Ancelotti Hints At Summer Chelsea Changes

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has dropped a strong hint that some current members of his first-team squad will be shown the exit door at Stamford Bridge this summer.

Ancelotti has already confidently declared that Joe Cole will be extending his contract which expires at the end of the season.

However, the futures of fellow soon to be out-of-contract trio Michael Ballack, Paulo Ferreira and Juliano Belletti are far less certain.

Ancelotti also insists that any success or failure for his Premier League title and FA Cup chasing Blues this season will have no impact on his summer thinking.

"We are involved in very important competitions and we will take the decision after that," said the Italian.

"We have time because the season will finish May 15, and we will start in July, so we have May and June to take decisions about players without contracts. It does not depend on winning the league.

"The only sure thing is that next year there will be five players from the academy in the squad because they deserve to be.

"Some players maybe will move, because we want to give strength to our academy, we have very good young players and it is the time to put them in the squad for next year, they are able to stay in the Chelsea squad."

Low Set For Ballack Chat

Germany head coach Joachim Low has confirmed he is taking in Chelsea's clash with Stoke to assess Michael Ballack's form.

The vastly-experienced midfielder, who is closing on a century of caps for his country, is certain to be part of Germany's World Cup finals squad this summer.

Low insists the London trip is not unexpected and out of the blue and that he plans on holding talks with the former Bayern Munich man after the match.

Ballack has played in the last three European championships, the 2002 and 2006 World Cups along with captaining his country to the Euro 2008 final.

"We have had this visit planned for a while now," he told the German Football Association's (DFB) official website.

"After the game, we want to have a very relaxed chat with Michael."

Carlo Ancelotti Admits Letting Manchester United Win The Premier League Would Be His Failure

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti believes he will have failed if his side does not beat Manchester United to the Premier League title this season.

In fact, the wily Italian insisted he'll go to the cinema instead of watching his title rivals face Tottenham Hotspur.

“We have to win the league to make it a successful season,” Ancelotti told the Times.

“At this point of the season we have to win. I am excited because it’s a very important moment of the season, maybe the most important.

“Pressure is the engine of life. You have to cope with the pressure, the stress.

"That’s why, rather than watching the games, it’d be better to go to the cinema.

“We are not interested in Manchester United’s result. There are some fantastic films on: maybe Clash of the Titans,” he joked.

The Italian did concede his players are feeling the pressure but believes that is normal.

“The players feel the pressure now because Chelsea are very close to winning the title for the first time in four years," he added.

"But this is normal. It’s better to have this than to stay ten points behind and not have anything to play for.”

Blues Pull Plug On Torres Bid

Chelsea have seemingly ruled themselves out of the running to sign Liverpool's Fernando Torres after manager Carlo Ancelotti announced a significant shift towards youth in the club's transfer policy.

Instead of competing with Manchester City in a bidding war for Torres, Chelsea will instead promote five academy players into their first-team squad next season as they look to lower the average age of the team.

The new policy was first discussed following the Champions League defeat to Inter Milan and was ratified following a meeting with Blues owner Roman Abramovich last Monday.

"Next season there will be five academy players in the squad," Ancelotti said. "Some players will maybe move on. It's not because we don't have the money, it's because we want to give strength to our academy. We have very good young players and this is the time to put them in the squad for next year."

Gael Kakuta, Fabio Borini, Jeffrey Bruma, Patrick van Aanholt and Nemanja Matic will step up to the first team.

Asked whether the club's supporters would be unhappy to miss out on Torres, or additional big name signings, Ancelotti said: "They'll be happy if Chelsea win the title and the FA Cup. After that, I think they will see some new players in the future."

Cole Focused Only On Football - Ancelotti

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti insists England left-back Ashley Cole is mentally prepared to return to first-team action following months of injury and personal turmoil.

The 29-year-old has recovered from the broken ankle he sustained against Everton back in February but his marriage to wife Cheryl remains in trouble following lurid headlines linking him to a string of other women.

Cole is expected to make a playing return against Stoke on Sunday as Chelsea prepare for another massive weekend in the title race, and Ancelotti said: "I think that he is focused, 100%, on playing football. Nothing else."

He added: "I think he passed a bad moment because the injury was very serious. But he has had time to recover very well, not only physically but also with a good mentality. Now he's fit 100%."

Chelsea will be without suspended captain John Terry and injured midfielder John Obi Mikel against Tony Pulis' side.

Ancelotti believes his players are ready to finish the job and become Premier League champions by winning their remaining three games.

"I've always said we have a very good squad, not only technically but with a good mentality," added the Italian.

"Sometimes we've lost some games but I think that now we have all the quality to finish the season well - technically and physically, but also mentally.

"The players are fresh. They don't have a problem. We looked a bit tired against Tottenham, but it was not a physical problem. We've trained very hard this week.

"The players are fit. When I say this, I am objective."

Essien Explains

Missing since December and a major doubt for the remainder of the campaign, Michael Essien has explained what has prevented his progress over the last few weeks.

The Ghanaian midfielder also admits he is unsure whether he will make the World Cup, having already missed the majority of the African Nations in January, the problem now being bruising rather than the meniscus tear he suffered on international duty.

'I started doing a little bit of running recently which was a big step forward but that led to some pain on the head of my fibula bone,' said the 27-year-old. 'A scan showed that I had some bruising there so I had to stop running and I am now taking it easy until the bruising dies down.

'It's a bit of a set back because up until then things had been going well and my actual knee is fine. It's just the bruising that's stopping me now.

'Unfortunately I don't think I will be making a repeat of last season and may not be returning for the last few games and the FA Cup Final,' he admitted. 'As far as Chelsea goes I think my season is finished.'

It is a tough blow for Essien, who has been restricted to 22 appearances this season but he still holds slim hopes of boarding the plane to South Africa.

'I'm not too sure about the World Cup just yet,' he said. 'I will just have to wait and see what happens and take it day by day. There are a couple of other players in my position - Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas spring to mind.

'Unfortunately you can't control when injuries will happen, but knowing the World Cup is on the horizon is certainly an incentive to keep working. But, I also have to keep an eye on the bigger picture.

'The most important thing now is to get myself back to full fitness. If I can make it in time for the World Cup then great, but if not I still have my whole career ahead of me and that is more important than anything. The last thing I want to do is rush back too soon and cause further problems down the line.'

Deco Issues Battle Cry

Deco has ordered his Chelsea team-mates to view the final rounds of the Barclays Premier League title race as a "war".

The challenge for Manchester United's crown will go down to the wire with Chelsea occupying top spot, one point ahead of their rivals.

Three matches remain, starting with Sunday's showdown with Stoke at Stamford Bridge and continuing at Liverpool before concluding at home against Wigan.

Deco insists Chelsea remain in pole position and has declared it is time to seize the opportunity.

"The first thing we need to know is that we are first," he told club website www.chelseafc.com.

"The last three games will be difficult and of course there is pressure in our minds because we need to win our games if Man Utd win theirs.

"It is a war and we need to be prepared, but if you said on the first day of the Premier League in August we would be one point clear with three games to go, two at home and one game away, we would all say 'okay, we'll sign'!

"This is okay. It would be better if we won or Man Utd lost on the weekend, but that didn't happen.

"Now our moment is here - we have three games and we need to play well and be together."

Chelsea's title hopes suffered a major setback with Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Tottenham.

Deco, whose return to the side in the past month has coincided with a run of five straight wins until last weekend, dismisses the significance of the result.

"We knew at 2-0 we could score. We tried and had chances but didn't score. It was frustrating but we need to carry on," he said.

"I don't think we played a bad game - we didn't have a lot of luck - and we need to recognise they played well."

Carlo Ancelotti: John Terry's Absence Is 'Not A Problem' For Chelsea

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is not sweating over the loss of club captain John Terry, because Branislav Ivanovic is back to provide cover.

Terry will miss Sunday's Premier League game with Stoke City after being sent-off in last weekend's disappointing defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. Ivanovic has been absent for a number of weeks after limping off in last month's draw with Blackburn Rovers, but Ancelotti believes the Serbian has returned to full fitness just in time to cover for the loss of the Blues' captain.

Ivanovic has played right-back for the majority of the season in the absence of Jose Bosingwa, but Ancelotti is a firm admirer of his ability in the centre — his natural position.

"John Terry is an important absence for us but now we have Ivanovic fit we can substitute him into the centre position very well because Ivanovic is a centre-back," Ancelotti told reporters.

"He played a lot of games as a right-back but he has the quality to be a centre-back, so for this we will not have a problem."

Ancelotti also revealed that left-back Ashley Cole is ready to return to the starting lineup. The England international has been out for almost two months after picking up an ankle injury against Everton, but after his substitute role last weekend is now approaching full fitness.

"Ashley has a realistic chance to start because he is fit and he wants to play," he said.

"He has the desire to play, because he was out for a long time and he has the will to play."

Didier Drogba: Home Comforts Can Give Chelsea Title Advantage

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba believes home advantage could be crucial as the Blues look to win their first Premier League title since 2006.

Carlo Ancelotti's side are currently one point ahead of Manchester United with three games left, the first of which is against 11th placed Stoke City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Chelsea have dropped just five points at home in their 17 league games to date, something the Ivorian believes should give them confidence ahead of Stoke's visit — but not arrogance.

"We have done well at home," Drogba told the club's official website.

"You never know what can happen, games are difficult now. Some teams are trying to save lives but some teams are playing for little and can enjoy themselves, and sometimes then you play better.

"It is going to be difficult — but it is up to us."

Drogba, the club's top scorer after a stellar individual campaign, believes that the crowd can have a big part to play in willing their team to victory, and has called upon them to deliver the atmosphere that has helped on big occasions in the past.

"We need the fans to be really behind us, to be even better than against Bolton [where they won 1-0] in the last game," he said.

"Sunday is the kind of game that we are going to have until the end of the season so we need them to be patient and to really shout and sing and be supportive, that is the only way to win it.

"I remember the games when we were champions, like against Charlton the game after we won it in 2005, and against Manchester United the next year. The atmosphere was amazing, and also on the Champions League nights against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

"These are the kind of atmosphere from the Chelsea supporters when it matters, and now it matters. It is important for them to be there and help us to achieve it."

Drogba's participation is unsure, however, thanks to a hernia injury. But his goals this season have seen the Ivorian come in at No.6 on the Castrol Rankings, making him the Premier League's third best forward behind Fernando Torres (5) and Wayne Rooney (3).

AC Milan Ready To Sell £43m Alexandre Pato To Chelsea

AC Milan are ready to sell star striker Alexandre Pato to Chelsea for £43 million, according to reports from Italy.

Corriere dello Sport are reporting that a new cost-cutting regime at San Siro means the young Brazilian is for sale, but only at the right price. The Rossoneri rejected a £39m bid from the Blues last summer, but the paper believes a slight increase on that offer this summer could see the 20-year-old heading for west London.

Pato has scored 14 goals in 28 games so far this season for Leonardo's side, but is still sweating on Brazil coach Dunga to see whether he'll be making the trip to South Africa for the World Cup in the summer.

If the move is finalised, the paper also reports that Mario Balotelli of rivals Inter will be targeted as a replacement for the 2007 European champions.

The Italian has long been out of favour with Nerazzurri fans, having only recently patched up a disagreement with manager Jose Mourinho, and has previously admitted to being a childhood AC fan.

Pato is the fourth highest ranked forward in Serie A, rated at No.137 in the Castrol Rankings. Only Luca Toni (59), Antonio Di Natale (43) and Alberto Gilardino (30) are rated higher.

Chelsea's Michael Mancienne Open To Staying At Wolverhampton Wanderers

Chelsea defender Michael Mancienne, currently on-loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers, would welcome the chance to stay in the midlands for another season.

The 22-year-old, who has recently excelled playing as a holding midfielder, joined Wolves for a spell last season, and has spent the entire current campaign with Mick McCarthy’s side.

It is currently unknown as to what Carlo Ancelotti has planned for Mancienne, but the England under-21 international is more than happy to stay at Molineux, playing for a Wolves side who are all but assured of another season in the top-flight.

"I want to do the best I can for Wolves to get them safe and then concentrate on where I'm going to be next season," Mancienne told the Express & Star.

"But if I was to come on loan again, Wolves would definitely be in my thoughts. I'm not 100 per cent sure what's happening next season - I've just got to take it as it comes.

"But I'm enjoying it here at Wolves - I get along with all the boys and we're all roughly the same age. There are no bad eggs in the camp."

And Mancienne, who has impressed during both loan spells at Molineux, so much so that Fabio Capello called him up to the full England squad whilst playing in the Championship last season, is ecstatic with his development at Wolves.

"I've definitely progressed as a player," he added. "Playing week-in, week-out has helped me mature as a player because I'm playing against top quality players in the Premier League - that can only be good for my game because it helps me learn."

Ancelotti To Snub Man United Match For Flicks

If Carlo Ancelotti was feeling any anxiety at reaching the final straight of the Premier League race with Sir Alex Ferguson's breath on his neck, he was determined not to show it on Friday.

The Italian coach said he would even find the time to go the cinema before his Chelsea team take on Stoke City on Sunday.

Looking cheerful and relaxed after a practice session at Chelsea's sun-drenched training ground the Italian coach joked he intended to watch Clash of the Titans on Saturday rather than Manchester United taking on Tottenham Hotspur with the chance of leap-frogging his side.

Chelsea enjoy an advantage of only one point with three games left but Ancelotti has long experience as both player and coach of tight championship races.

"I'm not worried because I know football very well. At the end of the season it is always like this. You have to reach your target," Ancelotti said.

"Pressure is the engine of life for me but it's important to maintain control of the stress so instead of staying in front of the television watching that game it's better to go to the cinema."

His task against Stoke City on Sunday, whether United win or lose will be to calm his increasingly anxious side.

"We have a great opportunity to win and so we have to stay calm and quiet. We have to prepare well, without emotion," Ancelotti said. "Of course it's difficult but we don't want to miss the chance."

The players, who failed to consolidate their advantage last week with a lacklustre 2-1 defeat at Tottenham during which captain John Terry was sent off, are feeling the strain more than their boss.

"I think the players feel the pressure now because they are very close to winning the title," the Italian, in his first season in England, said.

"For the last three years they have not won. But that's normal - it's better to be like this than to be 10 points behind and chasing nothing.

"I'm excited at the moment," the track-suited coach said relaxing back in his chair and showing no signs of the emotion. "Because it's the most important time of the season - there's a good atmosphere."

Carlo Ancelotti: Ghost Of Jose Mourinho Doesn't Haunt Me Or Chelsea

Carlo Ancelotti does not believe that he and Chelsea are still living in the shadow of former manager Jose Mourinho, who left the club in 2007.

Blues midfielder Joe Cole said this week that the west London club needed to win their first major silverware since the Special One's acrimonious departure in order to finally put his ghost to rest, but Ancelotti doesn't agree.

The Italian has not always seen eye-to-eye with the Portuguese tactician, but despite losing to his Inter side in the Champions League this year does not feel he and the Blues are still in his shadow.

"I understand two things, ghost and Mourinho," Ancelotti told reporters.

"Maybe it's true if Joe Cole says this, but Mourinho is not my ghost.

"He's a very good coach. He's doing a fantastic job at Inter. He did a fantastic Champions League semi-final against Barcelona. But now it's a different story."

Cole was part of Mourinho's Chelsea squad when they last won the league title, in 2006. Now within reach of another success, Cole is hoping the squad can finally go on and win the trophy that has eluded them for three years.

"The fact we have not won the title since Mourinho is probably hanging over us," Cole said.

"We have only won one cup since then and been within the width of a post of winning the Champions League.

"We're hoping it's going to happen this season. We have put ourselves in a great position. Jose is a great manager but he is not the be all and end all for a football club, no one is. It's about the dynamics and how the club works.

"The most frustrating thing for us really is that we should be six or seven points clear."

Celebrating Earth Day With Recycling Success

Chelsea marks Earth Day by announcing we have achieved a 100 per cent rate for recycling waste at Stamford Bridge and the Cobham training ground.

By teaming up with Powerday, London's leading recycling company, even food and contaminated waste can now be processed at the North West London Materials Recycling Facility.

This now means that none of the waste from Stamford Bridge or Cobham goes to landfill.

New machinery at the site also means waste is turned into the fuel which will eventually be used to power the recycling plant itself, cutting down on electricity consumption.

The waste that is generated by the club, which includes drinks bottles, food and its packaging from matchdays as well as all office waste, is collected and taken to Powerday's Materials Recycling Facility only five miles from the stadium. The company is licensed to process 1.6 million tonnes a year there, that's eight per cent of London's waste.

Waste from the club is processed using cutting-edge technology including overband magnets, trommels, shredders, eddy currents and high-speed optical sorting equipment. At each stage in the process a different material is separated, ensuring as much as possible is suitable for recycling. Most of this material remains in the UK, going back into the manufacturing process. The remainder of the material is shredded into an even size to go as 'ready to use' fuel to generate energy from waste.

Chris Alexander, finance and operations director, welcomed the latest environmental initiative: 'We are delighted to be working with Powerday who share our view that we must do all we can to help reduce our impact on the environment. Our commitment to this is something we take extremely seriously.

'We have a number of initiatives to get our staff and fans aware of their own impact on the environment as well as installing energy efficient systems at both Stamford Bridge and Cobham, which is one of the most environmentally-friendly training grounds in the world.'

Powerday is a fellow member of the Green 500 and the London Mayor's Green Procurement Code. The company was a finalist for 'Recycling and Waste Management Business of the Year' in the 2009 National Recycling Awards.

Managing director of Powerday, Mick Crossan added: 'Powerday is proud of its association with Chelsea and commends the club's commitment to recycling. We are delighted to announce this new contract and look forward to continuing a relationship that benefits the club, Powerday and the environment.'

As a life-long Chelsea fan, Crossan is no stranger to the Bridge, and the club's Official Website couldn't resist asking Crossan his views on the season.

'Our season so far has been a real roller coaster and is going to remain a roller coaster until the last game against Wigan,' said Crossan. 'Chelsea are keeping us on the edge of our seats right until the very end.

'Ancelotti knows his stuff though; he's in control of his players and has Ray Wilkins at his side, who's Chelsea through-and-through.

'But it's all going to go down to the final game, which is fantastic for the neutrals but not so good for the fan's heart!'

Mikel Will Be Fit To Play For Nigeria At World Cup

The Nigeria Football Federation says midfielder John Obi Mikel should be fit for their World Cup warm-up match with Colombia in London on 30 May.

There had been doubts after the 23-year-old suffered ankle ligament damage at Tottenham last Saturday.

"Fortunately the damage does not limit his chances of playing at the World Cup as feared," NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire told BBC Sport.

"He will be able to take a major part in training sessions," he added.

"Mikel and Chelsea confirmed that he suffered an injury setback, but he should recover quicker than thought."

He will however miss the rest of the season for Chelsea as they battle for the English Premier League title and the FA Cup.

Meanwhile, the NFF have revealed that the only confirmed friendly match for the Super Eagles before the World Cup will be against Colombia on 30 May in London.

They are still trying to organise a game with Latvia on 23 May as well as one three days later against either Iceland or Honduras.

"But the team is expected to begin an official training camp London from 21 May," Olajire added.

Nigeria are drawn in a World Cup group alongside Greece, Argentina and South Korea.

Deco: Chelsea Formation Change Was Not Players' Decision

Chelsea midfielder Deco has refuted suggestions that the decision to alter the team's formation recently was taken by the players.

The Brazilian-born Portuguese international has insisted that manager Carlo Ancelotti makes all such key decisions at Stamford Bridge and the choice to switch back to a 4-3-3 after experimenting with a diamond 4-4-2 as well as 4-2-3-1 this season was the Italian's alone.

"We did not talk about it, it was the coach's decision," Deco told the Blues' official website.

"I think the formation is just a way to play, it matters more about the characteristics of each player.

"You can say now we are playing 4-3-3, the beginning of the season we played 4-4-2, and of course it is a different way to start the game but it is adapted to the players.

"At one moment it may be better to play one way because of the characteristics of the players and the moment of the team, and now we have three games to win and that is it."

Meanwhile, Deco is also confident that Chelsea have enough experience to fight off the challenge of Manchester United and win the Premier League title this season.

"First thing we need, we need to know that we are first," he added.

"The last three games will be difficult and of course there is pressure in our minds because we need to win our games if Man U win theirs.

"It is a war, and we need to be prepared but, if you said on the first day of the Premier League in August we would be one point clear with three games to go, two at home and one game away, we would all say okay, I'll sign!

"This is okay, it could be better if we won or Man U lost, okay, but it didn't happen, and our moment is this - we have three games, two at home and one away - we need to play well and be together."

And Ancelotti's men have their fate in their own hands now, according to the playmaker.

"No one can say they don't think about this, but we just need to think about the next game," he said.

"We can do the mathematics but it just depends on us, if we win our three games we win the league.

"We don't need to think about the games of Man U, they need to think about our games, we just need to win on Sunday against Stoke and after we will wait another week and try again."

Didier Drogba: I'm Really Struggling With My Fitness

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has told Blues fans what they didn't want to hear - he is not in great shape.

The Ivorian has been struggling with a hernia problem for a number of weeks, culminating in playing in obvious discomfort in last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Blues are now just one point ahead of Manchester United in the Premier League table with three games to go, and Drogba admits it will be a struggle for him to be at his best over the vital last few games of the season.

“The season's long and I've had quite a few niggles and I'm starting to feel it a bit,” the striker said, according to the Ealing Gazette.

“I had a hernia operation six years ago but it's playing up again and causing me discomfort.

“I think maybe adrenaline has got me through matches, but you can't continue for long like that."

It had been reported that the 32-year-old would need an operation to solve the problem, although Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti recently said that any decision would be left to the player himself.

But with the World Cup coming up in the summer, Drogba is unsure when he will be able to fit any treatment in.

“I will see if I need an operation, but something needs to be done because I can't continue like this next season," he said.

“There's no question of having anything done now though, with the World Cup on the way.”

Injury Blow For Chelsea As John Obi Mikel Set For Spell On The Sidelines

John Obi Mikel is the latest player to add to Chelsea's injury concerns, with the club fearing he could miss the remainder of the season.

The 22-year-old Nigerian limped off during the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday, and a scan on Tuesday revealed ankle ligament damage. Consequently, the club stated he is "a doubt" for Sunday's game against Stoke City.

Earlier in the week, Goal.com UK revealed that the club feared Michael Essien might not play for the club before the end of the season, having been out of action since January with knee ligament problems.

"Contrary to this morning's stories stating otherwise, Michael will definitely not be involved against Stoke on Sunday. He is unlikely to play again this season," the club confirmed.

After the defeat to Spurs, Carlo Ancelotti's side are just one point ahead of Manchester United in the Premier League with three games left in the season.

UK Poll Results: Readers Urge Chelsea To Sign Sergio Aguero From Atletico Madrid

lsea should sign Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid during the summer to bolster their strike force for a renewed challenge on the European stage, according to readers of Goal.com UK.

Having exclusively revealed earlier that the Blues have made Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery and Atleti's Aguero their top transfer targets for a summer splurge, we asked you to voice your opinion as to who would be best suited to wear the Blue jersey next term.

And a majority 27.54 per cent of readers believe that Aguero would make the best summer signing, perhaps owing to his young age coupled with international experience that could prove invaluable for the Blues' quest for the Champions League crown.

Meanwhile, 15.28 per cent go for Alexandre Pato, possibly in the belief that the young Brazilian could gel well with the squad, having already worked with manager Carlo Ancelotti at Milan.

The Stamford Bridge outfit's midfield-heavy squad meant that Ribery amassed only 14.42 per cent of the votes, with the recent red card against Olympique Lyonnais probably playing some part in his score.

14.01 per cent believe that if Liverpool misses out on Champions League qualification this term, Fernando Torres could swap the Red of Merseyside for the Blue of west London during the transfer window.

Valencia hotshot David Villa comes next in line, polling 10.53 per cent of the votes, with the score perhaps reflecting the need for younger blood in the Chelsea squad.

Only a handful of readers (4.18 per cent) believe Robinho would fit hand-in-glove into the Stamford Bridge set-up, following his trouble-filled times at Manchester City that culminated in a loan deal with Santos.

And 5.55 per cent of readers believe that the Blues would be better off signing someone else, while an optimistic 8.44 per cent opine that no signings are required - believing that there will not be a slip between the Cup and the lip next season.

The Ultimate Nightmare Scenario For Roman

Imagine you are Roman Abramovich waking up this morning. Wouldn’t we all love to, but anyway. You open the papers and see the face of the manager you sacked three years ago and the headlines screaming at you. I will reproduce one for his benefit one presuming Roman is not a reader of The Sun. “SPECIAL WON”.

Imagine what it would be like if on the day after the Champions League Final he woke up to similar headlines about Jose’. After having seen Claudio Ranieri winning Italian Serie A (his Roma are at the top of the table one point ahead of Inter), Avram Grant the FA Cup and Fergie and that despicable sidekick of his Gary Neville holding the Premier League. It doesn’t even bear thinking about for us fans, let alone for an owner who has bankrolled the club with millions of pounds of his own money.

The bookies certainly don’t think that is a likely scenario. We are still favourites for The Premiership and the FA Cup, Barcelona, despite yesterday’s result are favourites for the Champions League and given Ranieri’s track record in twenty five years of coaching, Roma will probably contrive to fluff their lines.

Still, stranger things have been known to happen in football and I am sure that Abramovich sometimes stops to ponder over his managerial appointments since he bought Chelsea.

Scolari barely deserves a mention except to wonder who thought appointing him as Chelsea manager was a good idea. Prior to Chelsea he had never managed a club in Europe, he barely spoke the language and never even learned to pronounce the name of the club properly. He won the World Cup some would say. Who wouldn’t with Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and a whole of world class players in your squad?

Claudio Ranieri was a dead man walking the minute the ink was dry on Roman’s contract to buy Chelsea. The miracle was that he lasted a whole season. Events conspired against Abramovich when it came to sacking Ranieri. He either had to sack Ranieri within a few days of his takeover or else stick with him for the whole season as all the best managers would have found a club by then. We were in the title hunt till February, so that worked in Ranieri’s favour. A couple of months after we lost to Arsenal in February, effectively ruling us out the running for the league, we beat the Gooners in the Champions League quarter final but even that was not enough to save Ranieri’s bacon. The deal with Mourinho was done on the day Chelsea played against Monaco in the first leg of the semi final. Which, I am sure you all painfully remember, Ranieri blew big time.

Grant’s appointment remains one of the big mysteries in Chelsea’s history. Why Grant? No track record to speak of, the charisma of a cloistered nun and absolutely nothing to suggest that he would ever be accepted by the players after Jose’. Still the lucky bugger got a three year contract but only lasted one. Under Grant we got to the Champions League Final and challenged United for the Premier League till the very end. Who should get the credit for that is still under debate. My sources tell me that the team was run by JT, Ballack, Drogba and to a lesser extent Frank Lampard. Given Grant’s record before he joined Chelsea I tend to believe it.

As for Jose’ Mourinho you just don’t know where to start. Before Jose’ there were three certainties in football – Arsene Wenger complaining about Chelsea’s new found riches, United getting loads of injury time whenever they need a goal and Chris Kamara saying “incredible Jeff” at least twenty times every time he is on Gillette Soccer Saturday.

Since Jose’ came onto the scene another certainty can be added to that list. Jose’ Mourinho wins trophies. In the last six seasons he has been in business Jose’ has won the league five times with three different teams in three countries. He has won cups galore (Portughese, FA Cup and Coppa Italia, Champions League and UEFA Cup). Quite simply he is a serial winner.

The question is, what if, God forbid, we don’t win the league this season? Jose’ is fed up to the nose in Italy. Is it possible that the thoughts that cross the mind of each and every Chelsea fan whenever we see Jose’ on the telly occur to Roman.