Avram Grant yesterday launched a passionate defence of
his Chelsea record, insisting he had performed better than anyone
could have expected since taking over from Jose Mourinho. Speaking
after Mourinho's claim that he had outperformed Sir Alex Ferguson
and Arsene Wenger during his time at Stamford Bridge, Grant claimed
he is at Chelsea for the long haul and has already started planning
his summer recruitment drive.
Chelsea face a vital trip to Everton tonight and Grant refused
to let Monday's damaging draw at home to Wigan dent his confidence.
'Realistically we did not have a chance from day one I was here,'
he said. 'There was always a team above us with more points.
Compared to when I received the club, the situation is good.
'The pressure was that we came from nowhere to fight for the
championship. When I received the team I don't think anyone could
have seen us in the position we were in before the game against
Wigan and we are in still. We are still fighting. 'If Manchester
United take the title I will be the first to congratulate them, but
at the moment I will not give up. We believe, even if the chance is
not like before.'
Chelsea must take three points at Goodison if they are to have
any hope of catching United. They also must overcome Liverpool over
two legs in the semi-final of the Champions League if Grant is to
realise owner Roman Abramovich's dream of a place in the Moscow
final next month. In truth, reaching the final of Europe's elite
competition, although a magnificent achievement, would represent
the only example of Grant outstripping his predecessor
Mourinho.
Grant appears convinced he will be at Chelsea next season,
although the cacophony of boos that greeted the draw with Wigan
suggested the majority of fans feel his time is up. He said: 'We
have done a great job and anyone reasonable will tell you the same.
One hundred per cent of people never think the same, especially in
football.
'I respect the fans, because they're there before any manager
and after any manager. I respect the last fan sitting in the last
row, but I know as well in this room that 20 people do not think
the same.'
Grant has started compiling a list of transfer targets with
Abramovich and director of football Frank Arnesen — even
considering moves for AC Milan's Kaka or Barcelona's Leo Messi.
Hamburg midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, who yesterday urged
Chelsea to follow up their £20million interest in him, is another
in the frame.
Heading out is Tal Ben Haim, Didier Drogba has also made it
plain he sees his future elsewhere. But a more immediate problem
for Grant is Drogba's likely absence tonight. The striker still has
the knee niggle which sidelined him on Monday. Frank Lampard has
also not trained after missing the Wigan game to be at the bedside
of his sick mother Pat and is unlikely to feature at Goodison.
