Malouda reveals Drog attitude

Malouda and Drogba: Team-mates

Chelsea midfielder Florent Malouda has revealed team-mate Didier Drogba has always had a forthright attitude.

Drogba and Malouda played together at French side Guingamp eight years ago when the Ligue 1 outfit took a gamble on the powerful striker.

The Ivory Coast international has gone on to become a leading star and has set the Premier League alight since his move to Stamford Bridge in 2004.

Malouda admits Drogba has always had a worldly air about him and says he arrived at struggling Guingamp with bags of self confidence.

"Didier arrived at Guingamp during the winter transfer market. We had a bit of a crisis and had to sign a player to save the club. The manager gambled on Didier," he said in the Daily Express.

"No one knew who he was. They asked, 'Didier Drogba, who's he? Where does he play? For Le Mans? But he doesn't even play for them.'

"So we looked for a little information and saw that the guy was a substitute in Division Two.

"Then the lad turned up in the dressing room. He didn't have long hair at the time, but he had the same attitudes as now.

"Imagine someone arriving in a team in crisis where people think he is a nobody and he starts talking like a leader, telling us we had to do this and that.

"There were team stalwarts who thought, 'He has the airs of a star. He must take himself for someone else.'

"A team-mate and I helped him get accepted by the squad and, after that, he had everyone in agreement on the pitch."

Form

Drogba has already netted seven goals in 15 league appearances this season for the Blues and his side take on Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Malouda will be hoping to turn around Chelsea's recent stuttering form in what is expected to be an exciting London derby.

The 30-year-old attacker has revealed that Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier gave him the required ambition to make it as a top player during their time together at Lyon.

He added: "Houllier told me, 'You are a good player at Lyon, but the aim of a good player with the French champions is to become world class.

"I came to Chelsea to make my name. (Jose) Mourinho knew my motivation and I felt his great confidence in me.

"I wanted to prove to him that he hadn't made a mistake."