Winning trophies is better for your CV than finishing fourth

DEMBA BA is desperate to be remembered as a glorious winner rather than just another contender.

The Chelsea forward says it is trophies that write a player’s name into football history — while top-four finishes and near misses are fast forgotten.
Strike star Ba entered the big debate that is raging at Stamford Bridge by backing boss Rafa Benitez’s controversial squad rotation in the push for Cup glory.
The fourth-placed Blues are in danger of dropping out of the Champions League spots after Benitez rested several players in the 2-1 defeat at Southampton on Saturday.
But his decision paid off when Ba scored the winner in the FA Cup quarter-final replay against Manchester United 48 hours later.
Ba, 27, insisted: “When you retire, no one remembers that you finished in the top four.
“But they do remember you won a trophy, so it’s important as a player that you win a trophy. Yes, the top four is very important — but we want a trophy.
“We are looking very good in two competitions — the Europa League and the FA Cup. And we’re going to do everything to win them both.”
Chelsea’s quest for silverware this season will flourish or flounder in the next fortnight.
They face Russian outfit Rubin Kazan in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final at Stamford Bridge tomorrow night, with the second leg a week later.
And then on April 14 the Blues are at Wembley for a semi-final showdown with Manchester City in the FA Cup. That is the big one for Ba — who is cup-tied in Europe — and he hopes to claim his first-ever winner’s medal in a competition the Londoners have dominated recently.
Ba added: “I have not yet won a trophy in my career but hopefully this will be the season that happens.
“We’re playing against one of the best teams in the country — but we’ll go to Wembley to win.
“We always talk about trophies here. That has to be the aim for the players and the club but we have to prove we can do it on the pitch.”
Ba’s stunning volleyed winner in the quarter-final replay against United on Monday put Chelsea in sight of their fifth FA Cup success in seven seasons. And he reckons it was one of the most important goals of his career.
The Senegal hitman said: “I don’t know if it was the best goal I have ever scored... but probably.
“It was brilliant and it was in a very important game as well, which makes it even more exciting.”
Ba was full of praise for play-maker Juan Mata for his sublime assist. He added: “It was a fantastic pass, perfect. It was great timing. When you have a pass like that it’s difficult for the defender.”
As if volleying that pass into the top corner was the easy bit!