Ranieri wants to stay blue

Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri today did something of a U-turn and expressed the hope that he will be given the chance to finish the job he has started at Stamford Bridge.

He believes owner Roman Abramovich needs to add just a couple more pieces to his expensively-assembled jigsaw to put the club in a position to end Arsenal and Manchester United’s supremacy of English football – and would dearly love to be part of it.

While Porto coach Jose Mourinho is widely expected to replace the Italian at the end of the season, Ranieri insisted his departure is not the foregone conclusion many believe.

Chelsea have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League and are currently second in the Barclaycard Premiership – a position they could clinch with just one point from tomorrow’s visit to Old Trafford.

And Ranieri said: “I think I have done a very good job here.

“The plan is good. I started to build, the foundations are strong and the spirit of the group is strong and I would like finish my job.

“I have three years of the contract so why cannot I finish the job?. I want to, I’d like to – but I’m not the owner.”

Asked if he would still be at Chelsea at the start of next season he maintained: “I hope, I would like to finish the job. I believe, I believe.

“Me and the players have made a very great job this season, very great. I think this is a great group and with this group to change something, but not much, you can do better next season.

“I try to improve every season from last season and it’s important next season to try to improve, that is my way.

“With this foundation it will be possible. Of course, it will not be easy. Nothing is easy in football and in life.”

Ranieri confirmed there have been no discussions with Abramovich or chief executive Peter Kenyon regarding further team-building but denied that was ominous as far as his own personal position is concerned.

The Italian, reflecting on the Russian billionaire’s takeover of the club which produced a succession of expensive playing acquisitions, continued: “Last season I started very late and it was not a problem.

“I had to build the group and the foundation and Mr Abramovich didn’t ask me to win the trophy.”

Following the disappointment of the 2-2 midweek draw with Monaco which hammered the final nail into a European dream which effectively died when his team lost the first leg 3-1, Ranieri was keener to talk about tomorrow’s return to action than dwell on his personal future.

Reflecting on the European setback which saw Chelsea surrender the two-goal second-leg lead which would have taken them to the final, he said: “It isn’t important – if, if, if.

“We are out of the Champions League. We achieved a semi-final and I think that is a great achievement.

“At the beginning everybody would have been very happy to achieve the semi-final of the Champions League and the second place.”

Now the target is to finish the Premiership as runners-up to Arsenal.

And Ranieri said: “It’s very important and it’s important the players are focused for this great match.

“It will be a very difficult match because they are at home.”

And even though Chelsea are currently ahead of their great rivals, Ranieri acknowledges that does not mean they have overtaken them as a team and a club.

“We are good like Manchester United but one year is nothing. You have to look at what has happened for three or four years.

“That is important and I want to see during the years if we are like Arsenal and Manchester United.”