Chelsea Almost Ruined My Career

Defender Garry Kenneth believes that speculation linking him with a move to Chelsea has had a negative effect on his footballing career.

19-year-old Kenneth was linked with the London club when he was only 17, after rumours that Dundee United player was wanted by the Premiership side.

Gordon Chisholm, the Dundee United manager at the time, dropped Kenneth from the 1st team, because of worries that the transfer talk would affect his game - but it appears that Kenneth hasn't yet got over the incident from 2 years ago.

"Obviously, it's hard to keep your feet on the ground when you've been linked with Chelsea at the age of 17," said Kenneth.

"At times, it affected me. It gets into your head and you end up thinking about things you shouldn't be, but the club you are at is always the priority and Dundee United tried to protect me."

"Gordon Chisholm spoke to me and left me out of the team to try and keep my feet on the ground. Looking at it from my point of view, he was trying to keep a level-headed boy away from thoughts of playing in the Premiership."

"That was why he dropped me. Gordon looked at it and felt that was the way to help, but being out made me more determined to do well and get back into the side. It's been up and down for me in my career, with being linked with Chelsea one season and not playing at all the next season."

"That's football, I suppose."

Kenneth has played in 11 of Craig Levein`s 1st team squads, since the former Leicester City and Hearts manager arrived at Tannadice in November.

He scored in Levein`s 1st match incharge of the club, a 2-1 win over Rangers at Tannadice and more recently netting in the 3-2 Scottish Cup win over Saint Mirren last month.

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