‘I’m very happy to be here and that’s why I say everything happens for a reason’
These were the recent words of Loic Remy. the French striker whose collapsed move to Liverpool in the summer would have left most players disappointed. Not Remy though, it would seem that Liverpool’s loss was Chelsea’s gain.
Remy joined title favourites Chelsea, following the collapse of the summer move to Anfield, and the 27-year-old suggests repaying Jose Mourinho’s faith in him is his motivation rather than proving Brendan Rodgers was wrong for scapping his move.
Liverpool pulled the plug on an £8m deal to snap up Remy from Queens Park Rangers, claiming he had failed a medical due to a potentially career threatening heart defect.
But Remy insists he is far from broken hearted – in any sense of the term.
‘I came for the medical tests and everything was fine, and after that they wanted to be sure everything was fine with my heart,’ he said.
‘They asked for a specialist for the heart and apparently the guy said they did not 100 per cent agree if I could keep going or had to stop football’
‘I didn’t understand because they knew before I came. I just told my agent if it is not happening it is because it is not for me’
‘Now I am much better here at Chelsea, I’m very happyto be here and that’s why I say everything happens for a reason’
‘There are a lot of players with the same case as me. I don’t know why the people think it is a big thing that can stop me playing football’
‘I was more confused by Liverpool saying that I had medical problem because it is not fair’
‘I have seen the best specialist in London and he has told me I can still play so it was not goodfrom them’
‘Even if they don’t want to sign me, okay, but they don’t have to put that in the newspapers because, then, all the other clubs after are afraid’
Remy accepts he is not first choice striker at Stamford Bridge falling behind first choice Diego Costa, but with Jose Mourinho recently stating that the Spanish hitman will struggle to play more than once a week, the enigmatic Frenchman intends to make the most of his chances when they come.
‘I know here I am not the first striker, obviously, but I work hard to play as much as possible,” he said ahead of today’s visit of Aston Villa. “The manager was fair with me’
‘He just told me to work hard because there are a lot of games in the season and every player is going to play so I prepare myself every day at training to be fit and ready for any opportunity’
‘If you are not ambitious you get here and say ‘yeah, okay I am here in a big club, not a small team, I get my money, that’s it I am going to finish my career”
‘But for me, no. I want to be a big player and I have a chance today to do that’
‘There are a lot of players who could never play in this team so I know it’s a great, great chance’
‘That’s why I say every game I play I have to score, I have to give assists I have to show the best of me’
Chelsea fans (and Liverpool’s for that matter) will be watching with interest to see if Remy flourishes under Mourinho’s guidance and repays some of that faith the Portuguese manager has shown in him.
Written by Michael Horne
Follow me on Twitter for more articles @MichaelHorne777
