I didn't feel like a footballer while playing for Chelsea: Ryan Bertrand

Bengaluru, September 24: Former Chelsea academy defender Ryan Bertrand has mocked the Blues for their strange youth policy and suggested he left the club because he was not valued well by the board that time.

The England international made a surprise start against Bayern Munich in Champions League final in 2012 under Roberto Di Matteo, but in the later years was overlooked by the club and was used mainly as a backup player.

The left-back went on loan to Aston Villa in 2013-14 and later sealed a permanent move to Southampton which eventually has now made him one of the best left-backs in the league and also made into the PFA Team of the Year in the 2014/15 campaign.

And when he recalled his move to Southampton from Chelsea in an interview with the Daily Mail, Bertrand claimed he wanted to leave Chelsea in order to maintain his further progress and also said that he left the club because he never really felt the board's complete support.

Bertrand said: “I wanted to feel like a footballer. I didn’t necessarily feel like a footballer at Chelsea.

“It was emotional in terms of Chelsea being the club I had been at since I was young and taken part in one of their most historic moments.

“There was the emotional attachment but from a football perspective it was a no-brainer [to leave].

“When I was there (Chelsea), whenever I did get the chance to play I never felt the full support to relax and enjoy my football.

“The times I did play it was like an audition. And that is never healthy.

“As a young player coming through you want the club to be stable enough to say, “We trust in you, go out there and play”.

“You don’t want to make a young player feel on edge. I wanted that consistency — and for people to judge you they need to see you consistently.

“Southampton has given me a fantastic base in being able to do that and progress.”

Bertrand has started this season strongly and has started in all the six matches in the league. He recently has established a regular place in England's starting lineup to put himself in contention for a starting place at next year’s World Cup in Russia.