Not many players know more about Chelsea's polarising loan policy than Kenneth Omeruo. After joining the Blues from Standard Liege in 2012, Omeruo has spent the last eight seasons on loan without yet making an appearance for the club.
In Part II of TribalFootball's exclusive interview with the 25-year-old, we discuss his connection with Chelsea, biggest influences and views on the club's 'loan army'. In case you missed Part I please click here.
1) Are Chelsea in touch regularly with you while with Leganes?
Yes. Chelsea always keep in touch. We have a group chat where we interact and they also come to watch some of the games. It has been good.
2) Having spent the six years you've been with Chelsea away on-loan, do you feel any emotional connection with the club?
Of course I do feel an emotional connection with the club. You know without them, I wouldn't be where I am today. The club took a chance on me when I didn't even believe that it was possible and I have had the opportunity to travel, play in other leagues and improve myself and also play in the national team as well. Definitely, being a Chelsea player has really helped and I have no regrets at all.
3) Do you feel you can still make it with Chelsea? Does anyone from the club offer you encouragement about being a Chelsea player in the long-term?
Well, in football anything is possible. I feel I can still make it in Chelsea but it is not my priority right now.
My main priority is to keep playing, play in the major leagues, prove myself, play at the highest level and one day, if I play for Chelsea okay and if not, there are other clubs, but I want to play in the biggest clubs, play in the Champions League. So, this is my main aim, not just to play in Chelsea.
4) How important was Michael Emenalo to your career? Who has had the biggest influence on your career from Chelsea?
Michael Emenalo as you know was someone I could speak to at Chelsea when I was newly signed by the club. He is a Nigerian and was the Sport Director that signed me. So of course, he played a big role in my coming to Chelsea.
And my biggest influence from Chelsea would definitely be Michael Essien. It is definitely him.
5) Was there any manager at Chelsea you felt close to? How were you treated in preseason at Chelsea?
For me the manager I am closest to is Eddie Newton who is in charge of the loan group and every new season, we always train under him, under his supervision and he always comes to encourage us out on loan.
He has been the person that really believes in me. He has said it right from the start that I have all it takes to play in the big leagues and presently, I am playing in one of the big leagues in the world.
So, I am happy that I have someone like him in Chelsea who encourages me and funny enough, he is a Nigerian but I don't think Nigerians knows much about him like that.
6) Do you think multiple loans are good for Chelsea players?
It is good for the players to go on multiple loans because if you play in the Under 21s in Chelsea, you really don't get a lot of experience doing that, but going out on loan, you meet people, you play in different leagues, improve yourself and you know different culture.
It is very good for players to go on loans and I am a good example. I don't wait around for them to tell me to go on loan, I just look for a club who wants me and I go. But I think too much of it becomes tiring.
Stay tuned tomorrow for Part Three of Tribalfootball's interview with Kenneth Omeruo as he discusses his international career with Nigeria.
