Swans’ Stars Who Have Also Represented Chelsea
With the connections that Paul Clement has at Chelsea being discussed prior to Saturday’s match, I decided to do some research and see if there was anybody else who has at some point been on the payroll at Stamford Bridge.
Here’s what I found…
Paul Clement
The current Swans’ boss started off his time at Chelsea working part-time in the centre of excellence, while juggling his coaching badges and job as a PE teacher in London. He left for Fulham in 2000, only to return to the Blue’s as a part of their youth setup. After impressing, he made his way up through the ranks until he began work with the first team under Guus Hiddink. Kept on after Hiddink’s departure, Clement made an instant impact on new boss Carlo Ancelotti as they went on to win the Premier League in his first season.
Claude Makélélé
The Frenchman was signed for Chelsea by recently-sacked Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri in 2003. The appointment of Jose Mourinho in the followings season saw Makélélé become a central figure to a Chelsea side that went on to win the Premier League and the League Cup. He was also named in the FIFPro World XI. Now the Swansea assistant coach, Makélélé will be relishing a return to his old stomping ground.
Brendan Rodgers
Another coach to add to the list, Brendan Rodgers spent time as both head youth coach and reserve team coach between 2004 and 2008. It was his time in South-Wales though that saw the Northern-Irish manager become a Swansea icon, making history as the Swans’ became the first Welsh club to be promoted to the Premier League.
Jack Cork
Cork joined Chelsea’s youth setup at the tender age of 9, where he went on to captain both the youth and reserve teams at Stamford Bridge. After spending most of his professional years as a Chelsea player on loan to various clubs including Scunthorpe, Burnley and Watford, Cork joined Southampton in 2011. After several transfer windows of speculation, Cork joined the Swans in the January of 2015, where he’s become a mainstay in the squad as well as the current vice-captain.
Scott Sinclair
It could be argues that the acquisition of Scott Sinclair in 2010 was one of the Swans’ most important signings ever. Like Jack Cork, Sinclair spent most of his time as a professional at Chelsea fulfilling temporary roles elsewhere around the country. It was in 2010 when Brendan Rodgers, who had worked with Sinclair at Chelsea, forked out an initial £500,000 to bring the winger to the Liberty Stadium where he became a fan favourite. Sinclair scored 28 goals in 82 games during his time at Swansea, three of which were in the 2011 Play-Off Final against Reading.
Josh McEachran
Perhaps not one to rave about so much, Swansea was one of several teams who tried the get the best out of Josh McEachran, who once attracted interest from Real Madrid. After returning to Chelsea from his loan at the Swans, the English midfielder told reporters that he had learnt “nothing” from his spell at the club.
Frank Lampard
I think it’s fair to say that we taught Frank Lampard everything he knows. Okay maybe not, but one of the most decorated players in his generation, Lampard did spent a short time on loan at the Vetch Field in the 1995/96 season. Making 9 appearances and scoring once, Lampard went on to leave West Ham for Chelsea where the rest, they say, is history.
YouTube: Frank Lampard making his football league and Swansea City debut at 17
Fabio Borini
Another Chelsea academy prospect brought to Swansea by Brendan Rodgers as part of a bid for promotion, Borini had his most prolific spell he helped the club to gain promotion to the Premier League. After trying to re-sign the forward in the Summer, Rodgers had no such luck as Borini had already signed a pre-contract with Italian outfit Parma before he even pulled on a Swans’ shirt.
Yves Makabu-Ma-Kalmbay
Last and, if i’m being honest, probably least, is goalkeeper Yves Ma-Kalambay. The DR Kongo international signed for Chelsea in his youth, but did not manage anything more than a place on the bench for the Blues. After a successful trial in 2010, Ma-Kalambay joined the Swans’, playing in every League and FA Cup game that season. His contributions though weren’t enough to warrant an extended contract, and he left in the Summer of 2011.
So there you have it. Some obvious and some perhaps not so obvious coaches and players who have represented both Swansea and Chelsea at some point in their careers.
The Swans’ travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, where Paul Clement will be hoping he can retain the four point gap between his side and the Premier League relegation zone.