Former Stamford Bridge hero looks ahead to top-of-the-table clash

The 41-year-old Ghana-born Frenchman has lifted the World Cup, a European championship and two Confederations Cups for his country, whilst at clubs including Marseille, AC Milan and Chelsea he scooped two European Cups, a clutch of league titles and a host of domestic cup victories. 

Known as ‘The Rock’ for his solid defensive qualities and imposing physique, Desailly was one of the greatest centre-backs of his generation and today is one of the game’s most respected TV pundits.

Goal.com UK caught up with Desailly, who has teamed up with the Barclays Premier League to find the football fans who create the best match-day experience in the world.

Desailly shared his views on a range of issues including his former club Chelsea’s forthcoming top-of-the table showdown with Manchester United, why France’s national team has struggled, his former mentor Fabio Capello – and why he believes Argentina will win the World Cup!

You live in Accra, Ghana with your family, what is it like when a big Premier League match is on?

Sometimes I watch the Chelsea games on TV at home, like any normal European guy. But when you go in the street it is something amazing. When there is a game on I stop in the street and I sit down with the people – it’s an amazing atmosphere. You have one small TV screen and 50 people watching the game, shouting and happy.

Which team is the most popular in Ghana?

In Ghana, Chelsea is a huge team now, as you have Michael Essien playing there and I was there before. Some people like Inter a little bit for Sulley Muntari but not so much as the big Premier League teams. They are huge all over the world and wherever you go different teams get more popular. It is strange.

The Indians love Arsenal – Nigerians also like Arsenal, plus Manchester United and Liverpool have a good following all over.

Premier League fans are all over the world now and they are important to the clubs as well as the local fans. The message and entertainment that the league is giving to people and their lives is amazing.

But many players in the Premier League still look to move to La Liga  - is the Spanish league stronger?

In La Liga there are only two teams with the capacity to generate such interest all over the world; Real Madrid and Barcelona. As for Italy – you cannot compare it to the Premier League, which has something extra and there are at least six teams that are there in England to entertain the people.

All the big clashes now have early kick-offs – which is good for international TV audiences but not for English fans who have to wake up so early to travel to the match. Many have argued that it also affects the atmosphere at the stadium– what is your view on this?

That is true for the fans but what about the players? It's awful to play at 12 in the afternoon when you know have to eat your spaghetti at 8 am in the morning!

It’s the reality – there’s a TV implication but also for England it's great [that] some other countries will get to watch the match at a good time. In India it will be maybe 7pm and many people can gather on the Saturday to watch. Everyone shares the interest in the league and this is good.

So Chelsea and Manchester United is on Saturday, with a place at the top of the table up for grabs with just five games left – can Chelsea win?

As a fan, I believe Chelsea can crush any team. But as a pundit I know Manchester United at Old Trafford is very difficult to beat – with or without Wayne Rooney.
 
It will rest on the ability of Chelsea to go to the attack and protect themselves
Valencia and Nani are on fire – we never expected Nani to become so good this season. Park Ji-sung – how important he is now to the strategy of Manchester United. But Chelsea has big players too and Didier Drogba who had a rest last weekend.

I think the winner of the game will be the winner of the Premier League title. Can you imagine? You are at the top with just five games left – the team in that position will feel strong.

Much has been said about Chelsea’s latest Champions League exit and how this group of players may have missed their last chance – should Carlo Ancelotti freshen up his squad in the summer?

I feel that there are maybe five players he has to change. Chelsea need some sort of new energy. Players like Deco, who has not brought what we have expected from him and has had injuries - and another four – I don’t want to name names.

Ancelotti deserves more time and is having respect from the players – everybody is focused and precise. The players respect him like they respected Jose Mourinho. He has the character that maybe Avram Grant and Luis Felipe Scolari did not have.

Do some of the players have too much power at Chelsea?

The players are important in Chelsea – if they question things it is all the time for the group or team. There is a positive attitude from the English guys like Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and John Terry. It is not like they question for themselves.

On to France’s national team. After a difficult qualifying campaign and poor showing in Euro 2008 everyone seems to be writing off France – do you think they can surprise people and get to the final?

Yes they can surprise – but we are not in the same position as we were in 2006 when we had some experienced players at the top of their game. Vieira, Makalele, Thuram, Barthez and Zidane were all there – you don’t have those players now.  We have young players, they are talented but they do not understand their capacity – if they understand and stick together as a team they can win something.

I would like people to look at this generation of players and see that they can win – but in fact when France is not winning, pressure is on the young players.
They take the reference of what we did in the past – winning the World Cup, Euro and two Confederations Cups - people really enjoyed our generation.  Now they have maybe a better generation – but the young guys need to start playing as a team.

Is Raymond Domenech the right man to manage France?

We are tired about the Domenech talk in France – he has tried to position the players as much as he can and they have not responded. It has to be something wrong with the players and it is up to the players to perform in South Africa.

Are you excited about the first World Cup in Africa – do you think the African teams will make the continent proud?

It will be very difficult. I wish Egypt had qualified as they were one of the teams that could potentially reach the final. For South Africa the fact that they are playing at home will hopefully bring some magic energy – but physically they will have a lot of problems. Ivory Coast, Ghana and maybe Cameroon can beat anyone on a good day for them, but otherwise it will be hard.

Who is your tip to win the World Cup?

Argentina – definitely. Argentina will win. Yes, people question Diego Maradona as a manager but if it works – can you look at the Argentina players? Even forgetting Lionel Messi they really have talented players and collectively if the link is there they will win – maybe against England in the final. I think England will get very near to the final if not the final.

You won two scudettos and the European Cup under Fabio Capello at AC Milan and have said many times that he is the best manager you have ever played for – what does he bring to the England team that previous managers could not?

With Capello he brings organisation, more precise discipline. When you have an England team which is disciplined, look at how they qualified. Before him they missed the Euros because the players did not have the discipline.
Look at Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Before they were more thinking about how they can score and were out of position. Under Capello they have stayed in the role that he has given them – when they play disciplined they are both better players. Now with Wayne Rooney doing so well, England have a good chance.

How important will preparation be for England?

The preparation will be vital – the balance between resting your players and making them practise at speed – will be very, very important. I am sure Capello is on it. Some players will need to work on long distance and some on speed – a specific programme for each player.

Who should partner Wayne Rooney for England?

That is a difficult one. I have played against Emile Heskey and it is very difficult to manage him.  Peter Crouch has done well and he’s now one of the choices  Capello will have, and Defoe will be there also.

As for Rooney he can play by himself up front with five midfielders, otherwise you have Crouch who can be up front and Rooney can play around him.

How about Joe Cole?

Of course Joe Cole – I played with him. A very, very talented player and can work very hard for the team – unfortunately with the injury he is not able to be the Joe Cole I wanted him to become. He needs that love – he’s a player that can perform if people give him support.  Capello should definitely take him – in the group he is such a great guy. He can play on the side, play as a playmaker and is very skillful - he must go to South Africa!