Can Ancelotti cut it at Chelsea?

Can Ancelotti make it at Chelsea, where fellow non-English speaking manager Luiz Felipe Scolari failed? (Picture: http://www.dirtytackle.net)

CARLO Ancelotti became the fifth manager to fill the Chelsea hotseat after the Russian Revolution when he signed up with the London club last night (Singapore time).

While the Italian comes with a huge reputation, one cannot help but wonder his credentials as a coach, having won one Serie A title and two Champions League titles in his eight seasons with Milan.

Furthermore, Ancelotti has a weak grasp of the English language, and had never managed a club in England before.

Does that sound a tad similar to a certain Luiz Felipe Scolari? We all know what happened to the Brazilian, don’t we?

Given the circumstances, and Roman Abramaovich’s famous impatience and intolerance to failure, do you think Ancelotti can cut it Chelsea?

Has Hiddink really got the Chelsea dressing room under control?

Salomon Kalou and William Gallas – foes now, teammates next season?
(Picture: Reuters)

SALOMON Kalou has caused a stir among Chelsea and Arsenal fans by saying that he is a fan of Arsene Wenger and is very open to playing for the current Arsenal manager (see story here).

The 23-year-old made the comments right after Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over Juventus in the Champions League, and hot on the heels of recent revelations of a fractured Chelsea dressing room under the reign of former manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.

While Didier Drogba has whined – one too many times – about wanting to leave in the past, and shocking rumours of a player mutiny (with Drogba, Petr Cech and Michael Ballack being fingered as the main culprits), Kalou is the first player outburst to come out of the Chelsea dressing room since the arrival of Guus Hiddink.

Are Man United “untouchable” this season?

MAN United extended its lead at the summit of the Premiership table early this morning, brushing Fulham aside easily with a 3-0 victory.

In the build-up to this game, Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger has declared the Red Devils currently “untouchable”, and Sir Alex Ferguson has also said that the title race is now down to his United team and Liverpool, with Chelsea blowing their chances after sacking Luiz Felipe Scolari.

While some critics are saying that Man United are due for a bad patch soon, after a nine-game winning streak (the last time they failed to collect three points was against Spurs in December) and a 14-game unbeaten run.

Are Man United “untouchable” this season? Let’s play it by the numbers.

Q & A with Letter of the Week winner Sunil Rai

When and why did you start supporting Manchester United?
I remember vividly the 1999 final. The 1st game I watched, not as a United fan, but as a curious sports fanatic, a mere onlooker. I have this tendency to support the so-called underdogs and this was the case in the 1999 final.

I recall my dad going off to sleep with 3 minutes to go but I was there clasping my hands offering every prayer I had, hoping fervently that a miracle materialises. And my God, it did. I don’t remember any moment in my life where I told myself, “OK I’ll support United”. It just happened.

It became an addiction. The charisma. The arrogance. The aura of invincibility. The ethics. The flamboyance. They had it all.

What is the most memorable football game you’ve watched and why?
Countless honestly. But the FA Cup final of 2006, when we lost in such fashion, will remain etched in my memory forever.

Interview with Letter of the Weekend winner Firdaus Jasmin

When and why did you start supporting Newcastle?

I started supporting the Magpies since the 1995-96 season when they signed the legendary French winger David Ginola and the Duke of Tyneside, Sir Les of Ferdinandshire.

This may sound funny, but honestly back then, under the guidance of the Messiah Kevin Keegan, watching Newcastle was like watching Barcelona. All Newcastle fans could proudly held our heads up as having the team that played the beautiful game the way it ought to be played, with abundance of attacking flair and scoring loads of goals. In fact, I would not be surprised if Arsene Wenger based his current Arsenal team from the Newcastle team back then.

Will Hiddink survive the Chelsea cauldron?

(Video by RT)
NEWS has emerged late last night that Russia national coach Guus Hiddink – who is incidentally a close friend of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich – will take over managerial duties at Stamford Bridge for the rest of the season while still managing the Russian national team.

The Dutchman is to international football what Harry Redknapp is to English football – Hiddink has managed to bring out an extra edge to the national teams he managed, bringing Holland to the 1998 World Cup semi-finals, South Korea to 4th place in the 2002 World Cup, and guiding Australia to the 2006 finals for the first time in 32 years.

But as a club manager, his results have been mixed. The 62-year-old seems to perform his best in his native Holland, winning a total of one European Cup, six Eridivisie titles and four Dutch cup titles in his two stints with PSV Eindhoven, but also unremarkably stints with Real Madrid, Real Betis, Valencia and Fenerbahce.

The question is: Can Hiddink bring his international Midas touch to Chelsea?

THE POSTMAN LIM SAY HENG says: While Chelsea fans may rejoice at the short-term coup (which could very well turn into a long-term deal, given the close friendship Hiddink and Abramovich share), I have my doubts as to whether Tsar Hiddink can survive the demands of the Premiership, as well as that of his close friend.

It’s all Roman’s fault

LUIZ Felipe Scolari’s 224-day reign as Chelsea manager has ended late last night Singapore time, after the London club gave him the boot following a string of poor results in the Premiership.

Ironically, his much-detested predecessor Avram Grant survived longer in the Blues hot seat than the Brazilian, lasting 227 days after taking over from Jose Mourinho in late 2007.

THE POSTMAN LIM SAY HENG says: Much has been said about Scolari’s management style, language barriers and the transition between managing national teams to clubs.

But I feel that Roman Abramovich is to blame for making Chelsea into an English version of Real Madrid, sans the success.

Question of the Week (Scolari’s Sacking)

Hi all,

THE POSTMAN’S QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Should Chelsea have sacked Luiz Felipe Scolari?

Drogba dribbles…this time with words

DIDIER Drogba has expressed his emotional attachment to Marseille fans while insisting that he is not trying to engineer a move.

”It (the Marseille adventure) is unfinished. The difficulty is knowing if one or another we can finish (this story), and finally write the last few chapters, which will maybe be the most beautiful,” said the out-of-favour Chelsea striker.

But he also said: ”But be careful, I am not opening the door to an eventual transfer, I am simply explaining the situation.”

THE POSTMAN LIM SAY HENG says: Can there be a more desperate SOS sign, disguised so poorly, from the Drog?

The Ivorian striker already has one foot out of Stamford Bridge, after admitting to losing his desire for football recently, as well as being frozen out of Luiz Felipe Scolari’s squad in the past two games.

With former manager Jose Mourinho’s interest in Drogba waning, and news of him possibly used in a sensational player swop with Manchester City’s Robinho, it is no wonder his “Get me out of here” are getting louder by the minute.

After all, which top-drawer player would want to join a club whose pedigree has never been proved, and who are currently heavily engaged in a relegation dog-fight?

(Picture: AP)

READERS, RESPOND (below):

Question of the Week (Red Devils to beat the Blues?)

THE POSTMAN’S QUESTION OF THE WEEK: WILL Manchester United condemn Chelsea convincingly in their Premiership showdown this Sunday, or will the Blues finally show the resilience they used to be famous for?

Give us your preview, including key player match-ups and sum up the importance of this clash on both sides’ title challenges, plus a score-line prediction.

Avoid telling us the die-hard fan story of how Manchester United will win because they are better. Tell us why they are better, be it tactically or personnel-wise.

Cheers,
Arun Raj
The Postman