Kostas

Have to admit that I've got no confidence in our goalie scouts

Idiots. @ Jim That, Sir, is the best Chelsea avatar I've seen.

This thread's title implies that his career could be over when his Chelsea career is in dange, better fix it before someone thinks we've got another Hutchinson.

Makes too much sense, it won't happen.

Essien owes us a world class performance..

Ancelotti won't play him, a loan is the best option for him.

According to L'Equip AC Milan are interested in him. Our club will make a decision within the next two weeks.

No more bad blood between the board and Butch then, glad that we got this out of the way. The last thing we needed was bad publicity.

Frank Arnesen has spoken exclusively to Chelsea TV following his decision to step down as sporting director. The former Danish international talked about how his role at the club has developed over the last five-and-a-half years, how he came to make the difficult decision and his plans for the future. You've announced your intention to step down, how difficult a decision was that to make? Those decisions are always very difficult, especially because I have been here for a long time and I have enjoyed every minute. In the last three or four months I have been going in that direction and I also thought it was the right time to do it, to give me time but also the club time to do their organisation for the end of the season. Winning the FA Youth Cup, that must have given you and the club a real sense of achievement. We were nearly there two years ago and I thought we had a very talented team and we lost. So we know how it is to come so far. I always said since I joined English football, the FA Youth Cup is probably the best youth tournament. You play in a stadium and it's on television. It gives the young players and staff a feeling of what it is like to be at the highest level, to be in the League. We had a good draw because we played the last game at home. If you can do that and win, it is fantastic. How excited should Chelsea fans be for the future? They should be very excited. Since I came here five years ago, not only the players who have come in but also the staff who have come in to train them are at such a high level. I say that because I see it every day and it is some of the best around. How do you measure that? You measure that every week by the way we are playing. I am here every Sunday if I can be and I watch Under 9s, Under 10s etc. and I have seen progress over the past few years. It is not just that we are winning games but the way we have started to play football. We have a new system, a new philosophy; and you can see the players and the coaches, they have everything under control. You see players who are 12, 13, 14 years old and the way they play football is marvellous. This season we have seen a number of your young players breaking through into Carlo Ancelotti's first team. That must give you a real sense of achievement. First of all you need quality. The players have become very good talents. Secondly, Carlo has to adjust them but also believe in them, and he is doing that because they are good enough. Last year they were between numbers 25 and 29 in the squad, they were more or less on stand-by. These were players training and learning from people like Didier Drogba, which is very important. Then, this year, they were in the 25-man squad. They still have a lot to learn but for me one of the special moments was against Zilina. I was not happy when we went 1-0 down, it was very important that we win the game, but I was so happy to see the players playing very well in the second half, showing good mentality and getting the result. Your passion is very contagious around the club. What's next for Frank Arnesen? Always in my head, it is always like I want to be challenged. I have been challenged here enormously. 1 It is like mission completed with what I was asked for five-and-a-half years ago. I don't know what I am going to do. For me the most important thing is the challenge. I have to do something which I believe in. What would you say is your defining moment here at Chelsea? It is always difficult because I am fortunate to be involved with a fantastic club with some fantastic people and also because I have been involved in a lot of areas. One thing I always love is the moment when a player and parents see his name on a contract for Chelsea, because it is a heck of a job. We have competition all over the world and when we get kids signing who we believe in, they gives us a chance and we give them a chance to be part of Chelsea. That is always a great moment. Also last year, when you win the Premier League, you win the FA Cup and the FA Youth Cup, it's not something that happens very often so you have to be very pleased and I was there for those three trophies. You can see more of the exclusive interview with Arnesen on CTV Online now. Interesting interview, I maintain that that part1 is PR bull.

Was going to post this one.. Can't say I know anything about him but is he big enough to deal with Chelsea's transfers ?

Not anymore.

If unrealistic signings are included then this should be in the Football Banter forum. Xavi and Messi as it's just bleeding obvious that they're the best and IMO we need more than two realistic signings.

:goodpost:

Some really love having a go at some of our own fans to convince themselves they're better. Quite a few Arsenal fans are having a go at Wenger for keeping their trophy room empty and I can still remember how some Mancs wanted Fergie out back in the day. Just as bad as the knee-jerking bums that want Ancelotti out.

What a horrible c*nt, his similarity to Torres doesn't make it any better. The way he pushed Puyol was funny but he should get a hefty ban for his antics.

Biggest defeat in Mourinho's career. Someone get me some popcorn!!

4?! I'll need a vid with Jose's reaction to this because it is going to be priceless.

Be realistic.No manager, not Ancelotti or even Mourinho is going to have the control that Fergie or Wenger have, especially at a club like Chelsea. Coaches having total control at big clubs is rare nowadays and that's exactly why they should take less blame or credit than the coaches-managers . Whoever is blaming Ancelotti just isn't thinking hard enough.

Carlo had to extend Maldini's career and play the old Beckham cause he has no say in Milan's transfers, just like he has to use Kalou and Ferreira because of the thin squad that he started the season with. He uses 4-3-3 just like most top teams in Europe now and he doesn't use the same tactics Mourinho did, Carlo's tactics got us more than 100 league goals last year and had us playing the best football I've witnessed Chelsea playing in the last 11 years. His unwillingness to trust the kids is something that I'm worried about but again it really isn't his fault since our Board decided that those kids were good enough when our own coach doesn't deem them usable. As for the rest, let's just say I rate Ancelotti much much more than you do.

I give up By all means keep arguing semantics with yourself.

We had 2 games to gain one point, hardly a do or die game. Only our next CL has less importance than the one against Zilina and I won't be surprised if Zilina's first team is weaker than Marseille's second. Of course it does mean a lot to the players, but it doesn't say anything about Ancelotti's trust in them.

Do you honestly believe it was anything other than dead rubber?I'm amused.

^ LOL While I don't agree that was a good comeback

A meaningless game against the worst team in this year's CL can't be the best example one can come up with.Carlo playing Ferreira instead of Bruma sealed the case for me.

There were major changes with us getting rid of many scouts just a while ago and my guess is there will be changes with our youth development team now that Arnesen is leaving.