LONDON (Reuters) – Didier Drogba brought down the curtain on a trophy-laden career at Chelsea on Tuesday when he announced he would be leaving the club after eight years in West London.

The Ivory Coast striker will leave when his contract expires at the end of June and is now odds-on to follow his former team mate Nicolas Anelka to China.

He leaves the club on a high after a starring role in Saturday’s Champions League final when he scored an emphatic late headed equaliser before coolly slotting home the decisive penalty in the shootout.

It capped a glittering period at Stamford Bridge where he also won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups.

“I wanted to put an end to all the speculation and confirm that I am leaving Chelsea,” Drogba said on the club website (www.chelseafc.com).

“It has been a very difficult decision for me to make and I am very proud of what we have achieved but the time is right for a new challenge for me.”

Drogba, 34, joined Chelsea from Olympique Marseille in 2004. His menacing physicality was ideally suited to the fast-paced hubbub of the Premier League.

LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) – Didier Drogba brought down the curtain on a trophy-laden career at Chelsea on Tuesday when he announced he would be leaving the club after eight years in West London.

The Ivory Coast striker will leave when his contract expires at the end of June and is now odds-on to follow his former team mate Nicolas Anelka to China.

He leaves the club on a high after a starring role in Saturday’s Champions League final when he scored an emphatic late headed equaliser before coolly slotting home the decisive penalty in the shootout.

It capped a glittering period at Stamford Bridge where he also won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups.

“I wanted to put an end to all the speculation and confirm that I am leaving Chelsea,” Drogba said on the club website (www.chelseafc.com).

“It has been a very difficult decision for me to make and I am very proud of what we have achieved but the time is right for a new challenge for me.”

Drogba, 34, joined Chelsea from Olympique Marseille in 2004. His menacing physicality was ideally suited to the fast-paced hubbub of the Premier League.

LONDON (Reuters) – Liverpool’s managing director Ian Ayre has said the club will not be rushed into naming Kenny Dalglish’s successor with potential candidates facing the tricky prospect of replacing a terrace hero who many feel was harshly treated.

Former Chelsea boss Andre-Villas Boas, Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp and Wigan Athletic’s Roberto Martinez are among the early favourites to succeed Dalglish, who was sacked as manager on Wednesday.

“What we want is the best, what we don’t want is to choose quickly or choose because there’s a time pressure,” Ayre said on the club website (www.liverpoolfc.tv) on Thursday.

“It’ll be about finding the right person who can do the best job for Liverpool Football Club.”

Angry fans bombarded social media sites and phone-ins when it was announced that Dalglish’s tenure at the club had ended only 18 months into his second spell as manager, echoing fan reaction when popular boss Rafa Benitez left the club in 2010.

Despite an eighth-place Premier League finish and a series of disappointing forays in the transfer market, the 61-year-old Scot retained the faith of swathes of supporters who saw green shoots of recovery in the club’s successful cup campaigns.

Dalglish ended a six-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup in February while an impressive FA Cup campaign included victories over Manchester United and Everton before ending in a final defeat by Chelsea.

LONDON, May 17 (Reuters) – Liverpool’s managing director Ian Ayre has said the club will not be rushed into naming Kenny Dalglish’s successor with potential candidates facing the tricky prospect of replacing a terrace hero who many feel was harshly treated.

Former Chelsea boss Andre-Villas Boas, Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp and Wigan Athletic’s Roberto Martinez are among the early favourites to succeed Dalglish, who was sacked as manager on Wednesday.

“What we want is the best, what we don’t want is to choose quickly or choose because there’s a time pressure,” Ayre said on the club website (www.liverpoolfc.tv) on Thursday.

“It’ll be about finding the right person who can do the best job for Liverpool Football Club.”

Angry fans bombarded social media sites and phone-ins when it was announced that Dalglish’s tenure at the club had ended only 18 months into his second spell as manager, echoing fan reaction when popular boss Rafa Benitez left the club in 2010.

Despite an eighth-place Premier League finish and a series of disappointing forays in the transfer market, the 61-year-old Scot retained the faith of swathes of supporters who saw green shoots of recovery in the club’s successful cup campaigns.

Dalglish ended a six-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup in February while an impressive FA Cup campaign included victories over Manchester United and Everton before ending in a final defeat by Chelsea.

LONDON (Reuters) – Scrumhalf Danny Care was recalled by England on Thursday after giving up alcohol following a string of drink-related incidents that put his international future in doubt.

Care, expelled from the Six Nations squad in January for drunk driving and arrested two months later after a night out in Leeds, was named in England coach Stuart Lancaster’s 42-man squad to tour South Africa next month.

The drink-driving arrest, which resulted in a 16-month driving ban, was his second in three weeks after he was fined for being drunk and disorderly.

The 25-year-old Care admitted he had endured a difficult six months and has given up alcohol in an effort to stay on the straight and narrow.

He remains, however, in the last chance saloon according to Lancaster.

“Danny Care needed to reassure me he can lead himself well off the field,” the England coach told reporters.

“I am pleased with the maturity he is showing, but he knows he is treading a fine line.

LONDON, May 10 (Reuters) – Scrumhalf Danny Care was recalled by England on Thursday after giving up alcohol following a string of drink-related incidents that put his international future in doubt.

Care, expelled from the Six Nations squad in January for drink driving and arrested two months later after a night out in Leeds, was named in England coach Stuart Lancaster’s 42-man squad to tour South Africa next month.

The drink-driving arrest, which resulted in a 16-month driving ban, was his second in three weeks after he was fined for being drunk and disorderly.

The 25-year-old Care admitted he had endured a difficult six months and has given up alcohol in an effort to stay on the straight and narrow.

He remains, however, in the last chance saloon accoring to Lancaster.

“Danny Care needed to reassure me he can lead himself well off the field,” the England coach told reporters.

“I am pleased with the maturity he is showing, but he knows he is treading a fine line.

LONDON (Reuters) – If a picture is worth a thousand words then the sight of Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and John Terry standing side by side to lift the FA Cup on Saturday neatly encapsulated the story of a season in which the old guard have confounded their critics to revitalise the club.

The three Chelsea players, who were first up the Wembley steps to collect the trophy following their 2-1 win over Liverpool, represented part of the club that many had written off at the start of the campaign as part of a successful past rather than the future.

Saturday’s win, in which Terry, 31, gave an inspired performance as skipper, Lampard, 33, shone in the midfield battle with Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard and Drogba, 34, netted with a clinical second-half strike, was a startling role reversal from earlier in the season.

Then Chelsea’s senior players were frequently sidelined under former manager Andre Villas-Boas, who is only 34 himself.

Lampard and Drogba were the principal victims of the Portuguese’s unsuccessful efforts to breathe new life into the club but that changed following his departure in March when the managerial reins were handed to former Chelsea midfielder Roberto Di Matteo.

Under the Italian, both have played a major role in a remarkable renaissance that could yet deliver the coveted and elusive Champions League trophy in two weeks’ time.

The Ivorian striker, in particular, has rediscovered his menacing physicality and form and the FA Cup was delivered thanks in large part to his left-footed finish that opened up a two-goal advantage, following Ramires’s early opener.

LONDON, May 6 (Reuters) – If a picture is worth a thousand words then the sight of Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and John Terry standing side by side to lift the FA Cup on Saturday neatly encapsulated the story of a season in which the old guard have confounded their critics to revitalise the club.

The three Chelsea players, who were first up the Wembley steps to collect the trophy following their 2-1 win over Liverpool, represented part of the club that many had written off at the start of the campaign as part of a successful past rather than the future.

Saturday’s win, in which Terry, 31, gave an inspired performance as skipper, Lampard, 33, shone in the midfield battle with Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard and Drogba, 34, netted with a clinical second-half strike, was a startling role reversal from earlier in the season.

Then Chelsea’s senior players were frequently sidelined under former manager Andre Villas-Boas, who is only 34 himself.

Lampard and Drogba were the principal victims of the Portuguese’s unsuccessful efforts to breathe new life into the club but that changed following his departure in March when the managerial reins were handed to former Chelsea midfielder Roberto Di Matteo.

Under the Italian, both have played a major role in a remarkable renaissance that could yet deliver the coveted and elusive Champions League trophy in two weeks’ time.

The Ivorian striker, in particular, has rediscovered his menacing physicality and form and the FA Cup was delivered thanks in large part to his left-footed finish that opened up a two-goal advantage, following Ramires’s early opener.

LONDON (Reuters) – With an impressive knack of scoring important goals in big games, Liverpool marksman Dirk Kuyt has trained his sights on his own cup final hat-trick when his team take on Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.

The Dutch international, who has a gilded goal-scoring record that includes a hat-trick against Manchester United and several Merseyside derby winners, has played in a Champions League and League Cup final for Liverpool and scored in both.

The 31-year-old now wants to make it three in three when Liverpool look to crown an inconsistent league campaign with their second successive cup final victory after winning the League Cup in February.

“I like all the goals I’ve scored, but to score in finals is something really special,” Kuyt said on the club website (www.liverpoolfc.tv).

“I’ve played in two finals for Liverpool and scored in both, so hopefully I’ll score my best goal ever on Saturday.

“I think it would be my favourite. As a kid I always watched the FA Cup. It’s special in England but it’s also special all over the world. It’s one of the most important cups in the world you can win.”

Kuyt’s last appearance at Wembley was as a substitute in the League Cup final against Cardiff City when he scored what looked to be the decisive goal in extra time before a late equaliser sent the game to penalties.

LONDON, May 4 (Reuters) – With an impressive knack of scoring important goals in big games, Liverpool marksman Dirk Kuyt has trained his sights on his own cup final hat-trick when his team take on Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.

The Dutch international, who has a gilded goal-scoring record that includes a hat-trick against Manchester United and several Merseyside derby winners, has played in a Champions League and League Cup final for Liverpool and scored in both.

The 31-year-old now wants to make it three in three when Liverpool look to crown an inconsistent league campaign with their second successive cup final victory after winning the League Cup in February.

“I like all the goals I’ve scored, but to score in finals is something really special,” Kuyt said on the club website (www.liverpoolfc.tv).

“I’ve played in two finals for Liverpool and scored in both, so hopefully I’ll score my best goal ever on Saturday.

“I think it would be my favourite. As a kid I always watched the FA Cup. It’s special in England but it’s also special all over the world. It’s one of the most important cups in the world you can win.”

Kuyt’s last appearance at Wembley was as a substitute in the League Cup final against Cardiff City when he scored what looked to be the decisive goal in extra time before a late equaliser sent the game to penalties.