Monday, February 21, 2011

Carlo Ancelotti says he will not quit Chelsea

Carlo Ancelotti
Ancelotti won the Premier League and FA Cup double last seas
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has vowed that he will not quit the club after the defending champions' FA Cup exit.
Saturday's penalty shoot-out defeat by Everton leaves the Champions League as the Blues' only realistic hope of silverware this season.
Asked if he would consider resigning ahead of facing FC Copenhagen on Tuesday, Ancelotti said: "No, not me.
"I don't have to consider my position. It is the owner [Roman Abramovich] that has to do that, not myself."
Chelsea's last-16 European tie offers the Blues a chance to turn around another poor run of form which has seen them slip to fifth in the Premier League.
Following a 1-0 defeat to Wolves on 5 January the Blues won four out of five games, but they have failed to score a goal in normal time in the past three matches, despite the acquisition of £50m striker Fernando Torres.
Ancelotti claimed John Obi Mikel and Michael Essien are not 100% fit and admitted only John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic are currently playing at the top of their game.
The team's stuttering displays mean that qualification for the Champions League next season is under threat.
A similar situation two seasons ago lead to the sacking of previous boss Luiz Felipe Scolari, but at that stage in February 2008 Chelsea were fourth in the league and still in the FA Cup and Europe.
But Ancelotti, who won a league and FA Cup double in his first season in charge last season, said that resuming their European travails could give them the jolt they needed.
"The Champions League is not easy, but it will bring a lot of motivation for every one of us," he said. "We have to have the right pressure. We have to play against Copenhagen. We have 180 minutes to win this game."
"Chelsea won't go out against Copenhagen," he added. "I think we have the possibility to win against Copenhagen."
The defeat by Everton on Saturday came after Frank Lampard had scored in extra-time, only for Leighton Baines to equalise with a free-kick.
Both Nicolas Anelka and Ashley Cole missed crucial penalties in the shootout with Everton captain Phil Neville scoring the decisive kick.
On Sunday former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri resigned as Roma's coach. The Italian was in charge of the Blues between 2000 and 2004 but has said recently that he would not return to the Premier League.
Story by BBC

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