Steven Gerrard is confident Liverpool can win the Premier League next season, providing they can add quality additions to Rafa Benitez’s Anfield ranks.
The England midfielder, speaking ahead of his country’s World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan, was keen to be reunited with his international team-mate Gareth Barry at club level.
However, despite Liverpool’s strong pursuit of Barry last season, Manchester City completed a swiftly concluded £12million swoop for the Aston Villa man on Tuesday.
Gerrard believes Liverpool should be looking for players “of Gareth’s standard” and added: “He is English and you need English players at your club now.” Read more…
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is ready to raid his old club Milan and bid for Alexandre Pato, according to the Sun.
Ancelotti left the Rossoneri on Sunday to join Chelsea with whom he signed a lucrative three-year contract.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is believed to have given his new manager a huge transfer budget to spend this summer.
The Blues have been linked with Franck Ribery and David Villa, but Pato represents a tried and trusted purchase for the cautious Ancelotti. Read more…
Fresh from celebrating his team’s FA Cup Final victory John Terry has called on Roman Abramovich to bankroll Carlo Ancelotti.
Having agreed to leave AC Milan on Sunday night, Ancelotti has been announced as the Blues’ new boss, despite rumoured late interest from Real Madrid, and will be interested to hear the thoughts of his new skipper.
Terry believes that the club needs players as well as a manager, and is keen to aim high, asserting that “the likes of Franck Ribery and David Villa are the kind of players we want”.
Chelsea ended their two-year trophy drought with their FA Cup success, and Terry wants them to use that success as a springboard to go on and win more trophies: Read more…
Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager, just a day after the exit of Guus Hiddink.
Ancelotti’s twin Champions League wins make him an outstanding manager.
The Italian succeeds Hiddink, whose short stint at Stamford Bridge ended after Saturday’s FA Cup final victory over Everton. Ancelotti, who has long been linked with the Stamford Bridge post, left AC Milan by mutual consent on Sunday.
A statement on their official website read: ”Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce that Carlo Ancelotti has agreed to become our new manager. He has signed a three year contract and will start on July 1, 2009.
”Carlo was the outstanding candidate for the job. He has proved over a long period his ability to build teams that challenged for, and have been successful in, major domestic and European competitions.
”He also had a highly successful playing career in those competitions and therefore brings unparalleled all round experience to the job. Read more…
John Terry believes Carlo Ancelotti would be an ideal candidate to replace Guus Hiddink at Chelsea.
The Italian parted company with former employers AC Milan on Sunday, fuelling speculation of an imminent switch to Stamford Bridge.
He has been quick to dismiss reports suggesting a deal is already in place, but it appears to be only a matter of time before he steps into the void left by Hiddink’s departure at the end of his short-term deal.
Blues skipper Terry insists Ancelotti would be a welcome addition to the Chelsea family and is confident the experienced coach could be a success in England.
“I think a few of the backroom staff have worked with him before, and Andriy Shevchenko speaks very highly of him,” said the centre-half.
“If he’s the man to come in, then he’s got a great bunch of lads to come in and work with. Read more…
The season has only just finished and already the press are preparing for a busy summer of transfer speculation.
Many of the usual names appear in the press. Lyon’s Karim Benzema has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford, while Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery and Wigan wide man Antonio Valencia are also tipped as possible targets.
Another name linked with United in May was Mamadou Sakho, a French Under-21 defender, who plays for Paris St Germain.
Cristiano Ronaldo is again being linked with a move to Real Madrid, although some newspapers take the unfamiliar stance of saying that he’ll stay on at OT, while Carlos Tevez is exit bound according to the press.
Guus Hiddink says winning the FA Cup was one of the special moments of his distinguished career, and a near-perfect way to say goodbye to Chelsea.
Hiddink was speaking after our 2-1 win against Everton at Wembley for the last time as Blues coach, and will now return to his full-time role with Russia as the deliverer of silverware we so desired.
Beaten just once in his three-and-a-half months in charge at Stamford Bridge, the Dutchman signed off in north London by coming from behind to lift the famous trophy.
Asked if it was the perfect way to depart, he said: ‘Yes I think so, it would have been a bit more perfect if we had been somewhere a few days ago. That’s the only regret I have, not playing Man U.
‘I would have loved to play Man U which did not happen, so it was almost perfect with this FA Cup winning and this club must win silverware every year. Not having won this Cup would have left a feeling it was not totally finished.’ Read more…
Having fallen inside half a minute, it required goals in either half from Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard to seal the club’s first silverware in two years. It was the perfect way to wave goodbye to Guus Hiddink, who has overseen such a fantastic turnaround since his arrival in February.
Celebrations for fans and players will go on long into the night as a long and difficult season ends with a sweet victory, and a fifth Final success from nine attempts.
On the day, a particularly bright and warm spring afternoon, the majority of Hiddink’s side picked itself, as it had done for the last few weeks.
His only major decision was whether to employ John Mikel Obi or Michael Ballack alongside Michael Essien in midfield. He opted for the youthful Nigerian, while Nicolas Anelka, the returning Lampard and Malouda provided support to Drogba in attack.
Alex rejoined the backline after sitting out against Sunderland last weekend, at the expense of Branislav Ivanovic who was among the subs. Read more…
David Beckham has played down talk linking him with a possible move to Chelsea.
Reports have suggested Chelsea managerial target Carlo Ancelotti is keen on bringing Beckham to Stamford Bridge if he does take over from Guus Hiddink this summer with the England star impressing the Italian during his loan stint at AC Milan.
Ancelotti has been strongly linked with a move to Chelsea once the Serie A season finishes, but Beckham, who is due to return to LA Galaxy next week, admits it is unlikely he would follow Ancelotti to West London if the Italian does end up going to England. Read more…
