Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has today claimed that he wants to emulate the success of Sir Alex Ferguson and have a prolonged stay in the English game. The Chelsea boss has also suggested he may even wish to manage England some time down the line. But could the Italian really fuflill his claims?
The thought of Chelsea sticking with a manager for twenty plus years is quite frankly ludicrous. You always feel as if the manager at Stamford Bridge is one bad month away from the chop with the impatience of the board clearly apparent.
It does strike you as if Ancelotti has managed to satisfy the board for the moment. His first season in the English game was nothing short of sensational and his start to this season has been just as emphatic.
Second season syndrome is something that is common in football but with Ancelotti you get the sense that he may have just managed to reignite some of the qualities that Jose Mourinho instilled in the squad following his arrival from Porto.
Perhaps this is because he is of a similar tactical bread to the current Real Madrid boss. Both have obvious methods which make their team hard to beat but oh so clinical at the other end, although Ancelotti’s side have been a lot more clinical of late.
However the main difference between the two successful managers is the personality and it is Ancelotti’s personality that in my opinion may see him create an even greater legacy then that of Mourinho’s at Stamford Bridge.
Although it was the personality of Mourinho that endeared him to the Chelsea fans and the British public, it was his personality that ultimately lead to his downfall at Chelsea. But with Ancelotti you can’t see his personality causing any problems. He is level headed and intelligent.
I expect Chelsea to dominate the Premier League this season but over the coming years this Chelsea squad will age, and that is when we will see the real talent of the Italian. But if results ever slip I have no doubt that Ancelotti will be shown the exit door. The question is can Ancelotti prevent results slipping?
I have no doubts that Ancelotti is a great manager. His track record speaks for itself.
“I expect Chelsea to dominate the Premier League this season but over the coming years this Chelsea squad will age, and that is when we will see the real talent of the Italian. But if results ever slip I have no doubt that Ancelotti will be shown the exit door. The question is can Ancelotti prevent results slipping?”
Probably the biggest question on answer. Has Ancelotti done a remarkable job so far? Yes. But remember, Avram Grant took largely the same team a John Terry missed penalty from Champions League Glory.
As of now, Ancelotti is succeeding with a core of players purchased by previous Chelsea managers.
The fact that he plans to take root is encouraging and good for everyone’s morale. I believe he said he looked forward to “at least ten years” as Chelsea manager after the Cup final. All-in-all, he strikes me as the right kind of man to manage during what will become a period of intense transition.