At times, Chelsea is not just a football club. It can be cynically classed as a Russian billionaire's plaything, with a number of multi-millionaires tossed into the garage and forgotten about for seasons on end. It's no surprising that there has been a ruthless streak coursing throughout the club considering the precedent Roman Abramovich has set with his 'license to kill' when it comes to pulling the trigger on his managers. Stamford Bridge can be a pressure cooker, and as some high-profile record signings can testify, that can make it very difficult to perform. With the weight of expectation unloaded on the shoulders of these players, with supporters treating them as robots, and managers hammering them as they themselves fear the wielding axe, it can make for a very uncomfortable atmosphere. So, when these players are given the freedom of international football, they don't dread this annoying interruption to the Premier League festivities. No, they embrace it. It allows them a chance to continue their double life as a hero in their native homeland, responding positively to the added responsibility rather than shirking it as they might have done at Stamford Bridge. Take a look at the ten players who contributed virtually nothing for Chelsea but who still excelled for their countries throughout their career.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
