N'Golo Kante

[Vesper 28,774]

N’Golo Kante – ‘When he wants to make himself heard, he does’

https://theathletic.com/1827853/2020/05/28/kante-chelsea-cobham-training-coronavirus-premier-league/

A year on from Baku and, on the face of it, not much has changed for N’Golo Kante.

The Frenchman, severely hampered by a knee injury sustained in training a few days previously, had undertaken his gentle jogs away from the main group at the Olympic Stadium on the eve of Chelsea’s Europa League final. There had been some input from a physio, carefully monitoring his reaction to the simplest twist on the joint, before a conversation with the club’s medical director and an early trudge from the pitch for further treatment inside.

Kante, once again, is enduring a lonely existence away from his team-mates. He is back on site at Cobham and, sources have told The Athletic, has actually been working at Chelsea’s headquarters for the last few days. Yet, while other senior players congregate together for their drills — they have been in small groups but on Thursday, phase two training, including tackling, resumed — the World Cup winner has made his way to another part of the vast campus where he has conducted his own running session in isolation.

The 29-year-old, having initially taken part, made it clear on the second day of the players’ resumption earlier this month that he was uncomfortable with returning to group training while the nation remained in lockdown. He has seen COVID-19 cases diagnosed at other Premier League clubs and is unconvinced it is safe, or wise, to take part if there is even the tiniest risk of picking up the virus or passing it on to others. While he has complete faith in everything Chelsea have put in place, he is not abreast of the measures adopted by rival top-flight sides, against whom he would be competing if matches restart.

No one, least of all his employers, is quibbling with his reasoning. After all, his elder brother, Niama, died of a heart attack shortly before France’s triumphant 2018 World Cup campaign. His father passed away when he was only 11. Kante’s life has already been touched by tragedy.

He has suffered his own health scares of late, passing out in the dressing room at the training ground in March 2018, although subsequent cardiology tests did not reveal any heart issue. At one point during the lockdown, a period he apparently spent at home with one of his brothers, he feared he had contracted the virus — although a subsequent test confirmed otherwise. Then there is the reality that, while research into COVID-19 is ongoing, data from the UK Office for National Statistics indicates a markedly higher mortality risk among BAME people.

So Kante’s situation is delicate. Everyone at Chelsea, from players to management to the hierarchy, is sympathetic with his concerns and there will be no pressure exerted on the club’s highest-paid and (when fit and in form) best player to plunge himself back into group sessions ahead of the anticipated resumption. “Everybody is different and we’ve seen that with the reaction of players, and that has to be respected in all ways,” said Frank Lampard last week. “We work every day as a family and a team, and we’ll respect everyone and how they feel about the restart and coming back to work.”

The programme Kante is following has been put together by the club’s fitness staff and, in line with that conducted by the squad as a whole, increases his workload progressively with a view to him being match-ready. There should be some encouragement drawn from the fact he has been working at Cobham again, rather than at home. He is on site, at least, and his progress can presumably be more easily monitored there.

But it would be understandable that a midfielder whose involvement this calendar year has been limited by injury to only four appearances might slip behind the other players in terms of his preparation now that more normal training, albeit minimising any unnecessary close contact, has resumed.

There is a constant dialogue between player and staff — not least with Lampard, gauging his mood and thoughts. Potentially, things may change once the swathe of tests undertaken by Premier League clubs starts returning clean bills of health on a consistent basis. But, until then, Kante’s stance is unlikely to mellow.

He has a reputation for being shy, modest and as selfless off the pitch as he is on it. He is the World Cup winner who snuck away in a taxi from the post-tournament festivities at the Elysee Palace to his mother’s house in Rueil-Malmaison on the western fringes of Paris. The player who had seemed reluctant even to grasp the trophy for fear of being the centre of attention back in the celebrations at Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium a few days earlier, until Steven Nzonzi made a point of thrusting it into his hands.

As a boy, he was once uncharacteristically late for a training session at his local junior club, JS Suresnes, because he had been helping his mother — a cleaner — do the family food shop for him and his eight siblings at the local market. He is the man who, while at the French lower-league club Boulogne, made a point of asking his team-mate Eric Vandenabeele whether it would be OK for him to pray in the room they shared on away trips. Vandenabeele would hear him rise and attempt to perform Fajr as quietly as was feasible. He is polite, humble and, ironically, actually stands out as a result.

Some have interpreted that unassuming manner as timidity. In truth, as demonstrated by his decision over Project Restart, that quiet exterior belies a steely resolve in what he believes to be right.

“That is the perfect example of his strength of mind and character,” says Patrice Garande, who brought a young Kante, the best player in the French third tier, to Caen in 2013 and worked with him for two seasons. “If he doesn’t feel it’s safe for him to resume playing, either alongside or against others, he won’t. He has said, ‘No. Not yet’. That’s not the move of someone who is weak, who is easily cowed. He knows his mind. He knows what he wants and he takes responsibility. He is actually very, very strong-willed.

“He is quiet but, contrary to what people assume, N’Golo has a very big personality. He just expresses himself in a more reserved way, I guess, than most players. He’s well brought up, respectful to others, and the hierarchy. That makes him different to many other young players and people these days. Yes, he’s someone who doesn’t like being in the limelight. But, on the other hand, he knows what he wants. He’s driven. When he wants to make himself heard, he does.

“Before he first came to Caen in Ligue 2, I wondered whether he lacked the charisma to hold his own in the dressing room at a bigger club. But when we spoke, on a range of different subjects, he had a voice. If he didn’t agree, he told me so. He made it clear if he thought I was in the wrong. He had that strength. Whether in a professional or private context, he’s more than capable of fighting his corner, to put across his arguments why he disagrees and give his point of view.”

That strength is probably born of his upbringing and career path. The young Kante, nicknamed “petit frere” (“little brother”) in his youth, grew up in a small apartment in Rueil-Malmaison, trained five times a week at Suresnes and, despite excelling in the ninth division of the French pyramid, was overlooked by Rennes, Lorient, Sochaux and Amiens, who deemed him too small to thrive higher up. Each time he went to a trial, he would return car-sick and scarred but offering no excuses.

“If they didn’t rate me, it’s because I wasn’t up to the required level.”

Even when Boulogne eventually took a chance and handed him a deal, just after he had completed his baccalaureate in business management and administration (he subsequently studied for an accountancy qualification), he was the victim of a vicious tackle in his last game at Suresnes and was ruled out for four months. All at the club were incensed at that challenge but Kante apparently said nothing. He has never been one to complain.

Few of his team-mates back then knew of the death of his father. When his brother died in 2018, he put his faith in Islam. France Football spoke to one of his friends, Baptiste Cousseau, about that trauma. “He told me: ‘That is how it is. That is life. He has been called now’,” said Cousseau.

“N’Golo never forgets where he’s from and family and his faith are integral to everything he does,” Garande tells The Athletic. “But he has always known where he wants to go. Look at his career path, his choice of clubs. It’s always been about a progression. You have to admire the way he’s risen to the top, with Chelsea and the French national team. He puts himself in a position where he can constantly improve. There’s a thought to it all, a pattern. From the Championnat National to world champion in five years.

“But his mentality is always about the collective. The group. Just like his style of play — always geared towards the group. He doesn’t like talking about himself in public. He’s just not comfortable talking himself up. He’s a kid who dominates games in his own way but he doesn’t want to hog the focus. He likes being a key part of the collective. It’s his nature.

“He likes people and everyone loves him. There is an innocence to him — that’s why we hear stories like him going for a meal with a family he had met at King’s Cross, people he didn’t know, after missing his Eurostar to Paris — but, underneath, he is strong.”

Amid that resolve to do the right thing, there will be pangs of regret that he cannot be playing a full part back at Chelsea. It will hurt should he not be able to play a part when Premier League football does resume, most likely on June 17. The year since Baku has been frustrating, punctuated by niggling injuries and played out to the disconcerting backdrop of legal cases back in France as he attempts to sever ties with an image rights agent, Nouari Khiari. Kante had initially sued Khiari for fraud but is now the subject of a counter lawsuit.

There have been suggestions in France that the furore has seriously played on his mind and had even affected his form this term. A solid run of games over the run-in to an interrupted season might have dispelled that theory. But, at present, there are bigger issues with which Kante is wrestling.

Chelsea’s one truly world-class player will continue his preparations in isolation until the time is right for him to return.

[NikkiCFC 7,942]

BACK IN FULL TRAINING!

[Vesper 28,774]

Huge Kante boost, wonderkid involved and Pedro - What we learned from Chelsea's match vs Reading

The Blues played a behind-closed-doors friendly with the Royals as preparation for the Premier League return

https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/fixtures-results/ngolo-kante-chelsea-loftus-cheek-18398006

Chelsea sealed a 1-0 win over Reading this afternoon in a behind closed doors friendly.

The Blues took on the Royals at Cobham as part of their preparations for the Premier League's return, with Pedro grabbing the winner.

Frank Lampard's side are getting ready for their opening game against Aston Villa next week, and will take on QPR in another friendly this weekend.

But what did we learn from the match?

Huge N'Golo Kante boost

N'Golo Kante has handed Lampard a massive boost ahead of Chelsea's Premier League return next week.

The World Cup winner has had his doubts over coming back to training, having not been part of the squad due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The 29-year-old suffered a health scare himself last season and was granted compassionate leave from Chelsea and was allowed to train on his own.

However, earlier in the week he returned to contact training and today (Wednesday) he took part in the pre-restart friendly with Reading.

It's not a guarantee that he will be willing to feature against Aston Villa for the first game back, but it was another boost for Lampard.

Pedro on target

There is still a doubt over whether or not Pedro will be part of the matchday squad for the Blues with the Spaniard yet to have signed a contract extension.

The winger had a good few matches before football was suspended, and he scored in the friendly to show that he could still have a part to play.

Pedro is expected to make the move on a free this summer, and he might not want to jeopardise a move with an injury.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek stepping up

There was another boost for Lampard to have Ruben Loftus-Cheek get more game time and match fitness.

The 24-year-old was close to a full-time return when football was suspended and now the England international is expected to play a big part towards the end of the campaign.

Lampard will be hoping to give him more minutes at the weekend and hope that he is ready to play a key role.

Matt Miazga returns

The match with Reading saw the return of Matt Miazga to Cobham, with the American on loan with the Royals.

Miazga is not expected to have much of a future with the Blues and is set to a permanent exit in the near future.

However, he had a catch up with Christian Pulisic after the game and was back in Surrey for the first time in a while.

 

[NikkiCFC 7,942]

 

[Vesper 28,774]

16 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

 

swap him for Varane

buy one (Tonali doesn't want to leave Italy (FUCK he is a huge piece to my puzzle) and I have seen zero links between us and Camavinga)

[Jase 43,479]

16 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

 

Good luck trying to get that price reduced with Marina in charge. 

[Vesper 28,774]

5 minutes ago, Jason said:

Good luck trying to get that price reduced with Marina in charge. 

I do not blame her at all for the shit buys (although I do blame her for paying Drinkwater a crazy amount of salary and for 5 fucking years)

she has no control (or very little) over that

BUT

she has cocked up an insane amount of timely sales, turned down sales, price-jacking to the point we lose the sales, and she deffo has mismanaged contract situs

plus she gets lead around by  the nose by Italian clubs like those Juve cunts

pathetic

[OhForAGreavsie 5,890]

2 hours ago, Vesper said:

I do not blame her at all for the shit buys (although I do blame her for paying Drinkwater a crazy amount of salary and for 5 fucking years)

she has no control (or very little) over that

BUT

she has cocked up an insane amount of timely sales, turned down sales, price-jacking to the point we lose the sales, and she deffo has mismanaged contract situs

plus she gets lead around by  the nose by Italian clubs like those Juve cunts

pathetic

I just don't have the same confidence you do in the reporting you use to inform these opinions. The only vaguely convincing confirmation I have seen for the claim that Barca bid for Willian came in a quote attributed to Willian himself. No fee was mentioned in that quote.

Before condemning Marina for refusing £65m for Willian, for example. I would need a few things: -

 

Oops, I forgot that bullet points don't work so my list has not been published. No time to redo now, I have a tuition to give.. update later.

 

[Vesper 28,774]

6 hours ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

I just don't have the same confidence you do in the reporting you use to inform these opinions. The only vaguely convincing confirmation I have seen for the claim that Barca bid for Willian came in a quote attributed to Willian himself. No fee was mentioned in that quote.

Before condemning Marina for refusing £65m for Willian, for example. I would need a few things: -

 

Oops, I forgot that bullet points don't work so my list has not been published. No time to redo now, I have a tuition to give.. update later.

 

the £65m offer came right when we were leaving Australia, I (and a multiplicity of others) have documented this for ages

it happened, it was a legit offer

even if she has turned down 10m quid less (as the final offer, and I only am using £55m as an example, the figure at the end was the full £65m) if still was a massive cock-up

I so do not understand why people are still trying to push FUD posts on this subject

it's done and dusted and we are just going to suffer the full loss (unless we somehow renew him (IF we add no more upfront players) and sell him NEXT summer, at which point we would be so lucky to get £10m or so (as he turns 33yo in August 2021)

[Atomiswave 6,072]

11 minutes ago, Vesper said:

the £65m offer came right when we were leaving Australia, I (and a multiplicity of others) have documented this for ages

it happened, it was a legit offer

even if she has turned down 10m quid less (as the final offer, and I only am using £55m as an example, the figure at the end was the full £65m) if still was a massive cock-up

I so do not understand why people are still trying to push FUD posts on this subject

it's done and dusted and we are just going to suffer the full loss (unless we somehow renew him (IF we add no more upfront players) and sell him NEXT summer, at which point we would be so lucky to get £10m or so (as he turns 33yo in August 2021)

They also came around with a second bid a year later no?

[Vesper 28,774]

51 minutes ago, Atomiswave said:

They also came around with a second bid a year later no?

that was the 2nd or third (and final) bid

I (and so many others) have posted on this for what will be two full years later on this summer

it is so tiresome for me to have to keep retreading the same ground over and over

a search of the site proves this to be the case

at some point, giving the (literally) dozens of cock-ups involving so many players, all in a myriad numbers of ways that almost always end up costings us incredible amounts of wasted money

my huge post that took into account even Marina's so called 'wonder deals' failing to lower the ultimate number under £400m down the shitter when every single book is closed shows that the onus is not upon me or any other poster here to prove that we are in the wrong when we blast her

I do NOT blame her for the bad buys, that is on the scouting department, etc overall

but at some point, the sheer numbers overwhelm in our favour (in terms of criticising)

hopefully we have turned the corner now, as I have little to complain about as of late, but I am no latecomer to this criticism game, I have consistently laid out a lack of future-forward thought by the board and Marina as a whole

it is now up to Lampard and the team to clinch a CL spot and up to Marina to get Werner over the line

[Atomiswave 6,072]

9 minutes ago, Vesper said:

that was the 2nd or third (and final) bid

I (and so many others) have posted on this for what will be two full years later on this summer

it is so tiresome for me to have to keep retreading the same ground over and over

a search of the site proves this to be the case

at some point, giving the (literally) dozens of cock-ups involving so many players, all in a myriad numbers of ways that almost always end up costings us incredible amounts of wasted money

my huge post that took into account even Marina's so called 'wonder deals' failing to lower the ultimate number under £400m down the shitter when every single book is closed shows that the onus is not upon me or any other poster here to prove that we are in the wrong when we blast her

I do NOT blame her for the bad buys, that is on the scouting department, etc overall

but at some point, the sheer numbers overwhelm in our favour (in terms of criticising)

hopefully we have turned the corner now, as I have little to complain about as of late, but I am no latecomer to this criticism game, I have consistently laid out a lack of future-forward thought by the board and Marina as a whole

it is now up to Lampard and the team to clinch a CL spot and up to Marina to get Werner over the line

I feel you sister, I cant diss her atm if things pan out as expected. But overall we indeed have pissed away so much money under her. Lets hope it pans out in the end.

[OhForAGreavsie 5,890]

1 hour ago, Vesper said:

the £65m offer came right when we were leaving Australia, I (and a multiplicity of others) have documented this for ages

it happened, it was a legit offer

even if she has turned down 10m quid less (as the final offer, and I only am using £55m as an example, the figure at the end was the full £65m) if still was a massive cock-up

I so do not understand why people are still trying to push FUD posts on this subject

it's done and dusted and we are just going to suffer the full loss (unless we somehow renew him (IF we add no more upfront players) and sell him NEXT summer, at which point we would be so lucky to get £10m or so (as he turns 33yo in August 2021)

Thanks Vesper,

I've read many, though not all, of your posts on the topic I've not seen anything which I consider to be conclusive. Even if I'm being dense, and failing to see the obvious, that still deals with only one of my points which failed to survive the editor. Others include: -

Did Marina have freedom to act, or, for example, had the full board/Roman set parameters which constrained her?

Did the manger successfully lobby Roman to keep the player because he did not like any of the alternatives available to Chelsea?

Before I would decide to blame any individual I would want to establish that there is actually some blame there in the first place. I remain unconvinced that there is, but if there is, we still need more information before we can decide where it lies.

 

[Vesper 28,774]

28 minutes ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

Thanks Vesper,

I've read many, though not all, of your posts on the topic I've not seen anything which I consider to be conclusive. Even if I'm being dense, and failing to see the obvious, that still deals with only one of my points which failed to survive the editor. Others include: -

Did Marina have freedom to act, or, for example, had the full board/Roman set parameters which constrained her?

Did the manger successfully lobby Roman to keep the player because he did not like any of the alternatives available to Chelsea?

Before I would decide to blame any individual I would want to establish that there is actually some blame there in the first place. I remain unconvinced that there is, but if there is, we still need more information before we can decide where it lies.

 

I will give you the point that she quite possibly did not make the call herself, entirely on her own. But at some point she surely must have SOME power, some responsibility. If not, she is truly a complete Roman puppet. 

If she is an actual true puppet, basically powerless, then that opens up a nasty can of worms as to the end game blame-wise. I suppose we will never actually know, unless another board member spills the beans on the whole age of Roman (which is massively doubtful) power dynamics.

[OhForAGreavsie 5,890]

1 hour ago, Vesper said:

I will give you the point that she quite possibly did not make the call herself, entirely on her own. But at some point she surely must have SOME power, some responsibility. If not, she is truly a complete Roman puppet. 

If she is an actual true puppet, basically powerless, then that opens up a nasty can of worms as to the end game blame-wise. I suppose we will never actually know, unless another board member spills the beans on the whole age of Roman (which is massively doubtful) power dynamics.

Yes. she's a senior executive at a billion pound company. You'd say that she must be a person able, wiling, authorised and ready to take decisions on her own initiative. Nevertheless board responsibility will be in place for any multi million pound transaction. Before the responsible individual heads off to negotiate deals she will have board agreed strategy and parameters in her briefcase. Metaphorically speaking.

Now, if we were to re-read the accusations and substitute 'board/Roman' for 'Marina', then perhaps there's a discussion to be had. Those accusations are not being shared around however. The are aimed squarely at Marina and, if true, they add up to gross incompetence. Yet Marina has not been sacked. Instead, since coming to our attention, she has been promoted at least twice. What is it you know about her job performance that Roman, Eugene and Bruce don't?

Would you concede that that the reverse is at least possibly true, and that they may know something you and I don't? Like the real history of the transactions on Marina's wrap sheet perhaps?

[Vesper 28,774]

2 minutes ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

Yes. she's a senior executive at a billion pound company. You'd say that she must be a person able, wiling, authorised and ready to take decisions on her own initiative. Nevertheless board responsibility will be in place for any multi million pound transaction. Before the responsible individual heads off to negotiate deals she will have a board agreed strategy in her briefcase. Metaphorically speaking.

Now, if we were to re-read the accusations and substitute 'board/Roman' for 'Marina', then perhaps there's a discussion to be had. Those accusations are not being shared around however. The are aimed squarely at Marina and, if true, they add up to gross incompetence. Yet Marina has not been sacked. Instead, since coming to our attention, she has been promoted at least twice. What is it you know about her job performance that Roman, Eugene and Bruce don't?

Would you concede that it is at least possible that the reverse is true, and that they may know something you and I don't? Like the real history of the transactions on Marina's wrap sheet perhaps?

someone is to blame, that is for damn sure

if I see remote proof that she is just a complete puppet, then I shall level full blame at the relevant  parts of the rest of the board and Roman

the totality of the cock-ups is mind-blowing

[communicate 2,703]

On 6/13/2020 at 6:29 PM, OhForAGreavsie said:

I just don't have the same confidence you do in the reporting you use to inform these opinions. The only vaguely convincing confirmation I have seen for the claim that Barca bid for Willian came in a quote attributed to Willian himself. No fee was mentioned in that quote.

Before condemning Marina for refusing £65m for Willian, for example. I would need a few things: -

 

Oops, I forgot that bullet points don't work so my list has not been published. No time to redo now, I have a tuition to give.. update later.

 

Willian wasn't for sale, the only time we had problem with willian was Conte 2nd season other than that all of our manager like willian. 

[Vesper 28,774]

48 minutes ago, communicate said:

Willian wasn't for sale, the only time we had problem with willian was Conte 2nd season other than that all of our manager like willian. 

not selling a 30yo (turned 30 August 9th) Willian for £65m in summer 2018 was a crazy stupid move

I will never give up saying that

now we get nothing for him just 2 years later

some people act like he is a football god

smdh

3 league goals that year

5 this year

226 EPL league games total 33 goals

if Pulisic averages 4 or 5 league goals over his first 4 or 5 years here do you think people will say he was a success?

Willian fanboys and fangirls find it to be acceptable

a player we sold for ONE FIFTH the price of that £65m scored the same amount of league goals basically in one season as Willian scored in his CAREER here