Chelsea's senior professional is well-accustomed to praise for his world-famous midfield work from colleagues and neutrals alike. In his post-match conference after last night's game, it was Everton manager David Moyes who described Claude Makelele's display on the night as 'fantastic'.

Our anchorman in the middle has been speaking to chelseafc.com about this complement plus a few of the secrets to playing the 'Makelele role' and most of all, about the need to communicate.


What do you make of David Moyes's description of your importance to the win at Goodison?
I think it is about the whole team. It is a pleasure when the manager of the opposition says that but I think the whole team defended well.

The 15 minutes when the game started, we were strong in defence, the midfield was fighting and the team played good football. It was good for the mentality. The last three games the team has not conceded any goals and all the time we have opportunities. All the players now are doing a very good job.


In your early days at Chelsea, you spoke about the need for the team to learn how the most successful sides in the world play. Is that learning now finished?
Learning in football is never complete because it is not just about how you play football. It is about knowing all the players you play with, what they are like, talking, what the problems are.

It is like the manager has a relationship with the players. I think the team needs relationships. You need to know your partners, you need to help each other and know all the things that happen in the game. You need to have complicity. That is what makes a team strong and that is why a player cannot know everything.

Was an important part of your job last night to deal with Tim Cahill who was playing deeper than Andy Johnson?
Yes, when I talk about complicity of the players, this is it. When he comes deep or Arteta or Osman come inside, I need to talk with the defence and speak about when to leave the players alone, when to catch them. It is all the time communication and I think my team-mates are doing well on communication. The best Everton play is when he [Cahill] plays.

He puts the defence in trouble all the time. He moves a lot, he changes the position. Chelsea yesterday learned and listened and did it very well.

A lot of your responsibility is policing any player who moves into your area from his normal position?
Yes, I am looking all the time for players moving, talking all the time with players like Shaun Wright-Phillips who is doing very well. All the time you need to catch the man who comes into the place where a man is leaving. After that you have more players fresh for attack.

All the time I am talking about communication because you need your partners to know your run, when you move, when you are dribbling.

For me, when I do my job I am thinking about the team, not thinking about myself. I think about the equilibrium of the team. Now in some games we are very compact. Players listen very well how to do it for the team.

You mention Shaun Wright-Phillips. He is doing very well as one of your midfield partners.
He is unbelievable. All the time I have pushed him, I tell him, listen Shaun, you have a lot of qualities. You need not all the time to stay on the line. You need to come back off the line and in midfield, nobody can catch you. And he listened very well and knows your moves. He has the possibility to score and make goals. I am happy for him.

With injuries and the Africa Cup of Nations hitting the squad, it always looked likely you would be asked to play three games in a week. If at 34, people were questioning whether you could do it, you answered them last night.
All the time I have been careful and I have had a good conversation with the manager and he knows me. He knows that I don't have the need to play all time and he has good young players - John Mikel Obi, Michael Essien - who need more time for playing.

Me, I am here for some games. The manager knows I am here for the team when my experience is wanted and I like this.

Talk about your ear perforation before Christmas and the protection you are currently wearing.
Something in my ear was open and I needed it closed. It caused me a lot of problems, I lost a little balance. I had an operation and I came back quickly because the manager needed me. I have something inside to stop infection and contact and I think in one week, I will have it removed and I come back to normal.

You are now one of Chelsea's longest servants - only John Terry, Carlo Cudicini and Frank Lampard were here before the summer of 2003 when you signed. You have seen many changes.
I think Chelsea now is my heart. I don't know why, it is like I live all the time this team. You never know in football what will happen. I am just enjoying this moment I have with this club.

I think it is one of the best clubs in the world now at everything - football, training ground, stadium, fans, the image it has in the world. It is amazing and sometimes I am thinking I have been here for everything as it has happened. I have been inside the project and it has been good.

Now we play another final. People think it is now normal for Chelsea. That is our job, to repeat, repeat, repeat. You need to be very professional to repeat all the time this situation.