FRANK LAMPARD AND CARLO ANCELOTTI
FOR TOTTENHAM?
FRANK WORRALL reporting.
LAST week I commented on the unfolding situation at Chelsea under new manager Andre Villas-Boas. I pointed out that he had reached the stage where, after a series of poor results, he would either be backed or sacked by He Who Must Be Obeyed. Now my spies at Stamford Bridge tell me that the Portuguese WILL be backed – that Roman Abramovich, a man hardly renowned for his patience, has finally accepted that the new man must be given time…and that he does indeed have a major rebuilding job on his hands.
I am also informed that there will be no return for former caretaker boss Guus Hiddink – that if the jovial Dutchman was re-employed in a director of football role, Villas-Boas would certainly walk away.
So now that the battle is over – and Villas-Boas has won the opening skirmishes, we can cast a more astute eye over the land and assess the true winners and losers. Clearly, Villas-Boas has re-emerged from the fray in a better position. The 3-0 win over a talented Valencia side – and confirmation that Chelsea have made it into the next stage of the Champions League - has cemented his position and, I believe, means he will now be given the full three years to carry out the necessary reconstruction job needed at the Bridge.
And let’s be honest: he does have a major job on his hands. No manager has dared to drastically tamper with the team that Jose Mourinho established back in 2005: basically, they faced the sack if they did so as Roman operated a short-termist, survival by results regime.
But now drastic change is finally needed because the team have inevitably grown older, and slower, together. Already striker Nicolas Anelka and the defender Alex have been sacrificied and, in a classic move to stamp his authority on the club, Villas-Boas has exiled both away from the first team. They now train with the reserves and the kids. It was a devastatingly effective warning shot to the rest of the old brigade – mess with me, and this is what happens.
As such, it worked, and quickly. Notice how effective veterans Didier Drogba and John Terry were against Valencia? It was as if they had been re-energised; maybe the truth is both knew they were now playing for their futures at the Bridge. That time had caught up with them and that, finally, any pleas to Roman for special treatment would no longer be tolerated. That the emperor had a new favourite in town – the boss who was around the same age as them and who some players (not Terry, Drogba or Frank Lampard by the way) had derided as ‘just the bloke who used to compile the DVDs for Jose’ when he was an assistant to Mourinho at Chelsea.
Which brings us to Mr Lampard. A great servant to Chelsea over the years and still a good player. But not as quick as he was and one who surely did his cause no good with the new regime when he skulked off sulking as he was substituted at Newcastle. Without axed Frank against Valencia, Chelsea looked more vibrant and solid in midfield.
Now I hear noises that he may be on his way in the next few months. That he might be approached by his Uncle Harry at Tottenham. It would surely be a good move; Frank would fit in well with the more attacking formation at White Hart Lane (where Scott Parker would cover his defensive duties) and he would surely be more at ease under his uncle Redknapp than Villas-Boas.
But what if Redknapp quits Spurs for England next year, I hear you ask. Well, I have also heard that Spurs may have a contingency plan lined up for that situation – which would see the excellent Carlo Ancelotti taking over from Redknapp. Again, good news for Frank – Ancelotti has always been an admirer of the England midfielder and enjoyed being his manager at Chelsea.
These are seismic times at Stamford Bridge. Change is happening and not slowly. Villas Boas has to shake things up but also continue to keep the club in the hunt for trophies. He is making some good moves: I hear he has set up a deal with Owen Coyle, Bolton boss, to bring Gary Cahill to the Bridge. That is excellent news for John Terry, who can establish his England partnership with Cahill at club level – and stop worrying about covering for the inconsistent David Luiz.
Also, Luka Modric may eventually end up at the Bridge as Lampard heads to White Hart Lane as a sweetener in a revised £35million deal. All of a sudden, Chelsea would look refreshed and reinvigorated – just as Roman demanded. Funny game, ain’t it, football? Just a week ago, Villas Boas was seen as a loser – now he may yet prove to be Jose Mourinho Mark II at Stamford Bridge…
THE ICEMAN COMETH
AGAIN TO F1
WHAT a tonic for F1 this week – with the exciting news that former champion Kimi Raikkonen is returning to the sport next season.
After two years away (during which he competed in the World Rally Championship) Raikkonen could no longer resist the temptation of a return to the F1 circuit.
His comeback is great news for fans and Lotus Renault GP, who have lured him back. All of a sudden the sport has a wealth of brilliant – even legendary – drivers competing against each other. If you could do a dream team of F1, you couldn’t really improve on next year’s line-up…which will include Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastien Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button and Michael Schumacher.
The past versus the present in a star-studded grid. How will 2007 champion Raikkonen fare? Some pundits point to the struggles of Michael Schumacher since his return two years ago – and say the Finnish ace will suffer a similar fate. That Schumacher has never really looked like threatening the hegemony of young turks like Vettel and Hamilton.
But so what? Schumacher and Raikkonen already have the T-shirts at home to confirm they have been there and done it. Let’s give them a break – and just sit back and lap up the extraordinary spectacle of them giving the new kids on the block a run for their money. Welcome back Kimi the Iceman…you’re one of the greats and you’ve been sorely missed, mate…
Drowning in Debt? Clear All Your Bills in 12 months or Less!! Visit: http://bit.ly/uwpY2p
No comments:
Post a Comment