KEYPLAYER - IVORY COAST - CLUB - Didier Drogba wants to manage Blues

CHELSEA DIDIER DROGBA

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba says he has an agreement to return to the club once he finishes playing and wants it to do so as manager.

Drogba, who now plays in Canada, scored 164 goals in two spells with the Blues.

"I want to give back to the club which has given so much to me.

I have agreed that with the club directors," the 37-year-old told BBC Africa.

"Why not manager?

Why not sporting director, trainer at the academy or maybe an advising role for strikers?"

Drogba scored the penalty that won the Champions League for Chelsea in 2012 and won his fourth Premier League title on returning to the club last season before he joined Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer.

However, the champions have struggled this season, losing seven of their opening 12 league matches, and are 15th in the Premier League.

Drogba has given his support to manager Jose Mourinho, saying he is "still the right man" for the job and insisting that he believes the players also still back him, despite rumours of divisions within the dressing room. 

"If the club has kept him, that means owner Roman Abramovich thinks that he is the right man," he said.

"I think the players trust him and he is giving his best to change the situation."

Drogba admitted Chelsea had been going through a "difficult moment" this season, but that back-to-back victories over Norwich and Maccabi Tel Aviv indicated this was now being reversed.

"They have quality when it comes to the players, and quality when it comes to the management," said Drogba.

"This is a club which usually doesn't have a bad season twice."