Siding with Chelsea

Steve Sidwell, formerly of Reading (home to Bobby Convey and Marcus Hahnemann) was presented as a Chelsea player at yesterday's press conference.

Jose Mourinho on Sidwell:

"The reason why they are with is not because they are free agents. The reason they are with us is because they are good players. Being a free agent, it just makes it easier, because we deal with a player and not another team. I want to make it clear, Steve is here because he’s a good player."

"He’s had a very good season. We believe in his talent, his personality, and we believe in his ambition. This is a different level that he’s coming to now, and we think he’s ready for the responsibility."

"Every club does its own analysis of what they need. We know that in the previous three seasons, when we spent some millions, everybody pointed at us as the team with more responsibility because we were spenders in the market. That’s not the case this season. We are happy with that."

"Our squad is almost the same, because it’s good. We know what problems we have and what we need to do next season. We are interested in the squad that we have."

Steve Sidwell on joining Chelsea.

"I know what it’s like to play at a big club (referencing his past with Arsenal)."

"Football-wise, it was the right thing to do. I’ve had a great time and grown by leaps and bounds, but now I’m ready for the kind of challenge I’ll get at a club like Chelsea."

"It’s a massive club and this is an opportunity to play at the highest level. That was one of the reasons why I came to Chelsea."

I got to squeeze in a question at the press conference, the last one allowed. I asked Steve, after playing with two Americans at Reading, what was his impression of the American game.

"To be honest, the lads that were at Reading, they took time to adjust to the English game. They didn’t quite have the mentality coming over as Americans. But we see now that there’s a lot of players switching across leagues, and they’re only going to get better. It’s really the same game in England, eleven players kicking the ball around."

A couple of other reporters thought it a little curious that he didn't mention either Bobby or Marcus by name.

"Maybe he was nervous at this press conference," one speculated. "His hands were shaking."