QUOTES BY DENNIS 1998
24 Oct 1998
A preview before the premier game vs leeds
Wise said," The injury I've had recently is nothing to do with the foot injury I had last season. I was just unfortunate to pick it up.
"But I've done more running than anyone else here and I did a full pre-season, so I'll be fully fit again."
"I wouldn't say that I'm a better player than I was three or four years ago but I think the quality players make it easier for you to play
"It's a question of whether you want to stay and play for Chelsea football Club, and I always have. It's easy way out to complain about new signings and move on.
"A club will always buy players, foreigners or not, and the only way to deal with it is to make sure that you are too good to leave out. That's always been my attitude."
30 Oct 1998
After the FA had set strict rules on giving cards
"It's going to be worse for aggressive midfield players this season thanks to the new rules but I am not going to change my game.
"We are the type of players who tend to get booked but referees sometimes tell me that they were wrong to book me and apologise.
"My reputation comes from the Wimbledon time when we were rough and ready, and so I have been tagged. Then, when things get a little bit tense, certain players are easier to book."
08 Nov 1998
Dennis got sent off
" I'm still kicking myself and disappointed with myself at the way that I got sent off.
"Some players seem to get yellow cards for bad tackles, others get straight sent-off, and I seem to be one of those players who get the red card every time.
" But it wasn't a great tackle, and I'm not proud of it."
"It would be nice if we picked up three points to keep the pot boiling for when I return"
" At least I know that we will be in capable hands for the next four games, as the Premiership is the most important thing on our minds."
"It's great that we can now put Europe on the back-burner until the quarter-finals in March.
"We want to become the first team to retain the trophy but let's not lose sight of the Rremiership, which is the one we really want.
" The good thing about it is that whatever happens over the next three months, we're in another quarter-final and if we win another important game at Arsenal, we could end up in one more."
31 December 1998
"of course we are going for the Premiership," said Wise. "But we still want to win the FA Cup as well. We want to win the double- we want to win the treble!
"We don't want to concentrate on one thing and find ourselves out of everything."
"We have to be careful," said Wise. "Never mind that they are struggling in the League, it will be very hard."