Jamie Gittens offered advice on how to win over Chelsea fans by Florent Malouda after making slow start to life with Blues after £55m transfer
Enter Malouda, the man who knows exactly what Gittens is going through. The French winger endured a rough start himself after joining Chelsea from Lyon in 2007 for £13.5m. He too faced boos and doubts before turning himself into a fan favourite and a key part of the club’s golden era.
“You should not be affected by this,” Malouda told The Athletic. “They are your fans and have the right to express their feelings. If you play in a club like Chelsea, it could (be like this) home and away and you have to be able to handle that pressure, to understand they want your best. They do not do it for you to perform less, they do it to deliver a message to you, and you need to get the message.
“How did I win them over? It was a strong relationship based on commitment. I was committed to the club. Every transfer window there were rumours but I was still fighting for the cause, the club, to earn the trust of the fans. The fans gave it back to me because they saw I truly loved the club, saw that I was defending the club with everything I had. I had the opportunity on great European nights and also the Premier League, the FA Cups. They felt I was a reliable player. It was a successful story in the end.”
Malouda’s story is one of redemption. After his early struggles, he went on to become one of Chelsea’s most trusted players. By the time he left, he had 45 goals, 39 assists, and five major trophies to his name, including the Premier League and FA Cup double in 2010, and the Champions League crown two years later.
Last weekend, Malouda was back at Stamford Bridge, not on the pitch this time, but in the stands, watching as Gittens showed signs of improvement during his late cameo against Liverpool. The former winger admitted the journey takes time but insisted belief is everything.
“It’s a learning process,” Malouda said. “When you are so young and join a club like Chelsea, you have to build your confidence. It is part of the journey. The talent is there (with Gittens), it is how you are able to perform at this level. When you are young, you have to be fearless, that is the only way.
“The club believes in him, it is just how he is able to prove to the people at the club who put their trust in him that he belongs to this club. The beauty of football is that with one goal, one assist, a sparkle from Jamie, you can turn things around. You should also believe that you can do it and deliver on a regular basis. He can light the stadium on fire with one goal, and then it starts.”
