WAYNE BRIDGE has revealed that moving to Chelsea has made him a more "confident" player - because the Stamford Bridge multi-millionaires don't play as many long balls as Saints did when he was at the club!

Bridge was one of Claudio Ranieri's first signings following the arrival of Roman Abramovich in West London last July.

And the £7m left-back has paid tribute to the Italian for improving his all-round game as speculation continues that Jose Mourinho is about to take charge at Chelsea.

"I was playing a completely different style of football at Southampton," recalled Bridge.

"We played a lot of long balls and never really kept it at the back or knocked it around.

"Coming to Chelsea, I've had to be more composed and keep possession.

"I have become more confident.

"It's about judgement. Don't force it - be as direct as you can but, if that's not possible, then don't just lose it.

"That's definitely something the manager talks about."

Bridge, 23, is in the England squad to face Japan tomorrow and Iceland later this week, aiming to add to his 16 international caps.

"You are more confident because you are at a bigger club," he continued.

"You are more composed and you do things at the right time.

"That's going to help if I do get a chance with England."

He added: "At first with Chelsea, it all felt very different and I didn't start too well. But as the season progressed, I started getting better.

"With all the new players coming to the club it probably made it easier for each of us to settle in because it was a new start for so many of us."

Lifelong Saints fan Bridge was involved in 33 of Chelsea's 38 Premiership games in 2003/04, and he has credited Ranieri for developing his game.

"He showed he believed in me and that gives a player confidence," he said.

"If you make a mistake, he always pulls you to the side and talks to you about it. If you do things well, he praises you. The manager lets us have some fun in training but he always gets his point across."

Bridge, meanwhile, concedes he faces a fight to replace Ashley Cole at left-back in Sven-Goran Eriksson's side

"Ashley always seems to get picked, so he's that one step ahead of me and he's played brilliantly for England," he declared.

"But I'll keep my head down, try to progress and then if my chance comes along I'm just going to grab it with both hands."