Dear Frank,
First things first, hopefully all is going well with you and your family.
Ahead of your impending west London arrival this Saturday, I have to admit I'm conflicted about you; half of me wants to smile, the other is utterly confused.
Returning Chelsea legends are nothing new at Stamford Bridge, something you know well. When Jose Mourinho came to London with Inter Milan and Didier Drogba last season with Galatasaray, their names were shouted and chants were sung, but your situation has given many Blues' supporters something of a headache—myself included.
I had little clue Norwich City was going to be your last game in a Chelsea shirt; Ashley Cole's departure felt imminent, but yours came as a relative shock. The club's policy with over 30-year-olds has always bothered me, but I never thought you would be a casualty—especially considering John Terry was given a new contract.
Fourth all-time in appearances, the club's top goalscorer, and I don't have the assist numbers at hand, but I would wager you are near the top of that as well: Your service to Chelsea Football Club was impeccable, so I was under the assumption, after the World Cup, you would return to west London as ever.
But that wasn't the case.
I would love to know the particulars—whether Chelsea did or did not offer you a contract.
There has been speculation both ways concerning the matter. I have always assumed you were not offered a deal; I can't imagine you turning one down, as your devotion to the club was never in question; we do live in a capitalistic society, however, so the notion Chelsea did not offer you what you wanted/deserved is possible.
In any event, the split felt unceremonious to say the least.
When it was announced you were headed to America, I can't say I was surprised. David Beckham, Thierry Henry and other stars have seen/see the MLS as an option later in their respective careers; so I accepted the idea, but had a thought in the back of my mind—knowing New York City FC are owned by the City Football Group—the move could potentially turn sour for myself and other Chelsea supporters.
And indeed it has.
I'm not sure I can be too mad at Manchester City for taking advantage of "loopholes"—as Chelsea would have probably done something similar under the circumstances—but there is something off-putting about seeing you in a sky-blue shirt. Not only because you said you "couldn't imagine playing for anyone else" in England, but you've kept your new club in the 2014/15 Premier League title race.
Were you to have gone to America, Australia or even trained with Chelsea, the Blues would be 12 points clear of Manchester City—as you've given the Citizens seven points. Getting mad at you scoring goals is like getting mad at the sun coming up, because that is what you've done your whole career, but you scoring them at the Etihad was beyond my wildest imaginations.
All that said, understanding football is a business, I'm more disappointed than anything.
Disappointed my club, seemingly, didn't do its utmost to keep you around. Disappointed in rules that shocked not only Blues supporters but NYCFC fans (probably even more so). Lastly, disappointed your Chelsea legacy has come into question.
Being of a certain age (24), you are one of my footballing heroes; I never thought there would come a time when people would be placing you on a level with Sol Campbell as some sort of traitor.
I will forever consider you a Blues legend and arguably the greatest Chelsea player of all time; but as you return to Stamford Bridge wearing a different shade of blue, I can't help but questioning myself a little.
All the best (except on Saturday),
A Chelsea Fan
