together from one skipper to the next.

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Antonio Conte has the man for the job in Gary Cahill. But more importantly, Chelsea FC does.