BECOMING THE fifth Chelsea manager in two seasons may be something of a poisoned chalice for the incumbent Carlo Ancelotti: he will be charged with succeeding where Mourinho et al. have failed.
The Italian, who left AC Milan after a successful eight season spell that included a Serie A title and two Champions League successes, has been employed by Roman Abramovich – not averse to hiring and firing managers on shotgun instincts – to bring Chelsea European success for the first time.
Since Jose Mourinho was hastily sacked, Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Guus Hiddink have assumed the helm at Chelsea, all falling at the final hurdle in pursuit of Europe’s biggest prize.
Ancelotti has two Champions League titles under his belt, winning in 2003 and 2007, as well as reaching the final in 2005 where Liverpool performed arguably football’s greatest comeback.
Ancelotti achieved this with a team built on a strong defence, combined with the tantalising mixture of majestic ball players and industrial strength in attack.
Kaka, Alexandre Pato, Ronaldinho and Andrea Pirlo offered ballerina-like skill and style under Ancelotti, playing a sleek style of attacking football that was made even more effective by the dirty work of Clarence Seedorf, Gennaro Gattuso and Massimo Ambrosini.
At Chelsea, Ancelotti could combine the likes of Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and Deco with Essien and Drogba to achieve the same results. New signings are likely, with Kaka, Pato and Pirlo suggested to follow their former manager to Stamford Bridge.
What works in Serie A does not necessarily translate to a guarantee of silverware in England. Players who excelled in Italy, such as Adrian Mutu, Hernan Crespo, Andriy Shevchenko and Juan Sebastian Veron, struggled to adapt to the Premier League.
There are always exceptions to the rule, and Chelsea fans know all too well that Italian stars like Gianfranco Zola can transcend the boundaries between English and Italian playing styles.
But Carlo Ancelotti may not find everything goes as smoothly. Ricardo Carvalho has already displayed a willingness to leave, and with rivals at Old Trafford and Anfield readying for another title campaign, the earliest sign of failure under Ancelotti could see yet another scramble for a manager to take Chelsea to Champions League glory.
With his experiences, and two Champions League winners’ medals in his possession, Ancelotti may be the best man for the job. If he can’t lead Chelsea to their holy grail, it is difficult to see who could.
The new man has conceded that he will have to win the Champions League in the three years he is contracted to Chelsea to qualify as a success.
Ancelotti said: “For me the Champions League is a beautiful sensation because when I played I won it two times, in 1989 and 1990.
“It was a fantastic moment, the same thing as when I was a coach in Milan in 2003 and 2007.
“The Champions League for me is the best competition in the world and we want to win. Chelsea has a great record.
“Five semi-finals in six years is a beautiful score, so great, but now we need to win. I hope this will happen.”
The ease with which Chelsea have reached semi-finals is impressive, but their main problem is overcoming the final hurdle to reach the final. Only in 2008, when they lost to Manchester United, have Chelsea competed in the Champions League final.
The problem may be psychological: a nervous reaction to the challenge facing them. It could be down to motivation and tactics from the man in charge, or simply a lack of overall quality in the playing squad.
Ancelotti is the perfect answer to all three of these quandaries. He possesses the motivational qualities to break through any mental issues that may be troubling the Chelsea squad, and is renowned as a great tactician.
He also knows which players to use to break down the opposition. Combining the midfield brilliance of Kaka, using his unique skills to break down defences with inimitable ease, with the likes of Seedorf, Pirlo, Gattuso and Ambrosini, Ancelotti assembled a team that were difficult to conquer.
It can be argued, however, that the new saviour of Stamford Bridge is little more than a yes man, a lackey whose sole role is to train a squad chosen by the owner. For Silvio Berlusconi at AC Milan, read Roman Abramovich at Chelsea.
Ancelotti’s arrival at Chelsea may allow Abramovich the freedom he desired when Mourinho was in charge, freeing him up to sign the players he wants and exercise a more autocratic role on his side.
It worked for the Rossoneri, at least in terms of European glory, something that Abramovich seeks desperately. But Ancelotti’s overall record was pretty uninspiring, winning only 57% of his matches.
When you compare this to Mourinho’s win rate of 71% at Chelsea, and Avram Grant’s 67 percent, Ancelotti needs to ensure he makes a flying start to avoid the almost inevitable P45.
As long as he wins the approval of the Chelsea dressing room, particularly senior players like John Terry, Peter Cech, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, then Ancelotti is likely to win the same acclaim that Guus Hiddink did in his short stint in charge.
Last season’s third place finish will not be accepted by Abramovich, especially if the club fail to reach the last four of the Champions League. A final appearance may save Ancelotti from the sack, but there really is the sense that it is Europe or bust for Chelsea this season. If that is the case, Roman Abramovich may choose to pack up and leave.
Ancelotti may be the best chance that Chelsea have of winning the Champions League in the foreseeable future. With Barcelona dominating in Spain and now Europe, Real Madrid set to return to the galactico era and the form of Liverpool and Manchester United both domestically and abroad, Ancelotti’s forecast of three years to win the big prize may be optimistic at best.
