Writing for The Player’s Tribune (h/t Football.london), Chelsea ace Jorginho has revealed that his anger due to the criticism he faces fuelled him to perform better. The Italian was a much-maligned figure during the early days at the Bridge but is now an indispensable asset for club and country.
When Jorginho followed Maurizio Sarri to Chelsea, he was not met with the warmest of welcomes. After all, his style of play looked rather unfit for the Premier League. During that season under Sarri, he continued to feature regularly, much to the angst of the supporters. However, the midfielder did not take it to heart.
Three years down the line there is arguably no better midfielder currently in Europe. It has been a landmark year for the Italian as he played a pivotal part in Chelsea’s Champions League triumph and subsequent Super Cup win. He added to his achievements by clinching the EURO 2020 with Italy.
It was no surprise when he was awarded as the Best Player of the Year by UEFA. With such a successful year under his belt, Jorginho reflected on his early days and criticism at the club.
“My start at Chelsea made me miss it [Napoli] even more. We all remember what they were saying, right? I was too slow. I was too weak. I was Sarri’s son. Man, it made me so angry. But listen, they underestimated me. You see, I’ve had a turbulent start at every club I’ve been with. Every club. It’s incredible. When I came to Verona, nobody wanted me. They sent me on loan to the fourth division. Nobody wanted me there either. But I kept working and I won respect. I went back to Verona and we went up to Serie A.
“I had a hard year at Napoli, too, and then Sarri came and changed everything. So the Chelsea stuff? Puh! I just used the criticism as fuel. I was thinking, These people are going to be embarrassed. And now I’m sitting here with a Europa League title and a Champions League title. So to all the critics, I just want to say one thing. Thank you. Really, thank you all.”
It is definitely good to see Jorginho overcoming a difficult start to his career at Chelsea and now flourishing. Patience was all that was required and Thomas Tuchel trusted him to play his role to perfection. Fans will be hoping that his good run continues and he wins more trophies for the side this season.
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