Angry Ancelotti denies exit strategy

AN EMOTIONAL Carlo Ancelotti yesterday launched a staunch denial that he is considering leaving Chelsea and refuted suggestions his position at Stamford Bridge has been left untenable by recent intervention in club affairs by those above him.

What started as a shrug of the shoulders at a press conference following the controversial sacking of popular assistant manager Ray Wilkins has ballooned so out of all control in the last week that Ancelotti has, exasperatedly, sought to put the flow of rumours to rest. His message is that despite problems off the pitch and, just as importantly, despite three defeats in four league games on the field, he intends to stay at Stamford Bridge for as long as possible and create a legacy to match the likes of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.

Of course that was always the aim, that was always his ambition. So how on earth did we reach this point — the point at which Chelsea seems set to self-destruct just when everything was going so well?

You have to look above Ancelotti for the complete answer but in truth the manager has been partly to blame; his admission that the departure of Wilkins was not his choice and his subsequent behaviour when asked about the appointment of Michael Emenalo as a surprise replacement only served to fuel the fire. It was clear to anyone in the room last Friday that Ancelotti did not approve of the promotion of Emenalo to his coaching staff — because the words he chose carefully to avoid were shouted to the rooftops instead by his body language.

No, he wasn’t Ancelotti’s choice. No, he wouldn’t be involved in training. No, this was not the moment to express how he felt.

But yesterday, following a weekend of feverish speculation about Ancelotti’s future and Roman Abramovich’s unwelcome intervention in team affairs (not to mention legal action from Wilkins contesting his unfair dismissal), the Italian attempted to calm things down.

The last straw came when newspapers suggested he had contacted the League Managers Association for advice on his situation, an indication of just how uncomfortable he was finding life at Stamford Bridge.

Finally, Ancelotti knew he had to stand up.

“I don’t know if it’s enough to clarify my position to close these rumours and speculation,” he began. “These rumours are totally untrue. I don’t know why they came out. I didn’t speak with the LMA. They called me last night when I was at home to find out what was happening. These rumours are totally untrue. I have my contract until 2012, here, in this club. I’ve said a lot of times that I’d like to stay here.

“There was, last night, an LMA dinner with the coaches and they wanted to know about these rumours. I said to them that they were untrue. I read in the papers today that I called them. That’s untrue. I didn’t call anybody.”

It’s unlike Ancelotti to become so flustered; his calm and wry press conferences are part of the reason he was always seen at Chelsea as a potential antidote to the aggressive and pugnacious Jose Mourinho.

Ancelotti is different; he has helped make Chelsea popular by improving the team’s style of football, by winning the double and by cleaning the face the club shows to the world. Given everything he has achieved in a short time, you could forgive him for feeling rather hard done by when the owner steps in to sack his assistant — and, as he keeps telling us, his friend — before replacing him with an overseas scout with little or no knowledge of coaching.

But whatever the truth, Ancelotti is not — as some have suggested — about to walk out on the club.

And he is not ‘refusing’ to sign a new contract, which still has 18 months to run, despite admitting his job will eventually be on the line if results do not improve quickly.

“I love not just this club, but these players. I have a lot of confidence in these players, in this squad, so there’s no reason to change my ideas. I don’t know if this is enough to speak about all this. I think that 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. I am focused on my job to make us play better than we are at this moment.

“But there is no reason to think about my position. My position in the club is very clear. I am the coach and I have to train my players to maintain the team, the club, at the best level. Now, this moment is not so good on the pitch and we have to do better there. Obviously 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, the players, the club, for my job. We want to do better.”

Ancelotti has, however, been hurt by suggestions that he should have done more to keep Wilkins at the club; after all, Mourinho once threatened to resign when Chelsea attempted to do exactly the same to his assistant, Steve Clarke.

“I maintain the same relationship with Ray, even if we can’t work together,” Ancelotti insisted. “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. We have also to clarify the position of Emenalo. Emenalo is doing the same job that he did when I came here. He was on the training ground on the first day. He is on the training ground again. He’s not ‘involved’ because he has no licences. He was involved in the tactical meetings and decisions when I arrived here. That position was the same when Ray was here. Nothing has changed.

“My aim is to stay at this club, 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.”