Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of the club’s
former midfielder Ray Wilkins as the new assistant first-team coach
at Stamford Bridge.
Wilkins, who begun his career at Chelsea as an apprentice in
1973, replaces Steve Clarke after the Scot’s resignation and
subsequent move to join Gianfranco Zola at West Ham.
Luiz Felipe Scolari was opposed to Clarke’s departure but has
now acted swiftly to install an English assistant with Wilkins
returning to West London.
Chelsea’s player of the year for both 1976 and 1977, who made
198 appearances for The Blues, has managed both QPR and Fulham and
also acted as Gianluca Vialli’s assistant, alongside Graham Rix,
during the Italian’s time in charge of Chelsea between 1999 and
2000.
He took temporary charge of the club following Vialli’s
dismissal in September 2000 and then followed him to Watford after
Claudio Ranieri’s appointment at Stamford Bridge.
Wilkins has been a prominent figure in the media but now returns
to his first club to assist Scolari in his bid for silverware this
season.