'It's easy to rot away': Michael Mancienne has no regrets over leaving Chelsea

Blocked | Michael Mancienne made four appearances over five seasons
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Alex Young @alexwsyoung19 September 2017

Michael Mancienne has no regrets over deciding to leave Chelsea, admitting young players "can rot" at the club with no first-team chances.

The defender made four appearances over five years at Stamford Bridge before deciding to quit in 2011 and quickly becoming a regular for Hamburg in the Bundesliga. He now plys his trade at Nottingham Forest.

The 29-year-old, a defender, describes the likes of John Terry and Ashley Cole as "the best role models" but notes how not a single player from his academy age group were ever afforded a significant chance in the first team.

“I was in the comfort zone at Chelsea and it is easy for players to rot away in that environment,” he says, sitting in the Robin Hood Suite at Forest’s City Ground.

“When you’re at a big club you can easily get caught in a bubble because everything is done for you. There are so many people doing things for you that when you go out on loan you’re thrown into real life.

“I was 21 when I made my debut and it was great moment. I thought it would be the time when I kicked on but there were too many players in front of me, many of them captains for their countries.

"The likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Joe Cole were the best role models to have, and seeing people like John break into the first team obviously gave you that hope and desire to do the same thing.

"But I don’t think there is one player from the academy in or around my age group that is still there. Ryan Bertrand, Jack Cork and Sam Hutchinson have all left, and Liam Bridcutt is with me now at Forest. I had to make a decision because I wanted to make a name for myself and play games.”

Macienne will face his former club at Stamford Bridge for the first time on Wednesday as Nottingham Forest travel for the League Cup third round.