Gianfranco Zola has say on Chelsea stars Palmer & Gallagher

• [On Cole Palmer] "I never would have thought that he would play like that towards the end of the season from what I had seen at the beginning... so big congratulations and respect to him."
• [On Conor Gallagher] "He has been essential because again, flair can make you win a game, but the play he has shown makes you win trophies. He has been very important for Chelsea, and I really hope he can be as important for England. I hope he doesn’t leave Chelsea."
• "I totally believe that a good mix of quality players is important so that they can really show the way to the young ones. If Chelsea can get a few experienced players in, that would be fundamental."
• "A Champions League spot for us will be a fantastic achievement. The standard is now very high so Chelsea will have a lot of ground to cover to be on their level and challenge for the title. There is a lot of work to do."
• "Sir Alex Ferguson said I annoyed him once, but don’t worry, he annoyed me too! However, I was flattered when he said how much respect he had for me. We were just very competitive and challenging Manchester United. I was annoyed that United kept beating us and winning titles at that time..."
• "After my first year at Chelsea, I was asked if I wanted to leave and go to a better team but that was never my intention. I was very happy to stay with Chelsea. Not even for a second did it cross my mind to change clubs and I am so blessed that I maintained that decision."

I was talking to a Chelsea fan the other day in a theatre about Cole Palmer and I will repeat what I told him... he is one of the players who has impressed me the most this season. I saw some qualities at the beginning, but I couldn’t see all the qualities that he went on to show throughout the year. Towards the end he was just really impressive. He has become essential and very effective in what he does. I never would have thought that he would play like that towards the end of the season from what I had seen at the beginning... so big congratulations and respect to him. 

Conor Gallagher was very important because he gave the team the type of quality that was needed. We know Chelsea has a lot of young players with a lot of talent but along with that you have roles; you need to have a great personality and hunger, and, in this sense, Conor has given them a lot. He has been essential because again, flair can make you win a game, but the play he has shown makes you win trophies. He has been very important for Chelsea, and I really hope he can be as important for England. I hope he doesn’t leave Chelsea. 

A great team is made of talent like Cole Palmer, but we need players with personality that can give something that those talented players don’t have. Their strength, their tackles, their passion. Every team should have that, and all the great teams have that. I know there are financial obligations, but I really hope that they can find a way to keep him. 

Chelsea have had a hard season especially at the beginning, but they changed a lot. They put a lot of young players in place, and lost a lot of experienced ones like Jorginho, Kai Havertz, and Mateo Kovacic. In terms of ability, I think the team have that, but I believe a young team needs to have experienced players among them to guide them through the journey. I totally believe that a good mix of quality players is important so that they can really show the way to the young ones. If Chelsea can get a few experienced players in, that would be fundamental. 

Enzo Maresca has a big job to do. He will need to get the players behind him to do what he wants to do. He will need to get the supporters behind him. It will be a big task. I saw Leicester play and I was impressed by the way he got them playing so I know he has abilities, and on top of that he is Italian so that is a plus!  

Success for Chelsea next season would be to get a Champions League spot. We came close this year so if we can manage to do that, I think we can say it has been a very good season. Considering that the competition now has become incredibly strong with Manchester City, Liverpool, and now Arsenal coming very strong, it is tough. A Champions League spot for us will be a fantastic achievement. The standard is now very high so Chelsea will have a lot of ground to cover to be on their level and challenge for the title. There is a lot of work to do. 

Sir Alex Ferguson said I annoyed him once, but don’t worry, he annoyed me too! However, I was flattered when he said how much respect he had for me. We were just very competitive and challenging Manchester United. I was annoyed that United kept beating us and winning titles at that time, but I was always very impressed by Sir Alex. He was a fantastic manager, and I was very pleased to have played in his era. It would have been great to have had him as a manager, but I am very happy with the managers I’ve had at Chelsea. I had very good spells with Ruud Gullit, Gianluca Vialli, and Claudio Ranieri. I had a great time with all of them. I couldn’t pick a favourite as I had special moments with each. With Ruud, it was the beginning. We won the first FA Cup and that was magic. We played very good football, and we had fun. With Gianluca, we just consolidated what we had done with Ruud. We won another FA Cup, the Winners’ Cup, the Super Cup, and we were establishing ourselves at the top. With Ranieri, I ended my career at Chelsea and I will always remember my last year with the club. It was my best year of all. I wasn’t as young, but I played some very good football and numbers wise, I had the best in the Premier League. 

After my first year at Chelsea, I was asked if I wanted to leave and go to a better team but that was never my intention. I was very happy to stay with Chelsea. Not even for a second did it cross my mind to change clubs and I am so blessed that I maintained that decision. 

Gianfranco Zola exclusively told Ladbrokes 1-2-Free