Chelsea defender Gary Cahill has conceded that he has to gain more playing time this season if he is to remain at Stamford Bridge beyond this season.
The 30-year-old has lost his place in the line up to Kurt Zouma in recent weeks, and hasn’t played in the Premier League since the Boxing Day clash with Watford.
However, with John Terry expected to leave the club at the end of the season after announcing that he wouldn’t be getting a renewal, it remains to be seen if Cahill will be following him out of the exit door at Stamford Bridge.
While he signed a four-year extension in December, Cahill has also revealed that talks between himself and interim boss Guus Hiddink were very positive and so things look much brighter than they did last month.
“I feel like it was old baggage brought to him because he has only just walked through the door and for me, like a lot of other players, from day one this season, there’s a bigger picture,” said Cahill, as reported by Sky Sports.
“It was a good conversation, he was very approachable. I thought it was beneficial, very positive. I think from all that stuff that came out, obviously I want to be at the club, I signed a four-year contract a couple of months ago.
“That shows I want to be here, I am settled here, have had a lot of success here and my family is settled here but ultimately I feel I need to play football matches.
“I have always been that way. It has always been in my make-up to play a high percentage of games. I realise that sometimes things go well and sometimes they don’t. But it is very important for me I feel personally, even selfishly, the need to be playing football matches.”
Cahill was keen to reiterate that he believes that he still has a few years left at the top, and with his family settled and his love for the club, he is desperate to work his way back into the side and help them get back up the table.
The reigning Premier League champions will hope to continue their recent form which has seen them go unbeaten since Hiddink’s arrival in December, while the bigger picture will be on building for next season when they appoint a long-term manager.