Drogba bites tongue over bench role

Didier Drogba admits that he is having to bite his tongue after being named on the Ivory Coast bench for a second game running.

The striker has been overlooked in favour of Swansea City man Wilfried Bony in the Ivory Coast’s first two FIFA World Cup matches.

Drogba has come off the bench in both games and there have been some calls from supporters for the former Chelsea forward to be reinstated to the starting XI for the final Group C match with Greece, which will decide if they reach the knockout stages.

The 36-year-old respects any decision made by head coach Sabri Lamouchi, but revealed he is not always able to reveal his true thoughts.

“I can’t always express what I feel,” he is quoted as saying by The Independent.

“These are the coach’s choices and I respect them.”

Lamouchi himself believes it is foolhardy to focus too heavily on how he utilises Drogba.

“We shouldn’t get fixated on Didier Drogba,” he commented.

“It’s just the second game where he’s been on the bench.”