Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has stated that the senior players at the club support Andre Villas Boas, and that he did not give a team talk against Birmingham.

The Ivory Coast international was seen trying to motivate his fellow players at half time of the Stamford Bridge club’s FA Cup clash with Chris Hughton’s men, which the media have speculated belittles the role of manager Villas Boas.

However, Drogba has issued a statement of support for the Portuguese trainer.

“I want to make things clear – the manager made the speech at half-time and after that I think he’s got some leaders in the team,” the African forward said in a press conference, published on Sky Sports.

“We are here to help him. After that we were trying to bring the team up after half-time and nothing more.

“We did what the manager wanted us to do and apply what he was saying.

“I think people are making a big thing about nothing,” he stated.

Drogba’s sentiments were backed up by Daniel Sturridge, who has rubbished claims that their is a division within the club and admitted that he is confident going into Tuesday night’s Champions League clash with Napoli.

“I don’t think it is a defining week for the club but hopefully we don’t get in the same situation as against Birmingham where we have to come from behind,” he told the side’s official website.

“We are all together as one and we are not a divided unit. We are a family and we’ve got a good unit going here and I think maybe we will see that in the next few games.

“We have to go out there with the attitude that they have got to worry about what we have got.

“I am certainly not worried about that and we are going out there with the state of mind that we can win the game and play some good football, maybe get some more opportunities and put them away,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

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