Ancelotti backs Chelsea player power
Wednesday October 21 2009
HAVING coached the likes of Clarence Seedorf, Paolo Maldini and Gennaro Gattuso -- all headstrong as well as talented footballers -- it was no surprise to hear Carlo Ancelotti declare that he had "no problem" with the Chelsea players discussing the team's shortcomings among themselves in a dressing-room meeting that the manager did not attend.
In previous seasons, such a gathering would have been followed by the ringing of alarm bells. There is, after all, a strong cabal at Chelsea and it has, in the past, helped bring about the demise of previous managers.
Ancelotti, however, is happy that there are so many "strong personalities" at Chelsea. "I have always believed the players have to take responsibility," he said.
One of the strongest is Michael Ballack, who sat alongside Ancelotti yesterday ahead of tonight's Champions League encounter with Atletico Madrid.
The German midfielder, along with John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Petr Cech, forms an unofficial 'Big Five' at the club whose voices are the most influential. And the most outspoken.
And it was Ballack who confirmed that the players had held their own summit on Monday ahead of a day spent at the training ground trying to eradicate the errors from set-pieces that are threatening to undermine their season. "We speak with each other and we have no problem criticising each other in the dressing-room," Ballack said.
"A good team with strong players has to do this. We've done that, then we shake hands and get back on the training pitch and try to do better."
The two headed goals conceded against Aston Villa last Saturday led to soul-searching among the players who were similarly afflicted during the final days of Luiz Felipe Scolari's regime last season. "It was just one game, but it was obvious that we lost the game because of set-pieces," Ballack added. "Everyone has to improve."
Ancelotti is acutely aware that he needs to tighten things up. He wishes he could shake the team up, but injuries and suspensions are hampering him and Chelsea may eventually pay the price for not investing more heavily in the summer, and not just because of the transfer ban which they are contesting.
"For the last game against Aston Villa I had to use eight players who had played 90 minutes for their countries in the midweek internationals," Ancelotti said.
"If there was the possibility to change some players, I would like to do this, but Mikel is not fit, nor (Yuri) Zhirkov, Joe Cole, Alex or (Jose) Bosingwa, while Drogba is suspended. It is not easy, no." (© Daily Telegraph, London)
Chelsea v Atletico Madrid,
Live, RTE2, 7.45
- Jason Burt
Irish Independent
