Chelsea legend praises Liverpool

http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/zola-i-hope-liverpool-win-premier-league-title

Zola: I hope Liverpool win the Premier League title


Chelsea fans might want to look away. A week that started in the blazing sunshine of victory at Anfield went dark with Wednesday’s eviction from the Champions League. And now Gianfranco Zola, the player who many of them regard as the best ever to wear their famous blue, has pinned his Premier League hopes on, wait for it, Liverpool.

“I know it goes against my team,” the Italian exclusively told FourFourTwo, “but I think it would be great to see Liverpool win the title this year.”

Zola’s admission isn’t born of any newfound disloyalty toward a club he served for seven glorious years, playing 312 games and scoring 80 (mostly fabulous) goals. The diminutive Italian is simply very impressed with the Merseysiders' efforts this season and the work that their coach Brendan Rodgers – himself a former Chelsea employee – is doing at both Anfield and perhaps more importantly Melwood, the training ground.

“Rodgers is a coach’s coach,” said Zola. “I don’t know him well but his football is my football. The football I like. His team plays very well.”

Zola’s time in management has shown him to be far more comfortable in a tracksuit and working with the players than with the everyday rigmarole that goes with being a modern manager, and Rodgers’ ability to improve players has impressed the former Italy international.

“Look what Rodgers has done with Raheem Sterling,” he said. “He has obviously brought him on and given him confidence but he has also taught him different ways of playing, made him more tactically aware. Football is about knowledge. The more ways you know how to play the game, the more possibilities you have to achieve your goals. Rodgers has played Sterling in a number of attacking positions and that will make him even better.”

As a player, Zola was always able to woo crowds with something novel, something unexpected and it is Liverpool’s blindside run into this Premier League title race that has excited him. “Liverpool’s form and style has been great but it would also be great to see a new name on the trophy other than Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City. That can only be good for English football.”

Before Chelsea fans despair, Zola wouldn’t count Jose Mourinho’s men out, adding: “Despite the Champions League setback I wouldn’t write off Chelsea, you never can but I think having been let back in, Manchester City might take the title. I wouldn’t want to call it though, it is that close.

“Liverpool lost a great opportunity when Chelsea beat them but that was always going to be a very tough game. Liverpool have to forget Anfield last week, they have to totally focus on the next game at [Crystal] Palace and put disappointments behind them and play the type of football they have played all season.”

As we move into the penultimate weekend then, things couldn’t be closer, in fact they never have been. In the 21 years since the Premier League juggernaut rolled into town, three clubs have never been closer on May 1 and whether the trophy ends up at Stamford Bridge, the Etihad Stadium or Anfield, Zola is – like us all – enthused by what he sees as the best season in a long, long time.

“It’s been an amazing campaign,” he says. “There’s been so many twists, it’s so interesting. It’s going right to the finish and even with only two weekends left, I wouldn’t be surprised if you see more twists. Also, and this is what has pleased me, all the drama has come with so much quality football.”

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Good to see us get praise from the Chelsea camp and an awesome player as well


Wasn't Zola quite headstrong (as a few Italian players can be)? Do you think him and Jose would've got on?

 

Zola is basically the only person with #class associated with Chelsea.

The exception that proves the rule.

 

ugh.

 

http://imgur.com/Sf4crYF

 

Zzzzzzzzz.........more yah-boo politics from an embittered scally.

 

Yawn

 

Its arseholes who make comments like this t**t that turn people against the very thought of Liverpool ever winning a premiership title. Zola of course is pure class and a Chelsea legend but he just went public with his choice. Personally I hope you never win it.

Have a nice day

 

Was unfortunate but how can you prepare for such things?

You cant, just the same as Jose cant seem to prepare your team to go against big teams away or home i.e, Ath Mad. Highest spend and some quality attacking players but still doesnt go for it. Apparently RA expects different next season

Zola praises Rodgers yet mentions nothing on Jose! And Zola knows what he is on about to tbf

 

Why would he mention Jose? He praised Brendan for the way he has improved players at Liverpool and the way he has the team playing this season, he has no need to mention the ability or achievements of Jose, they are obvious for all to see.

 

He'd mention him if he thought he deserved it. Come on, look at our squads. Man for man you shoulld be out of sight, despite what you type you cant lie to yourself. Look no further than Jose loaning us Moses to see how he didn tsee us as a threat, look at the odds of you winning the league to us at the beginning of the season, and Jose still spent more than anyone yet we still sit ahead of you. You should be out of sight by now tbh

So his ability and achievements are not so obvious to see. You may type different but like I say, if you thought little old Liverpool would be ahead of you its bs. You didnt, no one did. We have had a fantastic season and one we redmen can be extremely proud of our players and management for


Can you?

 

Bloody hell, sorry thought you were a Chelsea fan. My point stands to a Chelsea fan though

 

"We have had a fantastic season and one we redmen can be extremely proud of our players and management for


Can you? "

Given you support Utd Diego

 

Hang on, I object to that comment.
We all know Liverpool have buckets of class, all of it lower.

 

I have nothing to be proud of this season DR, other than the fact i support United. Your team have done exceptionally well this season and i would think have surprised/shocked most other teams supporters.

 

Matter of opinion

 

Class this, class that. Beggars belief how few people understand that those with true class never talk about class.....

 

I actually listened to that interview a few days ago, stated he wanted Chelsea to win it but if not then Liverpool.

Words taken out if context always muddle the mind.

 

Well all the quotes are above and he clearly doesnt state that

 

Why do you care so much anyway?

 

Yes. I'm always proud to support Chelsea. I would rather stand among fans at The
Bridge than among you lot of self pitying ****ers so jog on.