INTERVIEW

Wednesday, October 27, 9:51am London Time
Hero Wise fights his way to the top at last
By Steve Stammers in Milan

AC Milan 1-1 Chelsea

In the San Siro Stadium, Dennis Wise stood, arms aloft, to absorb the adulation from the 5,000 Chelsea fans who had gloried in one of the most significant results in the club's history.
Thirty minutes later, after manager Gianluca Vialli had enthused about the 1-1 draw against AC Milan that had left a place in the next round of the Champions League there for the taking, Wise slipped past the battery of television cameras near the dressing room area.

The television reporters wanted to conduct their inquest on the match with Paolo Maldini, Gianfranco Zola, Roberto Di Matteo or Marcel Desailly.

It gave Wise, who scored Chelsea's equaliser, time to take in what had happened and he could not help looking back at the hurdles that needed to be cleared before he arrived at his moment of glory.

'This makes all that I went through worthwhile,' said Wise.

'The rejection by Southampton, the prospect of the dole queue, the fight to get into the pro game. This is just a wonderful moment for me.'

Even though the Chelsea captain is not everyone's cup of tea it would be a hard man who would begrudge Wise his moment of triumph.

His disciplinary record is not a shining example of moderate behaviour but ask anyone who has been a team-mate of the West Londoner and they will reveal they

His temperament may be suspect, but Wise is not short of ability and the way he took his goal in the 76th minute to silence the vociferous Milan fans was the perfect finale to what had been a performance of discipline and no little invention.

For those who find fault in his fiery make-up, it has to be remembered that he was playing adult football at the age of 14 in a league where self-preservation was a necessary art to be learned.

Now here he was, the toast of the San Siro. The only Englishman in the Chelsea starting line-up and the man who put the European campaign back on track within two minutes of Oliver Bierhoff's 74th strike for Milan.

'I had been told to push forward when I could by Luca and that Didier Deschamps would do the holding job in midfield.

'I went forward again and Roberto Di Matteo played me a great ball that I put away under their goalkeeper.

'I love to score but this was special. It was a vital goal against one of the biggest clubs in Europe and it got us the draw we wanted.

'I can't really describe how I felt. It was superb. It was an important game anyway but after the result against Arsenal last Saturday, we needed to show we were strong enough to come back.'

It was Wise's first visit to the San Siro, widely accepted as one of the greatest arenas in the world game.

'I used the watch the Italian football on Channel 4, you know, the programme Paul Elliott used to present using all those long words. I am sure that he didn't even know the meaning of some of them,' said Wise.

'I would look at the San Siro and wonder what it would be like to play there. Now I know and believe me, it is special.

'This Champions League football is something different, it really is.

'In this competition, you are playing against the very best. Now we have shown we can compete with the best.

'This team can get better and better. We can still improve.'

After the 4-1 win over Hertha in Berlin by Turkey's Galatasaray, who were humbled 5-0 by Chelsea a week ago, a point is needed by Chelsea and the Germans to ensure both qualify for the next round.

They meet at Stamford Bridge next week and a wager on a draw would probably not be the most foolish investment.

But for Wise, despite his performance last night, there is no guarantee he will be playing.

He was omitted from the team in Istanbul last week and he admitted to feeling disappointment at Vialli's decision that night.

'He keeps everyone on their toes with his rotation system,' said Wise. 'I wasn't even certain that I would be playing in Milan. But the fact he left me out last week doesn't matter. We are all in this together.'

Wise, sent off at Anfield recently, is reluctant to suggest he is picked on by English referees but contents himself by pointing to his record in European football.

'I have played in three Cup Winners' Cup campaigns and now five Champions League games, three away from home, and I have never missed a game through suspension,' he said.

'Also, I have only been booked once in European football this season. It might have something to do with the fact that no one knows me on the Continent.'

He is well known here today. Chelsea were so impressive in the first half that only Christian Abbiati stood between them and a decisive half-time lead as he kept out efforts from Albert Ferrer, Dan Petrescu and Tore Andre Flo.

Ed De Goey, his Chelsea counterpart, was commanding and, with Desailly and Frank Leboeuf strong at the back, the Bierhoff strike came as a surprise.

Then Wise scored, Vialli leaped with joy and the prospect of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League became tangible.

'A great performance and Dennis scored a goal of which I would have been proud,' said Vialli whose managerial credentials were questioned in his homeland before the match. After his tactical triumph last night, a revision may be called for.