I left Chelsea because Hiddink ‘didn’t like me’, says Ramires

Ian Watson

Ramires says he left Chelsea to join Jiangsu Suning because he was frozen out of the first-team by Guus Hiddink.

Brazil midfielder Ramires ended a six-year association with the Blues when he joined the Chinese Super League outfit in a £25million deal in January.

After being heavily involved at the start of the season under Jose Mourinho, the 29-year-old played only 20 minutes of Premier League football following the arrival of Hiddink as interim boss.

“One of the big reasons I left Chelsea was the arrival of the new coach. It wasn’t just because I had a good relationship with Jose,” he said.

“But when he was in charge, I knew there was a chance of playing and that the fight for a place in the team was always open. Yet when Hiddink arrived, he took me out of the side for no reason.

“I couldn’t understand why because I had played well and fought hard for a team that was having difficulties. He didn’t like me as a player or my way and decided very rashly that he wasn’t going to give me an opportunity to fight for a place in his team.

“Even when I played the full 90 minutes against Scunthorpe, the next match in the Premier League I was not involved. I just sat on the bench the entire game and after that I wasn’t even a sub.

“I was a long time out of matches there and I wanted to join in and help a team that was not in a great moment. And it was not easy to watch from the bench and see the team not performing well.

“Hiddink’s arrival really complicated things for me and I just don’t know why… but I guess that’s football.”

Ramires won a host of honours while at Stamford Bridge, including a Premier League title and Champions League.

And the former Benfica man insists the club remains close to his heart.

“I am a Chelsea supporter and want the club to get back into the Champions League as quickly as possible because that is where they belong,” he added.

“I’ve only thankful things to say about Chelsea because they made me who I am today — the name I have in football and a style that people like me for.”