Chelsea thread

[TheArsenal]

The Kaka news is in The Sun. I dont think any other site/paper is reporting it.

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I saw it on Football365 for one.

But there are other sites that have been reporting it too.

[G-O-D]

The Sun is one of the worst sources for sports news, in terms of credibility. I'll believe it when I see it on reputable and credible sources like Sky Sports and Soccernet.

[G-O-D]

Porto playmaker Deco has admitted he would relish a move to Chelsea if, as expected, Jose Mourinho is installed as manager at Stamford Bridge.

The Brazil-born Portuguese international is reported to be one of a number of Porto players that Mourinho would look to bring with him should he move to England.

The midfielder has been an integral part of the Portuguese side's unprecedented success over the past couple of seasons, and his creative skills have attracted the interest of Europe's top sides with Barceona also reported to be tracking him.

However, Deco admits the lure of a move to Stamford Bridge to work under Mourinho would prove to good to resist.

"Of course I'd like to go to Chelsea as he's a coach I know well," the 26-year-old told The Sun.

"He's won everything here and now has other ambitions."

"I've a preference for the English league because of the way they play."

Source

If Deco arrives, does it means that Lampard will be benched, since both men play in the same position?

[Guest Blads]

NO player in the world would "bench" Lamps, there'd be absolute outrage.

And for the record they play in different positions with different styles, think Joe Cole not Frank Lampard.

[G-O-D]

NO player in the world would "bench" Lamps, there'd be absolute outrage.

And for the record they play in different positions with different styles, think Joe Cole not Frank Lampard.

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Different styles, yes. But ain't Deco and Lampard both attacking midfielders who play in the central midfield? Assuming Mourinho plays a attacking midfielder and defensive midfielder in the center, he can play Deco-Makelele, Deco-Parker, Lampard-Makelele, Lampard-Parker as midfield combinations. And Joe Cole will prolly be shipped out on loan, IMO.

Boudewijn Zenden could be ready to spend another season on loan, as his Chelsea career looks unlikely to be resurrected.

The Dutch star spent the last campaign at Middlesbrough on a temporary deal and he impressed everyone on Teesside, after making a slow start to his time at The Riverside.

Boro have already told the 27-year-old that they want him to join them on a permanent basis - but it now seems likely that there could be competition for his services.

Newcastle and Fulham are both being linked with a possible move for Zenden, who is currently with Holland preparing for Euro 2004.

Zenden is yet to find out if he has a future at Chelsea, but it seems a change of management is unlikely to herald a return to the Stamford Bridge first team squad.

Now Zenden's farther Pierre - who helps manage the player - has confirmed his son could be ready to go back out on loan.

"He would like to play for Middlesbrough again. He had a great time there last season," Zenden senior told the Sunday Sun.

"He knows the most important thing for any player is to have a good relationship with a coach and he had that with Steve McClaren, who he has much respect for.

"But he also has great respect for Sir Bobby Robson and would be interested in Newcastle if they are interested in him.

"He has a contract with Chelsea for one more year, so maybe he stays at Middlesbrough for one more year - or goes somewhere else - on loan.

"I've been told Fulham are interested - but we hope to know what is going on before Euro 2004."

Meanwhile, Newcastle have also been linked with a move for Sochaux midfielder Jaouad Zairi.

The Magpies are believed to have watched the Moroccan along with the likes of Seville, Real Betis and Internazionale in recent weeks.

Source

Zenden is prolly surplus to requirements at Chelsea, so I think he should be sold to a club. It will be good for both Zenden and Chelsea.

[Turbo Yannis]

Chelsea have confirmed the worst kept secret in football and parted company with manager Claudio Ranieri.

The Italian's future has been the subject of intense speculation for the majority of the season despite The Blues achieving their best-ever Premiership finish by taking second place this term and reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

Ranieri's departure looks certain to pave the way for Porto coach Jose Mourinho to take over the Stamford Bridge hot-seat.

Ranieri joined Chelsea in September 2000, replacing compatriot Gianluca Vialli after being appointed by former chairman Ken Bates.

However, Roman Abramovich's takeover of the West Londoners last summer immediately put Ranieri's future in doubt, and Chelsea confirmed that they held talks with England boss Sven Goran Eriksson earlier in the season.

It became clear that the Abramovich regime wanted to install a new man and, after months of speculation, The Blues have now confirmed Ranieri's departure.

A statement from the club read: "Chelsea Football Club today (Monday) announced that Claudio Ranieri is to leave the club."

"Claudio has done a first-class job for the club and paved the way for future success.

"We would like to wish Claudio all the best for the future.

"We are discussing the exact terms of his departure with him and his representatives."

Source: www.skysportsnews.com

[stokeriño]

I hope he sticks around in the Premiership somewhere. That way when we play against whatever team he's managing, we can have the Chelsea fans chanting his name as well. Just to fuck Abramovich and Kenyon off. I would love it.

[FLiam]

If you ask me, he has Sp*rs written all over him, as much as I like Ranieri, I don't want to see him as their manager, for obvious reasons. I would prefer him to go somehwere else in the premeirship

[Sam]

I can see him as manager of Liverpool.

[Jook]

Spurs or Pool, definetaly. I love Ranieri.

[Johnny Latino Heat]

Hmmm, newspapers over here are saying that Paulo Ferreira (FC Porto) is almost certain to go to Chelsea. Any word on that?

[Turbo Yannis]

I've heard that about Deco too.

[G-O-D]

I think Ranieri will be the next manager of Spurs, since he has said that he likes London, and I think Benitez will be the one to go to Liverpool now.

MADRID, May 31 (Reuters) - Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is convinced that Roberto Carlos will extend his contract with the club despite the player's complaint that he is being treated more like a product than a footballer.

'I am hopeful that we can find a formula that will allow him to finish his career at Real Madrid,' Perez told Spanish state television on Sunday night.

'He has got a year left on his contract with Real Madrid and he is going to fulfil it.'

The Brazilian international, who is reported to have been targeted by Chelsea, was critical of the club's negotiating technique in an interview with Brazilian daily O Globo published at the weekend.

'The club have said they will give me two more years and then see how I play before deciding to offer me any more,' he said.

'But I am 31 years old and my record won't allow me to accept this sort of thing. I am not a product. When I go out to play I give everything.

'(David) Beckham sells a lot, but he also earns a lot, just like Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane. But they shouldn't use players like products and think they can do what they like with us.'

Roberto Carlos joined Real in 1996 from Inter Milan for approximately $7 million. He has won three league titles and three European Cups with the club.

Spanish media have reported that the defender has been offered a four-year deal worth six million euros ($7.36 million) a season by Chelsea and the player himself confirmed that the premier league club were interested in signing him.

'They (the Spanish media) are talking a lot about it (a Chelsea offer) and when news like this comes out into the open it is because there is something in it,' he said.

Perez countered by saying that Real had not yet made the player an official offer and criticised the defender for trying to use the media to bargain with the club.

'I am not aware that anyone from Real Madrid has made Roberto Carlos an offer of an extra two years. One thing that will not be accepted is players using the media as a means of negotiating with the club...But I am convinced he will stay with us.'

Perez also stressed that several of Real's leading players, including recent signing Walter Samuel, had accepted lower salaries to play for the club.

'Players want to come to Real Madrid and for them the financial side of things isn't the most important thing.

'Samuel proved this. He could have earned more at Chelsea, but he preferred to come here. The same thing happened with Ronaldo and Zidane, both of them lost money by coming to Real.'

Source

Carlos can stay at Real. We already have Bridge, who has been good for Chelsea last season.

Edited June 1, 2004 by G-O-D

[Johnny Latino Heat]

I've heard that about Deco too.

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Yeah, they're calling it the "Abramovich pack" over here. They say it's almost confirmed that Deco, Paulo Ferreira and Costinha will follow Mourinho to Chelsea. Dunno if it's true, though. I hope so, even if it's just for Porto to be without a decent team

[RawIsWar]

Chelsea are well out of order of what they have done to Claudio, although Mourinho is a top class amnager and will definately win Chelsea sumit this season

[TMM]

Chelsea agree Mourinho deal

Chelsea have agreed terms with Porto over compensation for their coach Jose Mourinho, who will be named as the new Stamford Bridge boss on Wednesday.

Mourinho, 41, had talks with Chelsea on Tuesday even though he had yet to formally resign as Porto boss.

But Porto made a joint statement with the London club to the Portugese stock exchange later on Tuesday, announcing they had cancelled Mourinho's contract.

He will be named as Claudio Ranieri's successor at 1000 BST on Wednesday.

It has been reported that Mourinho will sign a four-year contract on a salary worth £100,000 per week.

He became the London club's top target after winning the Uefa Cup and Champions League with Porto.

Once he is officially installed, Mourinho can start spending some of the millions Russian magnate Roman Abramovich has poured into Stamford Bridge.

It is thought he might try to bring Deco, Paulo Ferriera and Costinha with him from Porto.

Meanwhile, Ranieri's agent Jon Smith is negotiating the Italian's pay-off with Stamford Bridge chiefs.

Ranieri had a contract until 2007 but had been tipped for the sack ever since Abramovich took control of the club last summer.

Smith confirmed: "We are negotiating the terms of the settlement."

Source

Well colour me pink! I'm shocked!

[G-O-D]

MADRID, June 1 (Reuters) - Valencia's leading shareholder Francisco Roig has called for the board's resignation following Rafa Benitez's decision to quit as club coach, saying he has lined up former boss Claudio Ranieri as a replacement.

An outspoken opponent of the board, Roig does not have a majority shareholding nor does he have the power to appoint a new coach on his own. However, he remains a highly influential figure at the club.

'I am disappointed that the incompetence and poor management of the board...have meant that the most successful coach in the history of the club has been forced to leave,' Roig said in a statement on Tuesday.

Benitez, who guided Valencia to triumph in the Primera Liga and UEFA Cup this season, resigned earlier on Tuesday, saying events at the club had undermined his personal morale and willingness to continue.

Roig, a former club president, said the board's failure to put together a convincing plan for future development had prompted Benitez's decision.

'This all comes about because of the differences that have emerged over the course of the last year and because of the total absence of a solid sporting project,' he said.

Roig, who leads the main opposition group to president Jaime Orti, said he had spoken to Ranieri who 'showed a strong desire to return to Valencia as soon as he has resolved his contractual situation with Chelsea'.

Ranieri, who coached Valencia for two seasons and steered them to victory in the King's Cup in 1999, was sacked by Chelsea on Monday after months of speculation about his future.

Spanish media have reported Benitez has been offered a five-year deal by English premier league club Liverpool, who sacked French coach Gerard Houllier last month after six years at the helm.

Source

Well, Ranieri did manage at Valencia before, and I think he could be heading for the Spanish champions instead of Spurs.

[TheArsenal]

He could be going there......as the Valencia coach has quit with speculation he could be going to Liverpool.

I would like to see Ranieri stay in England.....maybe even at Liverpool.....and I'd like to see him stuff Chelsea for the way they treated him.

I'm glad he was sacked instead of quitting....means he took £6million from the club with him.

EDIT:- There are very few opposition managers that I like....most I'm indifferent towards....some I really don't like. But Ranieir is a manager I like and respect for his tolerance and unbelieveable performance this season - even with all the speculation and pressure on him.

Edited June 2, 2004 by TheArsenal

[G-O-D]

Former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri has revealed to skysports.com that he is in talks over a return to Valencia as manager.

Valencia are looking for a new coach after Rafael Benitez's decision to leave after turning down a new contract at La Mestalla.

Benitez seems set to join Liverpool and Ranieri is Valencia's top target to replace him at the Spanish champions.

Ranieri finally left Chelsea on Bank Holiday Monday after months of speculation over his position at Stamford Bridge with Jose Mourinho set to move in at Chelsea.

Valencia managing director Manuel Llorente and Juan Bautista Soler, who will become club vice-president on Sunday, are believed to have flown out to London on Tuesday evening to begin talks with Ranieri and his advisors.

The Italian coach enjoyed a successful spell at Valencia, winning the Spanish Cup before leaving in 1999 and he revealed he expects to agree his return to the club once he sorts out his settlement with Chelsea.

"Now I must solve my pending contract with the Chelsea," Ranieri told Skysports.com.

"Anyway, I do not believe that they are going to have any problems."

Ranieri would be a popular choice amongst Valencia fans as he was well liked there during his time at the club.

Source

So I guess we'll be seeing Ranieri in La Liga next season.

[Sam]

Worst kept secret in football now revealed. Mourinhos now manager of Chelsea. 3 year contract has been signed.