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Alejandro Garnacho is more often than not the subject of boos at football stadiums up and down the country but the Chelsea winger believes he is misunderstood
If Alejandro Garnacho plays at any football stadium in the country, the likelihood is he will be booed.
Lincoln City, Charlton, Wrexham - you name it, opposition fans will voice their dislike towards Garnacho. Why is that?
There is a perception that the 21-year-old Chelsea winger, who was signed for £40million last summer, has a bad attitude. The way he departed Manchester United, and the build-up to that moment, painted a picture that Garnacho's attitude was not up to scratch. Not for an elite football club, anyway.
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Ruben Amorim thought that. The former United boss stuck Garnacho in the 'bomb squad' and was prepared to let him rot. The hierarchy at Old Trafford took Amorim's side and sold Garnacho to Chelsea over seven months ago.
Garnacho is a flamboyant character; the bleach blonde hair, his body being covered in tattoos, his celebrations. That clearly, for whatever reason, rubs people up the wrong way. Underneath it all, though, is a young boy doing what he loves to do.
In an interview with Premier League Productions, Garnacho said: "I'm still very young, I'm a kid, I play football. In this world, you play in front of a lot of people, that's maybe why people can talk about you but I'm just a normal boy."
Asked if he's misunderstood, the Argentine replied: "Yes, I think people see for example, the player you are, but then after this, there's a person there.
"A lot of people think things about me that are maybe not like this, and they don't know me, but I know my family loves me and the people around me - that's the most important thing.
"A lot of people in the world today, they can say anything about you. They think I'm totally different to what I am. Maybe they think I'm arrogant, or not humble, things like this. I'm just a normal guy. The people who I love, they love me, so that's important.
"Everything you do; if you do your hair, or you [get] tattoos, everyone will know, everyone will speak and say good things and bad things. This is the world we live [in] and I want to live [in] because I love football."
He added: "It's hard sometimes but you have to know that life in football is like this. Everyone says good things about you all the time, it's impossible, so you have to deal with this. You have to know when you do good things and bad things and then try to do your best and then people will talk about you how they want anyway."
Garnacho, though, admitted he made some mistakes during his last six months in Manchester: "I remember in the last six months, I was just not playing like before at Manchester United. I started to be on the bench, it's not a bad thing.
"I was only 20 years old, but in my mind it was like I had to play every game. In my mind, maybe it is also on me, I started to do some bad things."
Since moving to Stamford Bridge last summer, Garnacho has had to learn how to take positives from a negative situation. The Blues winger has started on the bench a total of 17 times in all competitions this season but Liam Rosenior has been impressed with how the former United youngster has handled himself.
Speaking last month, Rosenior said: "Garna is a top player. We have changed a little bit tactically since I came in. I have wanted to dominate midfield areas, which has meant at times I have only played with one winger.
"But Garna is an outstanding player. What I have really liked in this period is his reaction to not starting. He has been training very, very well. He has shown real positivity."
Garnacho is yet to win over the supporters. Chelsea's turbulent season has not helped that but Garnacho's inconsistency on the left wing has not done him any favours either.
Yet, eight goals and four assists in 38 appearances is not the worst return for the Argentine winger. His off-the-ball work is not perfect but has improved enormously since making the switch to west London.
Jeers from opposition fans do not seem to affect Garnacho. Rosenior, when asked about this specific subject last month, believes it happens because supporters of the opposition see the Chelsea attacker as a threat.
"I don't understand," said a confused Rosenior. "Maybe because he can be such a threat. Playing for a club like Chelsea, that just comes with the territory. It comes for me as their coach, it comes for the players.
"You have to rise above that and not take notice of it. That's the best way for me. I don't think you use it as fuel. Your motivation should be there anyway to perform. All Garna needs to do is keep working really hard because his ability is not in question."
Whether Garnacho gets a second season at Chelsea remains to be seen. BlueCo have shown how brutal they can be with their turnover of players, even those on long-term contracts at the club.
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