LONDON — The prospect of Didier Drogba even being considered as the Footballer of the Year last season would have brought ridicule. The members of the Football Writers' Association have to judge the player who "by precept and example" they believe deserves the award and the Chelsea striker is on course to be among the candidates this time around.
There are obvious negatives about the Cote d'Ivoire captain. He has a reputation, richly deserved, for going down too easily yet amazingly has never been cautioned for diving. In fairness to Drogba, he has improved this side of his game though the image of him swearing at a television camera after the Champions League semifinal defeat by Barcelona last May is still fresh in the memory.
Few top stars are without their excesses and among previous Footballers of the Year are Eric Cantona and Roy Keane, so Drogba's "previous" should not necessarily preclude him. If he keeps his nose clean and continues his current form, Drogba cannot be discounted.