Lille vs Chelsea – Loic Remy interview: ‘When Jose Mourinho needed me, I was there to respond’
Exclusive interview: The French striker discusses his times as the Blues’ super-sub, his close relationship with the Portuguese manager and being a mentor to Lille’s flourishing young contingent
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Loic Remy may not be one of the players that immediately comes to mind when recalling Chelsea's list of champions, but there are many of them who would still express extreme gratitude to him for one of their medals. Among them is Jose Mourinho.
It was March 2015 and, after a first half of the season when Chelsea had been surging, they were very suddenly stumbling. Mourinho’s side had just been knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain to go with two poor home 1-1 draws against Burnley and Southampton, and had now squandered a 2-0 lead away to Hull City. To make things worse, Thibaut Courtois had gifted Abel Hernandez an equaliser after miscontrolling a backpass.
It was all going wrong. Mourinho had to offer something different. With 15 minutes left, the previously free-scoring Diego Costa was hauled off, and Remy was introduced. Within two minutes, and one touch, the French international had scored.
“I remember this well,” Remy says now. “It’s a special moment. The pass came from Willian on the left, and… yeah.”
Yeah, a classic piece of crucially instinctive goalscoring, and precisely what Remy was signed for. He immediately tuned into the rhythm of the match, and his own game, to score with his first touch.
“A super-sub,” he laughs. “When you give me my chance, I will take it.”
It isn’t a stretch to say it was Chelsea’s version of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, or Christopher Wreh. It was a juncture moment in that run-in, as they won five of the next six to win the title. Remy had fixed their form.
The 32-year-old comes up against his old team in the Champions League at Staude Pierre-Mauroy, occupying a relatively similar role in the upwardly mobile Lille team. Except he is now one of the senior players, offering some necessary balance as regards experience, at a club prioritising youth.
“Yeah, very young. Most of them are between 18 and 23. I try to be one of the leaders now, to share our experience, try to help them in a good way and give them good advice.”
There’s a lot to draw on in what was a well-travelled career involving two league titles, but Chelsea remains the highlight.
Remy arrived at the end of the summer of 2014, one of those classic Mourinho windows - and possibly his last - where he forensically closed out a squad to be exactly what he wanted. And, having grown frustrated with his striking options in his first season back in 2013-14, the Portuguese wanted Remy as the reliable back-up to newly-signed Costa.
“He trusted me,” the striker says. “I remember one time before a big match, it was Manchester City at home, and Diego Costa was injured and he grabbed me and said ‘I know your quality. I know you can play these type of games, so just go and don’t think too much.’
“And that’s what happened. I scored in this game as well. He trusted me, and even I think the market was open and some clubs wanted to buy me, but the manager said ‘no, I want to keep this player, he’s very useful for the squad’. He knew Costa was the first choice, but that he could count on me as well.
“When the manager needed me, I was there to respond.
“On the human side, he was very good with me. I have very good memories of this time. It’s part of the story of the club, and for me as a player it’s a big achievement as well. I really enjoyed my time there.
“I was supposed to sign for Liverpool. I went for the medical in Boston, then apparently I failed the medical. For me, everything happens for a reason, which means at the end of the day, Chelsea. We had a fantastic season. This year Liverpool had been in trouble, it was not the Liverpool of the previous season.”
Remy’s personality was as suited to his rule as his particular skills.
“I want to play more but I’m not this kind of guy who will try to disturb, or try to make the defender crazy. I’m staying calm in every situation, trying to score goals because that’s my job as well. I think that’s part of me, and part of my nature. I don’t stress for anything. Sometimes my teammates were laughing at me, saying I put reggae music because I was too calm… but that’s just me.”
Almost fittingly, Remy actually scored the last goal of Mourinho’s time at Chelsea, the solitary strike in that fateful 2-1 defeat to Leicester City. He is reluctant to discuss what went wrong that season, as there remains an evident loyalty to “one of the best managers in the game”.
“It was a difficult time, many things can happen. The communication was not good. I was there to do my job. With every single club I’ve been, I’ve never been part of the politics. So maybe I’m not the right guy to ask the question. I didn’t have this influence in the dressing room.
“For me, honestly, I always remember when I was there, tactically he was very good. He knows football.
“People know Mourinho is a good manager, even if he had trouble in some clubs.”
The protracted fall-out from all that means it is a very different squad from that which Remy played, although there are still Chelsea players he is close to.
“Kurt Zouma, we talk over the phone sometimes. But, yeah, the team is quite different from the time I was there. Many players left the year after, but I am still in contact with Zouma. He’s a good friend, we’re from the same city, but on the pitch we fight for the win.”
Zouma will know as well as anyone the qualities that Remy can offer, but particularly a sudden penchant for the spectacular.
He won the goal of the season in France last season for a brilliant volley on the turn against Bordeaux, to go with that stunning strike for QPR against Wigan Athletic in 2012-13. You can sense the joy as he discusses it.
“Yeah, what a goal. What a goal. I remember this goal because I didn’t score many goals like this, so yeah, it was a fantastic goal. I came from our box, that run, and shot. I was thinking ‘OK, try this’.”
It’s an insight into the instinct of such a striker, and one that led to one of Chelsea’s most special memories.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments