[misha]

Kakha Kaladze has slammed Chelsea after claiming the Premiership champions went back on an agreement to sign the AC Milan defender.
Kaladze was linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in the summer and the Georgian international says Roman Abramovich had promised to bring the defender to west London.

"I needed a new challenge after five years with Milan," Kaladza told the News of the World.
"I had talks with Roman Abramovich which fascinated me and eagerly chose to join Chelsea. He shook hands with me and convinced me to move to London.

"But I don't know what happened after then. Everybody went back on their words and I was left very disappointed."
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This post has been edited by mishale: Sep 10 2006, 04:41 PM

[han2503]

Kakha Kaladze has slammed Chelsea after claiming the Premiership champions went back on an agreement to sign the AC Milan defender.
Kaladze was linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in the summer and the Georgian international says Roman Abramovich had promised to bring the defender to west London.

"I needed a new challenge after five years with Milan," Kaladza told the News of the World.
"I had talks with Roman Abramovich which fascinated me and eagerly chose to join Chelsea. He shook hands with me and convinced me to move to London.

"But I don't know what happened after then. Everybody went back on their words and I was left very disappointed."
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This is coming from the news of the world right? I wouldn't believe anything they write.

And even if Kaladze had said those things I'm sure it was before he last season when he actually started to play, becaus e I know that he had mentioned something about this before while he wasn't playing. That story is most probably a copy paste bit from 2 years ago

[misha]

This is coming from the news of the world right? I wouldn't believe anything they write.

And even if Kaladze had said those things I'm sure it was before he last season when he actually started to play, becaus e I know that he had mentioned something about this before while he wasn't playing. That story is most probably a copy paste bit from 2 years ago

I checked it was last year

TBILISI, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Georgian captain Kakha Kaladze takes a match-fixing scandal, injuries and day-to-day club problems in his stride because he has overcome real tragedy: the kidnapping and murder of his brother.
The AC Milan defender's younger brother Levan, just 21, was abducted in broad daylight near his Tbilisi home in May 2001. The kidnappers demanded a $600,000 ransom for his release but murdered him shortly after his disappearance.
His body was only found this year after police arrested four men and charged them with his killing.
"If anything, it made me even stronger," Kaladze, who also had to deal with a match-fixing scandal at his Italian club, told Reuters in an interview.
"A weak person might have had problems coping with it but I found some inner strength to deal with it.
"I never considered quitting the game. Actually, soccer has helped me to keep my mind off my personal problems.
"I would say soccer, my family, friends and countrymen gave me the strength to overcome everything."
TIGHT FAMILY
Kaladze, 28, who was born in the small town of Samtredia in western Georgia, said that time has healed some of the wounds but the tragedy has brought his tightly-knit family even closer.
"It has been five years since Levan's disappearance and you realise that life must go on. It also made me realise how precious life is," he said.
"After all, soccer is only a game. No matter how bad you might feel after a defeat there is always the next game. If you had a bad season there is always next year. But you can't replace a human life, if it's lost, it's gone forever.
"That's why when the Italian league conducted investigations into the match-fixing, I remained philosophical.
"Of course, the players were all disappointed because we didn't cheat.
"We've earned our points on the field through good play and hard work, so we have nothing to be ashamed of," said Kaladze, who wanted to join English champions Chelsea a year ago.
ABRAMOVICH HANDSHAKE
"After five years with Milan I just wanted a new challenge in life," said the Georgian, who was involved in protracted negotiations with the London club.
"I wanted to join Chelsea very much and I had talks with (Roman) Abramovich."
Kaladze said they had agreed on a personal contract and he even shook hands with the club's billionaire owner afterwards before Chelsea changed their minds.
"I don't know what happened but I think they went back on their word," he said. "I was very disappointed."
Kaladze said the Chelsea saga has also strained his relationship with Milan.
"I told Milan about my plans. Of course, they were angry at me for wanting to leave and I had to spend most of last year on the bench," said the defender, who joined the Serie A side from Dynamo Kiev in January 2001.
"After the Chelsea deal fell through I decided to stay put. I signed a new five-year contract with Milan (through 2010) and I've been playing regular football in central defence, which is my preferred position."
Even a painful knee injury could not spoil his season.
"I could honestly say that last season was one of my best, if not the best and I'm very very happy right now.
"I would like to sign another contract with Milan for a couple more years, then retire happy."
Before hanging up his boots, however, the soft-spoken Georgian wants to fulfil another of his dreams.
GEORGIA DREAM
He wants to follow his former Dynamo Kiev and AC Milan team mate Andriy Shevchenko and lead his country to a major championship finals.
Shevchenko, who joined Chelsea in the close season, captained Ukraine at this year's World Cup in Germany, where they reached the last eight on their debut.
"There was a similarity between Andriy and myself that both of our countries had never participated in major tournaments until this summer," Kaladze said.
"Then of course, he achieved his dream playing in the World Cup. I hope one day to do the same."
Georgia face Ukraine in their third Euro 2008 qualifier on Wednesday but Kaladze won't face his old friend and rival because he has had to go back to Milan for treatment on his injured knee.
Georgia got away to a flying start in their qualifying campaign, crushing Faroe Islands 6-0 last month, their biggest victory in a competitive match since making their international debut as an independent country 12 years ago.
EUPHORIA OVER
But the euphoria was short-lived as they lost to World Cup runners-up France 3-0 at home on Saturday.
With Kaladze forced to watch from the bench because of his injury, Georgia's inexperienced defence could not cope with the clinical French attack.
"You can't really replace Kaladze, not in our team," he said Georgia's new German manager Klaus Toppmoeller.
Kaladze though still believes Georgia can make his dream come true.
"I still have a dream of playing in a major championship for my country," he said.
"At club level, I've won almost everything there is with Milan -- the Champions League, Serie A, the (European) Super Cup, but so far I haven't achieved anything with Georgia.
"That's why I'll never turn my back on the national team. I always will be here as long as they need me."
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This post has been edited by mishale: Sep 10 2006, 04:57 PM