the wes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/mi...he_black_1.html

Avram Grant believes that Chelsea have progressed since he took over from Jose Mourinho early in the season. "This season the team weren't playing so well, and after a traumatic night against Rosenborg at home, I replaced Jose. My first priority was to build a staff to get the best from the players, which is what I did (principally by recruiting the Dutch coach, Henk ten Cate, from Ajax)," he told the Sunday Times. "I kept the good things, but changed the staff and the training, and we are moving forward. Almost all the players are better than they were and I am proud because it shows we're working correctly." Asked if Chelsea has improved since Mourinho's departure, Grant said: "You always try to compare with the past. "I don't like to, but there are a few things we are doing that are different." Such as? "We try to pass the ball more than to play long balls. I believe you need to play at a quick tempo, and sometimes that means a long ball, but I see it as the alternative solution. I prefer to build from the back." http://talkingsoccer.blogspot.com/2008/02/...better-now.html

Manager Avram Grant wants Chelsea to appoint a director of football - the role he filled at Stamford Bridge before succeeding Jose Mourinho. Grant left Portsmouth to become Chelsea's director of football in July before taking over as manager two months later. But Grant has no fears about a new man coming in. "It would be easier for me," he said in The People. "There are many things for a coach to do. The director can help him a lot. I know that from my time in that position at Portsmouth."

i hope avram grant stops rotation because it dosent work look at rafa the wanker!!!!!!!!

Chelsea boss Avram Grant insists he wants to keep midfielder Frank Lampard. "We want to keep him and he wants to stay, we've agreed to discuss it (Lampard's contract) in the summer. I do not deal with these things, but I also expressed my opinion," said Grant.

Chelsea will today reveal the extent to which they still rely on Roman Abramovich's riches. The club are poised to announce financial results for the year ending 30 June 2007 with a major hike in their income tempered by what one source described as a "sizeable loss". Chelsea lost £80million last year and £140m in 2005 and both times Abramovich funded the shortfall. The club's huge wage costs mean he faces another large bill today even though the Blues are set to reveal turnover of close to £200m, up from £130m in 2006. daily mail

Peter Kenyon breaks down the club's finances on Chelsea TV for tonight's Blues News at 6.30pm. Chelsea's chief executive then gives a full 15-minute interview after the news, at 6.45pm, where he explains the club's economic status for our last financial year. Then, with the onset of yet another London derby for the Carling Cup Final this Sunday, Chelsea TV take a look back at previous Carling Cup campaigns in Rewind at 10.15pm, including last year's triumphant final against our other London rivals, Arsenal. After that, former League Cup and FA Cup winner Frank Leboeuf gives the club's official TV channel an insight into his illustrious career with Chelsea, where he scored 24 goals in 204 appearances for the club, in Legends at 7.30pm. Then tomorrow evening, Kenyon will join Kerry Dixon in the Chelsea TV studios for Big Match Countdown, the show that Roman Abramovich watches, as we prepare for the Carling Cup Final. Chelsea's second-highest goal-scorer ever will join Kenyon, who will make his second appearance on Chelsea TV in the space of two days, to offer his expert opinion in the preview to Sunday's match, which could see the Blues secure our first trophy of the season.

i am shocked

Andriy Shevchenko will have some interesting questions to answer at training today after he was spotted leaving Emirates Stadium on the AC Milan bus. Chelsea's £31million striker watched the game and left with the rest of the Italian team, prompting more speculation that he wants to return to his former club. The Ukrainian has been edged out after the arrival of Avram Grant in September and is third choice behind Nicolas Anelka. It would appear that Shevchenko is still in close contact with the Milanese and president Silvio Berlusconi has made no secret of his desire to bring back the 31 year old. He said only last summer: "If only. He would like to come back, now we'll see. Certainly, our doors are open to him. More than that, our doors are wide open to him." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1779

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon is expected to announce bumper financial results today. The Guardian says Chelsea's financial results are expected to show a boost in revenue that will challenge Arsenal's position as the second most lucrative club in England but it remains to be seen what, if any, reduction the club has made in the size of its debt.

The parents of Chelsea's prospective signing Vincenzo Camilleri have hit back at Reggina president Lillo Foti over his claims this week. In an open letter published by Corriere dello Sport, the Camilleri family said: "President Foti knew everything and that at the end of January we had met with Chelsea. "We are not going to London for money, Reggina offered more." The Camilleris also made it clear they were furious with the comments made by Foti over the way they were treating Vincenzo and claims they were gambling with their son's future by taking him to Chelsea. tribalfootball.com

that would be nice to see

Franz Beckenbauer is convinced Chelsea will SACK Avram Grant if he continues to favour Michael Ballack over Frank Lampard. Grant picked Ballack ahead of Lamps for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Olympiakos. And German legend Beckenbauer said: "Lampard is Chelsea's hero and, if Grant keeps playing Ballack over him, he will be fired in one week or so. "Maybe there is a way for both of them to feature - one playing a bit more offensively and the other one a bit defensively. "There must be a way. Somewhere on the pitch there should be a place for Ballack."

ggina contacted the Italian Football Federation and Uefa after the London club allegedly snatched 15-year-old defender Vincenzo Camilleri from under their nose. The player had been expected to sign with Reggina next month when he turns 16 but has now apparently turned down the chance to sign a professional contract with the club and chosen to join Chelsea instead. The clubs’ president claimed Chelsea's representives had “put some pressure on with money." "The player was contacted a couple of months ago when he was and still is a Reggina player," said a very angry Foti. "This is an action of disloyalty and incorrectness. Reggina must announce that Vincenzo Camilleri has refused to take part in an official game for the club and has preferred to travel to London accompanied by his mother and a type of agent to reach a financial agreement with Chelsea,” he added. "All this stuff is illegal, the local and international regulations have been broken; by using helicopters owned by Chelsea chairman Abramovich, Frank Arnesen and Carlo Jacomuzzi did all this mess; they arrived in our premises...despite not having permission to do it, and they took all our hard work away with arrogance and money", explained Fotti. "Roman Abramovich's Chelsea think that with money they can take away, from Reggina and Italian football, those values with which, with care and sacrifice, the small clubs follow to give youngsters an opportunity to develop," complained Reggina's major shareholder, with some justification. And now, UEFA president Michel Platini, has got involved and expressed his disapproval about the situation. Platini told Gazzetta dello Sport: "Young players should remain in the club they come from with their families, postponing their move to another club or another country until they are 20 or 22. "Whoever makes that leap at the age of 14 can risk returning destroyed at 16, just because they didn't succeed. "I don't like the system for players to be taken away from nations that otherwise lose their talented players. "Due to money the best players go to the big clubs,” said the European governing body’s leader. Football is a game, it should not become a product," Platini concluded. FIFA regulations currently allow the transfer of 16 to 18-year-olds as long as it is between member states of the European Union. Maybe now time has come for a change.

lubos kalouda

Real Valladolid goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo has been approached by Real Zaragoza regarding a move, agent and former great Fernando Redondo revealed. Redondo claims that Chelsea contacted him about the shot-stopper two years ago when Asenjo was playing for Spain's youth team. The Argentinian declared that since then, English clubs have not shown interest in his client and that apart from Zaragoza, Valencia are also closely following the 18-year-old's performances. "Sergio knows what is good for him, he is working well and feels relaxed and focused on what he is doing," Redondo stated. "We will study interesting offer in a very relaxed state of mind, but we assume he has to find the best option for him, which is to play."

duncan ferguson

Chelsea have joined the hunt for Czech Republic starlet Lubos Kalouda, who has received an offer from CSKA Moscow. Kalouda was wanted by Newcastle United during the January transfer window, but the Magpies were unable to conclude a deal with his club FC Brno. Juventus also tried to sign the 20-year-old, with the midfielder perceived as a long-term replacement for compatriot Pavel Nedved at Stadio Delle Alpi. However, interest in the youngster has increased, with Chelsea sending a scout to watch Kalouda in Brno's defeat at Plzen at the weekend. The Blues may have to move quickly, though, after Brno's majority shareholder Roman Pros confirmed CSKA have lodged a bid. Pros told CTK: "The Russian club have forwarded us their offer, we have told them our demands. "In football terminology, the ball is on CSKA's side of the pitch. "Considering that the transfer market in Russia closes on March 7, there is theoretically plenty of time for negotiations." Kalouda, who was called up to the Czech Republic squad for the first time for the recent friendly with Poland, is trying to put the interest of other clubs to the back of his mind. "I had some news, but try to keep it out of my mind," said Kalouda in reference to the scouts who have been watching him. "Already in the autumn, representatives of various clubs travelled to Brno and I coped with it well then, so I have to put up with it now as well. I will not say more."

http://www.fsicrew.info/streams/validate/d....com:3912/43343

Chelsea could be refunded the £16 million transfer fee paid to Manchester United and Lyn Oslo for John Obi Mikel if Morgan Andersen, a former Lyn director, is convicted of forging the Nigeria midfield player's first professional contract. It is understood that Svein Holden, a Norwegian public prosecutor bringing the case against Andersen in a fraud trial in Oslo this week, will argue for the settlement to be cancelled on the grounds that Mikel's contract with Lyn was invalid, making him available as a free agent. Whether the money would have to be repaid by the clubs or Andersen in the event of a guilty verdict is unclear. Chelsea are monitoring the trial, but cannot comment publicly because they signed a confidentially agreement with Mikel, United and Lyn when the compensation package was agreed in June 2006, with the two clubs receiving £12 million and £4 million respectively to facilitate Mikel's move to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are wary of reopening the wounds of a bitter transfer dispute that plunged almost farcical depths three years ago when Mikel disappeared amid allegations of kidnapping, intimidation and fraud. It is now clear that much of the uncertainty sprang from confusion over who owned Mikel, with Chelsea claiming that they had reached an agreement privately to sign a teenager who was playing as an amateur and United announcing his signature days after his 18th birthday in April 2005. Andersen stands accused of forging the original contract Mikel is supposed to have signed with Lyn when he turned 18, which if proved would invalidate his transfer to United and their subsequent compensation agreement with Chelsea. Fifa was reluctant to rule on the validity of that contract during the original dispute, but may become involved again if Chelsea ask for a revised settlement. Andersen's trial is expected to last two weeks and Mikel and his agent, John Shittu, could be called to testify via videophone. Andersen, who denies all the charges, has left Lyn and is on leave from his position at Fredrikstad.

we blow the league in the last 2 games but i still think we will lift the league cup and F.A. cup and champions league and that would nice

happy birthday you always will be remember by the Chelsea fans

AC Milan midfielder Kaka says he'd only move to the Premiership to join one of the top four clubs. "I think I'll remain in Milan for the rest of my career," Kaka told the Daily Mail. "I've adapted to life here and am settled in the city. I don't see myself in another place, but you never know what will happen. "It would be impossible to play for another Italian club after Milan, so it would be Barcelona or Real Madrid or one of the teams in England always fighting for the title: Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool or Chelsea."

drogba back essien back lampard back terry back god love olympiacos