Hiddink’s legacy will benefit Chelsea in 2009-10 season: Drogba

LONDON - Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba reckons Chelsea will benefit this season from the legacy left behind by their Dutch coach Guus Hiddink.

The Blues stormed back from a first-half Wembley horror show on Sunday to beat Manchester United on penalties in the Community Shield.

According to The Sun, Drogba believes the hard work done on their fitness in the five months Dutchman Hiddink was interim manager is now paying dividends for new boss Carlo Ancelotti.

Striker Drogba, 31, who last week signed a new deal, said: “Our fitness is partly due to the fact that last season we finished strong. We worked hard with Guus and now we are at the same level of fitness.

“We are trying to improve our level of fitness in order to be better in the new system, which is not easy for us to play.”

Drogba”s new deal represents a remarkable turn-around in the Ivory Coast hitman”s fortunes at Stamford Bridge.

His future had come into question after he publicly criticised owner Roman Abramovich following Jose Mourinho”s exit.

The 30-year-old also fell out with boss Big Phil Scolari early last season.

In May last year, his Blues career was hanging in the balance.

His attack on referee Tom Henning Ovrebo following the Champions League semi-final exit against Barcelona had seemingly put a new deal in danger.

But Drogba, whose four-match UEFA ban was cut to three on appeal, now looks set to finish his career at Chelsea. (ANI)