Following the appointment, Cahill spoke to the official Chelsea website about what it means to be handed the armband on a permanent basis, and the added sense of responsibility which comes with such a prestigious honour…



Firstly Gary, congratulations on being named club captain. You must feel very proud…

‘Thank you, yes, it’s definitely a proud moment in my career. I’ve had some good moments up until now and this certainly ranks very highly. To be captain of such a huge club like Chelsea is a great personal achievement.’



How did it feel when you were given the news by Antonio Conte?

‘I felt every emotion. I was delighted, proud, excited and looking forward to it. I was lucky to have the armband for quite a long time last year but obviously John Terry was still club captain and a huge figure here, but I gained a lot of experience from that and hopefully I can continue in the same vein this season.’



Will the fact you captained the team for the majority of last season allow you to settle into the role a bit quicker?

‘Yes, I think that definitely will have helped. I’ve experienced it and it’s almost been a gradual step into it, rather than the shock of going from never having been a captain into the role. It was a nice progression.

‘Obviously there is a bit of extra responsibility, probably off the pitch more than on the pitch now, which will be slightly different for me, but to watch and learn from how John did things when he was here was vital for me.

‘The way I play is the way I play. I want to win and whether I have the armband or not, that won’t change. Hopefully I can just lead by example on the pitch.’



By naming you captain, Antonio has really put his faith in you. As a player, how important is it to be given such a vote of confidence from the manager?

‘It’s fantastic when you see the boss has faith in you and trusts you in terms of your character and personality. Ability is one thing, and you could never play for Chelsea without having ability, but the personality and character of a player is vitally important. For him to show that faith in me means a lot. I will fight for the manager and fight for all the players as long as I’m at this club.’