‘I spent three years at Chelsea – one Premier League icon was lazy in training’

A player who spent three years at Chelsea has revealed one of the Premier League’s most talented stars was ‘almost lazy’ in training.

Loic Remy largely underwhelmed during his three-year spell at Stamford Bridge, scoring just eight goals in 32 league games.

The Frenchman was forced to play second fiddle to first-choice striker Diego Costa but was part of the Jose Mourinho team that won a Premier League and League Cup double in 2014-15.

Remy shared a dressing room with some of Chelsea’s most-loved players, including Petr Cech, Branislav Ivanovic, John Terry, Cesar Azpilicueta, Ramires, John Obi Mikel, Didier Drogba and the aforementioned Costa.

Looking back at his time at Chelsea, Remy named Eden Hazard as the one player who ‘impressed me so much’ despite often taking it easy on the training pitch.

Hazard was voted Chelsea Player of the Year a record four times during his seven seasons at Stamford Bridge and was also named the Premier League Player of the Year as the Blues clinched the double under Mourinho.

Earlier this year Hazard, considered one of the most exciting and talented players of his generation, was nominated for the Premier League’s Hall of Fame.

‘I think back to my time at Chelsea and the player who always springs to mind first, for me, is Eden Hazard,’ Remy told Ladbrokes.

‘This guy was just unbelievable. I was surrounded by so many great players, title winners, experienced names, like John Terry and Didier Drogba – and so I had to remind myself in those first few weeks that I deserved to be there, to be honest; I wasn’t there by accident.

‘I just wanted to learn from these guys, every single day, and that was pretty much my main target.

‘But then you’ve got that magician, Eden Hazard, in his prime. He impressed me so much; he was so quick and strong.

‘My first game for Chelsea was at Stamford Bridge, and I can remember in the week leading up to the game, Eden was almost lazy in training, losing the ball, not defending; it was just like he was playing with his friends in the street.

‘I knew him well from Ligue 1; we knew each other, and so I wanted to speak to him about it after a few sessions…

‘I said to him, “Eden, that’s the way you train? Really?” He replied, “Listen. You will see who is the boss, this weekend.”

‘That’s what he said back to me, just like that.  So the weekend came along, we’re at home, I’m on the bench, taking everything in because it’s my first time being involved with the team on a match day.

‘The game started, and I saw him pick up the ball, and it was frightening.

‘It was like he was playing against his kids; it was so easy for him. I came off the bench with about 20 minutes to go, and I ended up scoring off the back of an Eden Hazard run; I received the ball from Oscar, I think, and managed to finish it.

‘So, I’d scored my first goal, I was so happy, it was a really proud moment for me and my family. I get back in the dressing room, and that’s the moment where I could sit down and allow myself to think about what had just happened to me.

‘And then someone comes and sits next to me… Eden Hazard. He just grabbed me and said, “I told you: who is the boss?!”

‘I shook his hand and had nothing else to add; he really was the boss in that team.’

Hazard finished his Chelsea career with 110 goals in 352 appearances. He also helped the Blues win the Premier League in 2017.

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