STEVE SIDWELL knows that Chelsea has become a graveyard for many midfielders.Since Roman Abramovich bought the club several hopefuls have signed, dreaming of glory, only to end up moving on.
Juan Veron, Tiago, Scott Parker, Alexei Smertin and Jiri Jarosik are just a few who have come and gone.
Even Michael Ballack struggled last season.
But Sidwell, 24, is happy to give it a go.
The former Arsenal rookie, who signed on a free from Reading in May, decided the offer to play for the Blues was too good to refuse.
He said: “There has been a lot of negativity, people saying I wasn’t going to play and that.
“But it’s all down to me. If I don’t get into a squad on a Saturday, I’ll try even harder in training the next week.
“I thrive on competition. I’ve got a strong mentality — you get that growing up at Arsenal — and aim to do well and achieve.
“I know it is going to be a big, big challenge. But there’s one thing that I can guarantee — when people put challenges in front of me, I’m not one to lie down.
“If I get knocked back, I get up. I’m still fighting. And this won’t change me at all. This will make me stronger.
“I’m going to get a chance. It’s not worked out for others before me — but I can’t go through my career, not coming to Chelsea and then saying ‘I could have played for them’.
“I’d rather give it a go. If it doesn’t work I’ll hold my hands up and say I wasn’t good enough. At least I’ve got the bottle to do it.”
