Richards Calls Bailey His “Idol” and Talks Sterling’s Motivation in First Interview at Chelsea
18-year-old Reggae Boy Dujuan ‘Whisper’ Richards talks about his journeying and more in his first interview as a Chelsea player. Richards was unveiled as a Chelsea player in January 2024 despite signing a deal with the London-based football club in the summer of 2023.
Having turned 18 in November, the young striker had to wait until the opening of the European January transfer window to finalise his move from Phoenix Academy to the blue-coloured club.
Whisper played his first competitive match in Chelsea colours on February 8 for the under-18s and was featured a day later in an under-21s match. Notably in both matches he was fateaured late on in the game.
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Following his debut for the club, Dujuan was featured in an interview published by Chelsea’s website on February 10.
Speaking on his journey, the young footballer stated, ‘It was rough for me – I’m from the ghetto but had a big dream… in my mind, I always thought that I would become a professional footballer.”
Richards went on to outline the importance of his family and the Phoenix Academy. Highlighting that he will “always love” Phoenix Academy because the academy helped him while on his “rough” journey.
With regards to player that he looks up to, Whisper declared that he has been watching Leon Bailey the Aston Villa Player has been his “idol… for five or six years now”. He went on to express that they are now friends and Bailey is everything he wants to be.
Richards also explains how he got the nickname ‘Whisper” which is because he usually sits beside players at training and talk softly in a manner that others cannot hear him speaking.
He also disclosd that his coach gave him the name and he’s hoping that one day he gets to wear his jersey with the name ‘Whisper’ on the back of it.
As it relates to his friendship with fellow Chelsea player Raheem Sterling who was also born in Jamaica, the teen detail that himself and Sterling messaged each other prior to his move to the club.
He recalled Sterling motivating him via txt messages, somwhting he was initially surprised about.
He went on to state that Sterling is a good person who is looking out for him.
Whisper who has scored one goal so far for Jamaica after his debut in 2023 for the senior team details that, “Stepping on the pitch for the country I was born was like winning the Ballon d’Or.”
He also expressed that scoring his first goal in Jamaica colours ment alot to him.
A native of Port Royal, Kingston the young forward made his way into international football via the Phoenix Allstars Football Academy, which he joined at the tender age of 11, becoming a national player at the age of 17 years old.
