'Preparation Is Key': Chelsea Star N'Golo Kante Equates His On-Pitch Brilliance to Game of Pool
Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante has discussed how playing pool is similar to football when it comes to anticipating the next move.
Kante has won an abundance of plaudits since he moved to England with Leicester, and has gone on to become one of the finest players in the Premier League today - and the way he plays pool seems to reflect his mindset when it comes to football.
On the back of a title winning season with Chelsea, the club's general performance throughout this most recent season is looked at as one of disappointment. However, the silver lining on Kante's season stands with his winning of the club's player of the year award.
In an interview with Chelsea following his receiving of the individual accolade, it appears that Kante is quite the pool player. Though not blessed with the greatest technique in the world, he gets the job done - much like his football.
"Pool is one thing; football another," Kante told Chelsea's official website. "I know I am not the best pool player, so I try to be clever by thinking about how I want to play!
"On the pitch it is the same. Everyone has their job to do. We try to prepare for it and work on it in training. In games we all work for each other. I need to anticipate if one attack is going wrong, what is needed to be done to stop the counter-attack. It’s important to always think what could happen, offensively and defensively, and to always be aware on the pitch. That’s what I am trying to give.
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"It’s something as a midfielder I have worked on a lot. Every midfielder who plays in this position at Chelsea has the same role. I can’t say, away from football, if I am someone who prepares everything before, but maybe in pool, yes!’
Kante will now have his eyes firmly fixed on the World Cup. Following a season which saw Chelsea lift the FA Cup, his France side are expected to be one of the biggest competitors in Russia this year, and are one of the favourites to go all the way and pick up their first trophy in 20 years.
