Wise tells Chelsea: I'll stay

Steve Stammers13 April 2012

Dennis Wise is staying at Chelsea because his mum didn't want him to leave.

The Chelsea captain was poised to join Blackburn for £2 million but his mother, Pam, joined everyone at Stamford Bridge in persuading her 34-year-old son to change his mind.

Wise said today: "Even my mum was upset I might be leaving and said I couldn't."

Chelsea chairman Ken Bates, managing director Colin Hutchinson and fellow player Gianfranco Zola led the pleas for Wise to remain at the club.

Wise said: "They all told me how important I was to the club. The tea ladies were in tears and the girls in Mr Bates's office were upset. They all told me I couldn't leave Chelsea."

Wise had threatened to hand in a transfer request after being dropped by Claudio Ranieri and questioning the coach's tactics. But with the temporary embarrassment of the affair now apparently over, Chelsea can continue their long-term planning, in which Wise is integral.

He has a playing contract at Chelsea which will last until 2003, plus the guarantee of a two-year coaching deal after that.

Speaking from his holiday in Dubai today, Hutchinson said: "The sunshine over here feels that much better. It is tremendous news. I'm delighted.

"We never wanted Dennis to leave. I spoke to him on several occasions yesterday. I had a gut feeling he would stay but I wasn't certain until he rang me last night. A lot of people have worked hard to make sure he did stay.

"His coaching job at Chelsea when he finishes as a player is written in stone. That shows how highly we regard him. I am just pleased that the situation has been resolved.

"When he contacted me last night and told me he would remain at Chelsea I could not be happier."

The £2m fee had been agreed when Wise went to Blackburn yesterday for talks with manager Graeme Souness. But afterwards Wise contacted Hutchinson to say he was staying at Stamford Bridge.

Souness said: "There was a time when I thought we had the deal done but Dennis eventually decided to stay in London."

Meanwhile, Blackburn were waiting on a double deal with West Ham which could involve defender Christian Dailly moving to Upton Park and Marc Keller joining Blackburn.

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