Drogba will not retire at season's end

If anyone was expecting veteran striker and all-around hero Didier Drogba to hang up his boots at the end of the season, prepare to be surprised: it's not going to happen. Talking in the aftermath of a brutal 1-0 win away at QPR, the Ivorian confirmed that no matter how well this season ends, it won't be his last.

I have made a decision, it's not my last season.

Source: Mail.

Drogba hasn't been an ideal 3rd striker, obviously -- the man is 37 and can neither press or attack opposing centre halves at speed anymore, but he's done as reasonable a job here as could be expected. I think his contributions would probably be looked upon more highly had it not been for the fact that Loïc Rémy and Diego Costa tend to synchronise their injuries, which leaves him having to play full matches when his role should be more as a second-half target man.

And it is, of course, difficult to measure Drogba's contribution in helping Jose Mourinho turn his baby horses into prize-winning racers. We know he was brought in to influence the dressing room, and we can't know how effectively he's done so. Will we still need that next year? Maybe not. And it's difficult to see a world in which we sacrifice a non-home-grown slot for Drogba next season, either.

Perhaps we're once again poised to say goodbye to a Chelsea legend.