• Ancelotti vows to stay despite Wilkins's
dismissal
• Chelsea to field youthful side against Zilina
Carlo Ancelotti
insists he will not tender his resignation as
Chelsea's
manager in the wake of the dismissal of his assistant Ray Wilkins,
although the Italian concedes he is in danger of being sacked
himself if results do not improve.
The champions succumbed to their third defeat in four league
games at Birmingham City last Saturday and now lead the Premier
League on goal difference. Wilkins's surprise departure, despite
Ancelotti making it clear he was content to have his assistant
remain at the club, had a further disruptive effect with
suggestions that the manager was considering his future at Stamford
Bridge prompting the League Managers' Association to contact him
yesterday evening seeking clarification.
Ancelotti was bullish in his rhetoric on Monday as he prepared
for tomorrow's visit of MSK Zilina in the Champions League,
claiming he hoped to remain at the club "for a long time", though
there was an acceptance that his own job security would require an
immediate improvement in results. "I have my contract until 2012
here, in this club, and I've said a lot of times that I'd like to
stay here," said Ancelotti, who retains the full support of his
squad. "I love not just this club, but these players. I have a lot
of confidence in these players, in this squad. But when the team
don't reach the right results, obviously the coach is under
pressure.
"Obviously I am under pressure because I'd like Chelsea to win
every game. The coach is in trouble when the team doesn't produce
results, but this is my life. I like my life. I'm not disappointed
about this. I'm disappointed because Chelsea have lost three in
four games, and this is not good: for me, for the players, for the
club and for my job.
"My aim is to stay here at this club, in this country, in this
atmosphere, for a long time. It depends on me. I did a good job
last year and I'd like to do the same this year. I am focused on my
job and to make this team play better than we are at this
moment."
The events of the last few weeks have affected Ancelotti, who
has 18 months to run on his £6.5m-a-year contract at the club, but
today's show of commitment was designed to draw a line under the
most unsettling period of his tenure. The manager was unable to
discuss Wilkins's departure, with his former assistant claiming
unfair dismissal and his lawyers negotiating his claim for
compensation, though he insisted the promotion of Michael Emenalo
would not undermine his own role as Avram Grant's arrival in 2007
appeared to do for José Mourinho.
"I'm sad because the team hasn't been winning," said the
Italian. "I maintain the same relationship with Ray, even if we
can't work together. Nothing has changed in my personal behaviour
with Ray. The club decided to change and I have to stay focused on
my job with another assistant. This is not a problem for me. That's
not the reason why the team are losing at this moment.
"Emenalo is doing the same job that he did when I came here. He
was on the training ground on the first day I was at the club, and
he is on the training ground again. He's not 'involved' in the
training sessions because he has no licences, but he was involved
in the tactical meetings and decisions when I arrived here and
still is. He did that while Ray was here, too."
Asked whether he craved more control over transfer policy or the
hiring and firing of his staff in his role, he added: "More power?
More power, for sure, would mean more work, more jobs. I don't want
this. I want to maintain my position. My experience is this. I'm
not able to speak about financial things, administrative things, or
contracts. I can just speak about my contract, not others. I prefer
to stay in my position and control technical matters. Nothing has
changed."
Chelsea require only a point against Zilina, beaten 7-0 at home
by Marseille in their last Champions League game, to win Group F
and, with Sunday's visit to Newcastle United in mind, Ancelotti
will hand a first start to Josh McEachran in midfield, with Jeffrey
Bruma and Ross Turnbull also to play. Jacopo Sala, Gokhan Tore and
George Saville were integrated into training today, with Alex
rested with a view to playing at St James' Park given the
anticipated absence of John Terry.
