 Regarded by many experts as the key man in Chelsea's team of superstars, Claude Makelele's immense contribution to the Blues' first title success in 50 years cannot be overstated. Sitting in front of the most watertight defence the Premiership has ever seen, Makelele's tigerish tackling and winning attitude helped the West London outfit take their game to a new level.
France boss Raymond Domenech will be hoping the 32-year-old can make a similar impact for Les Bleus after it emerged he would be returning to the international fold along with Zinedine Zidane and Lilian Thuram. It promises to be another big year for the former Real Madrid midfielder. He told channel4.com’s Laurent Lacroix about his hopes.
After such an outstanding campaign, will it be possible for you and for Chelsea to maintain your standards this season?
I certainly hope so! We were very consistent last year so it will be very tough to do as well again. But we are starting the season with one objective: to improve on last year. We are all determined to defend our title successfully and to reach the Champions’ League Final. The Coach has strengthened the squad nicely, so it’s up to the players to maintain the standard now. From a personal point of view, I was very satisfied with the way I played last year. I need to continue to work hard on my game and listen to what the Coach wants from me.
Have you spoken personally with Jose Mourinho about your situation?
No, no. We haven’t spoken about my situation. We are all players playing in the same system so he normally addresses us as a group rather than individuals. There isn’t a situation to discuss in any case. I have three years left on my contract and I have the Coach’s confidence.
With Shaun-Wright Phillips arriving and Michael Essien possibly on the way, the competition for places in midfield will be especially tough.
The competition for places will be hotter than ever. But that’s good as it will enable the team to keep moving forward. It’s true that we have brought in some excellent players. Wright-Philipps is a very exciting player and we all know about Hernan Crespo’s quality. In the last two or three years Chelsea have made steady progress. They have attained a new level and are now regarded as one of the best in Europe. Each year it is up to us to maintain this new identity and the new players will help us to do that.
Chelsea’s chief executive Peter Kenyon does not seem to think the club has a rival for the title. Do you agree with him?
I think Chelsea will have a lot of rivals this season. Manchester United and Arsenal are always going to be there or there abouts, while Newcastle have bought well this summer. There are two or three other teams who have improved a lot so it’s going to be a tough season. It’s always hard to defend a title but the players here thrive on new challenges.
Don’t you think that Arsenal are going to miss your France teammate Patrick Vieira?
Yes they'll miss him. He is a class player but I don’t think Arsenal will be weaker because Patrick has left. Football is all about cycles. Arsenal are passing into a new cycle so perhaps it was time for Arsenal and for Patrick to move on. They have a new generation of young players coming through and if anything they'll be stronger this season. The young players will be very determined they will probably be more together as a group.
Last season Chelsea only lost one League match. Can they go the season unbeaten this year?
I don’t know about that. It’s a very hard thing to do. When I was at Nantes we came very close (in 1994-95), but we lost one game towards the end. We had a great team but we came up just short, so I know how hard it is. But the most important thing is to focus on trying to win the League again.
How important a role did Nantes play in your development?
I owe a huge amount to Nantes. I started my career at Brest but the education I received at Nantes was fantastic and certainly helped launch my career. We had a really exciting young team and we had one of the best Coaches around in Jean-Claude Suaudeau. We played terrific, fast football and we dominated in France for a long period. We also held our own in Europe, so for a young player it was a really exciting time.
Are you aware that Nantes were almost relegated last season?
Yes, I know they just escaped on the last day. I still have a lot of friends at Nantes so I keep in touch with the club's progress. It would have been very sad to see a club like Nantes relegated to Ligue 2, but they survived and the most important thing is that they are addressing the problem. They’ve brought in (sports director) Japhet N’Doram, a former teammate of mine, and that’s a good move. The club must never forget it’s past, and using the skills and the knowledge of former players has to be the way forward.
Your father, a former Zaire international, was also an important figure in your career.
The fact I'm a footballer is solely down to the influence of my father. He was a great Dad. He did everything for me. I moved to France from Kinshasa with my parents when I was four. My Dad brought me up well and introduced me to the game. He helped me make the right choices and I’ll always be grateful to him.
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