Chelsea sack Ranieri (1 Viewer)

[Roverbhoy]

From the BBC:-

Chelsea have ended speculation about the future of manager Claudio Ranieri by confirming his dismissal.

The Italian's successor should be named within days, and Porto's Jose Mourinho is almost certain to get the job.

A Chelsea spokesperson said: "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."


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

He maintained the support of the fans as he guided Chelsea to second in the Premiership, but it was not enough.

Ranieri was forced to endure constant questioning about his job last season.

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon made a much-publicised, but ultimately futile attempt to bring England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson to Stamford Bridge.

The attention then switched to Mourinho, overshadowing Ranieri's preparations for the Champions League semi-finals.

Defeat by Monaco effectively ended his hopes of staying at the club, although Chelsea achieved their highest league position for 49 years - second in the Premiership.

That meant they will not have to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Ranieri admitted he had said goodbye to his players after the 1-0 win over Leeds at Stamford Bridge on the final day of the season.

RANIERI'S CHELSEA RECORD
2000-01: 6th
2001-02: 6th, FA Cup r-up
2002-03: 4th
2003-04: 2nd
Photos from his reign
He had urged Abramovich to make a decision on his future then, saying: "I would like to finish my job here.

"I started this job, the house isn't finished yet, only the foundations and the ground floor."

Ranieri was appointed by former Chelsea chairman Ken Bates as Gianluca Vialli's successor in September 2000.

The club finished sixth in the Premiership in his first two seasons, and lost to Arsenal in the FA Cup final in 2002.

The Italian made light of Chelsea's financial problems to guide them back into the Champions League the following season.

But his failure to win a trophy after spending more than £100m of Abramovich's money last summer proved his undoing.

The 52-year-old former Valencia manager admitted recently that he would be keen to remain in the Premiership.

"I hope to come back, I work very well in England. I love the passion and atmosphere and would like to continue my job here," said Ranieri.

 

Buy on AliExpress.com

[Elnur_E65]

6th, 6th, 4th and 2nd is not that bad I guess.

Oh well. Romka is the one who selects the music at Chelsea nowadays...

 

[Roverbhoy]

Dead man Ranieri walks tall

By John May



A famous Italian predecessor of Claudio Ranieri who also came to England could not have put it better.
"Veni, vidi, vici," said Julius Caesar, and while Ranieri came and saw the Premiership, he had to be content with having conquered the hearts, minds and affections of all those who brushed up against him.

Not least of all, were the affections of flint-hearted media men, the key formers and shapers of football opinion.

Always engaging, Ranieri also showed a dignity rare in football, and all the more refreshing for being so.

An integral element in his charm offensive was his attempted use of English.

In that condescending way we often have with foreigners who tackle our language, we took Ranieri to our hearts.

He became the Mrs Malaprop of football, not so much mangling the English language as gently manipulating it in his own inimitable style.

When he first arrived, an interpreter was a must-have for his post-match conferences.

But it was a mark of the man's professionalism and desire to do a good job that he soon learned English.

As his knowledge increased, it revealed a wicked and delicious sense of humour, allied to a Monty Python-esque sense of the absurd in the awareness of his situation under Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

"Hello my sharks, welcome to the funeral," was his greeting to the press before Chelsea's Champions League semi-final, second leg against Monaco.


On another occasion he said: "Before you kill me, you call me the 'dead man walking'. I must buy you an espresso. But only a little one - I am Scottish!"

Even as the vultures sat on the tree, licking their lips, Ranieri said: "People have said I am a dead man walking but I am not - I am still moving. It is difficult to kill me."

Coming to England certainly broadened the horizons of a cultural man like Ranieri.

"I've never been to Scarborough and I might even like the place," he said, risking a wrathful ducking stool in the North Sea before an FA Cup tie against the non-league minnows.

Managing a Premiership club can obviously take its toll on the grey matter, and after knocking Arsenal out of the Champions League, Ranieri confessed: "Tonight I am a crazy man and Roman Abramovich is also going mad like me!"


"Keep an eye out for those knives in the back"

But we loved him for his little foibles in the way he used his English and had us scratching our heads.

After that Champions league victory over Arsenal he said his players "showed good stamina and good vitamins".

In the end, you could not blame Ranieri if he took another quote from his old mate Julius.

As the knife plunged into him, and Jose Mourinho stood ready to don the laurel crown, Ranieri had every reason to look over his shoulder and ask Roman Abramovich: "Et tu, Brute?"

 

[swag]

I am utterly shocked. How could this suddenly have happened after his CL success this year??

Capello and now this...







Sheesh. Is this even considered "news"?

 

[sallyinzaghi]

are we supposed to act surprised?

the malaysian media is making a big deal out of this as if this is the worst decision in the whole wide world. it's probably a bad one; but the way they exaggerate... aie

 

[Elnur_E65]

Oooh let the media people enjoy it while they can

Same in here by the way.

 

[Roverbhoy]

Just my opinion, but I believe the media are so interested in this story simply because the Chelsea manager is gonna have so much spending power at his disposal, that he could almost single handedly dictate the transfer market for the whole of Europe.

If he offers, say, £ 50 mil for Beckham, then everyone else will adjust their players value accordingly...and as the players are the main assest of the clubs...the clubs financial position improves.


Look at Lampard at Chelsea just now...isn't satisfied with £40,000 or so a week, and wants a pay rise to bring him in line with other players there...this attitude trickles down the chain...into a self perpetuating vicious circle

Someone with £150 million to blow this season alone is news worthy

 

[Elnur_E65]

Interesting point...

Do you think Chelsea's policies can indeed influence the market in general?

 

[aressandro10]

and this will end my closet support fot this club.... i always admire Ranieri , as a man and what he did to Chelsea before Abramovic... in fact i consider Abramovich as a reward for his hardwork.. who knows that it could also means his downfall.. although its really a 6 million pound 'downfall '... but now theres nothing stoping me to hate Chelseas... Maurinho's face will give the perfect mood.. i mean.. who could have hate that smiling face of Ranieris's...

 

[Roverbhoy]

++ [ originally posted by Pendir_E65 ] ++
Interesting point...

Do you think Chelsea's policies can indeed influence the market in general?

Well, every day we seem to hear of this player, and that player, being linked to Chelsea by their agents. They then say to other interested clubs, or their own club if their contract is up for renewal,..."I'm being offered this amount by Chelsea. If you can't match it I'm off...whilst all the time their is no interest from Chelsea. They're just using Chelsea to boost their own bargaining position...dare I say Roberto Carlos?

 

[Roverbhoy]

++ [ Maurinho's face will give the perfect mood..

hehe...great imagery:dontcare:

 

[Elnur_E65]

++ [ originally posted by Roverbhoy ] ++



Well, every day we seem to hear of this player, and that player, being linked to Chelsea by their agents. They then say to other interested clubs, or their own club if their contract is up for renewal,..."I'm being offered this amount by Chelsea. If you can't match it I'm off...whilst all the time their is no interest from Chelsea. They're just using Chelsea to boost their own bargaining position...dare I say Roberto Carlos?

Yeah, that's true... and Carlos by the way yesterday announced that he might not renew his contract because Real doesn't want to sign a 4-year contract with him.

 

[nosubstitute959]

It's not surprising since everyone knew he was going to be sacked, but it is surprising in the sense that he's brought so much success to the team. They treated him like shit and he deserves better respect at a different club. Now Mourinho is going to be expected to win everything his first season.

Chelsea are the losers.

 

[Roverbhoy]

A selection of the best quotes from Jose Mourinho's first news conference as Chelsea manager.



Mourinho on what he intends to do at Chelsea :
To give my best, to improve things and to create the football team in relation to my image and my football philosophy.


Mourinho on who he will be buying:
I would say if all the names you wrote in the last few days are correct we would have a 50-player squad and I hate to work with big squads.
I want a small squad - 21 players plus the goalkeepers and no more.
"I hate to work with big squads"

Mourinho on next season's Champions League:
It will be the strongest Champions League ever. Every shark will be there.
Other teams think like we think in Europe and in English football - they share our ambition - but I don't want self protection from them.

Mourinho on Chelsea's credentials:
We have top players and, sorry if I'm arrogant, we have a top manager.
"Please don't call me arrogant but I'm European champion"


Mourinho on his ambitions for next season:
The biggest ambition I have is to win the first Premiership match on 14 August.

Mourinho, when pressed, on his other ambitions for the season:
The second ambition is to win the second Premiership match on 21 August and we will keep going like this.

Mourinho on being a modern day football manager:
I have loved football since I can remember and I understand the evolution of football and the modern needs of football.
"We have the same ambition and mentality"
I'm not a defender of old or new football managers. I believe in good ones and bad ones, those that achieve success and those that don't.

Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one.

Porto supporters know what I am and what I give and nobody can erase what I did at the club


Mourinho on Claudio Ranieri's opinion that he may struggle to make the jump from Portuguese football to Premiership:
I heard that and I suggest if one of you is Mr Ranieri's friend or has his number you should call him and explain to him that for a team to win the European Cup it has to beat many teams from many countries.

I did not win the cup playing against 20 Portuguese teams.

I played and beat a team from his own country, Italy, from your country and the one he was working in, England.

And to win the Uefa Cup that was the same kind of thing.

Mourinho on which of Chelsea's players he has been impressed with:
I'm a great defender of team spirit and team work and the first thing I have to promise to my new players is that I will look at them all with the same eyes.

I don't want special relations with one of them. I hate to speak about individuals. Players don't win you trophies, teams win trophies, squads win trophies.

I cannot say I love this player, but generally I love the players who love to win. Not only the ones that love to win in 90 minutes but love to win every day, in every training session and in all of their lives.


Mourinho on his low-key reaction after winning the Champions League:
Since I was linked with a departure from FC Porto I had to live with some pressures I was not used to. I had to change my life and the life of my wife and kids. At the end of the match I was more worried about them than being in celebrations.

Porto supporters know what I am and what I give and nobody can erase what I did at the club. And my players know what I am and that after that match I was the proudest manager in the world.

Mourinho on leaving Porto:
I have to pay my tribute to Porto. It is an amazing club, has amazing players, the board was fantastic, the supporters are incredible how they support the team.


"For me, Porto is wonderful history"
But they have to understand my wish, my desire, my dream to go to a different challenge.

I hope everything goes well for them. If I meet them in the Champions League it will be the only time I wish them to lose.

It was a wonderful story but the story has to end.

 

[Roverbhoy]

Valencia to capture Ranieri

Claudio Ranieri is close to agreeing a return to Spanish champions Valencia.
The deal is expected to be sealed when the Italian, who also held talks with Tottenham, reaches a financial settlement with Chelsea.

"We're resolving the case. You know I'm excited about Valencia. It's my home," Ranieri told Spanish state television.

"We have reached an agreement, although it is overridden by his talks with Chelsea," confirmed Valencia's general manager Manuel Llorente.


Details of Ranieri's proposed move back to Spain came just hours after Chelsea unveiled Jose Mourinho as their new coach.

Ranieri also confirmed he had met with officials from Tottenham to discuss the vacant manager's position at White Hart Lane.

But the Italian, who was sacked by Chelsea this week, maintained he would prefer to return to Spain.


"I had a meeting with Spurs and they have a very good project," he said.

"But Valencia are my former team and if it's possible I'll come back with them," he told BBC Sport.

Ranieri admitted he knew his Stamford Bridge fate was decided almost as soon as the new owners took over.

He said: "From the beginning of the season it was very clear everybody had me as a dead man walking."

And Ranieri revealed his frustration at the manner of his departure from Chelsea.

"I watched Gerard Houllier say goodbye from his club (Liverpool)," he said. "Why it was not possible for me? That is a shame."

Ranieri was in charge of the current Spanish champions from 1997 to 1999, guiding them to a Copa del Rey success and into the Champions League.

Valencia president Jaime Orti had earlier confirmed he is one of the candidates to replace coach Rafael Benitez who resigned this week.

But Orti says Ranieri must first resolve his contractual wrangle with Chelsea - which could net the former Blues boss up to £6m.


The 52-year-old's contract at Stamford Bridge ran until 2007 and his English representative Jon Smith has welcomed a pledge by Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon that the club will honour his contract in full.

Smith said: "If that means payment of all the monies and this season's bonuses due, without deductions, then there is no dispute."

Holland manager Dick Advocaat has also distanced himself from a move to Tottenham.

The former Rangers boss has been linked with Spurs following the appointment of his old colleague Frank Arnesen at PSV Eindhoven as sports director at White Hart Lane.

But Advocaat said: "There's nothing in it at all. I haven't heard anything and people are just saying that because I worked with Arnesen for four years at PSV."

 

[Loppan]

What a shocker

 

[Roverbhoy]

A little bit of fun:-


Jose Mourinho might be the man of the moment, but there's only one Man of the Year.

Step forward Claudio Ranieri. The freshly-fired Chelsea boss has won the hearts and minds of the great British public and has been duly rewarded for his efforts.

On Wednesday, the affable Italian was named Royal Variety Club's Man of the Year - but just imagine the acceptance speech...



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you all very much - I must buy you all an espresso. But only a little one - I am Scottish!

Seriously, thank you to all my friends at Chelsea who have made this award possible by showing no faith in me whatsoever.

I particularly enjoyed being called away from my holiday expecting to be put in the sack, only to be asked silly questions about next season.

I kept on saying to Mr Abramovich: "Set me free why don't you babe?", but he'd just keep me hanging on.

We know there is only one Roman who knows anything about football - but when you peer deep into the Grand Kenyon, you also know there will be only one winner.

People have said for a long time I was a dead man walking but I am not - I am still moving. It is difficult to kill me - especially when I still have £6m to spend on nice things for me and the missus.

Maybe the Tinkerman will see you next season, maybe he won't. I don't like to leave London because of your wonderful pie and mash and jellied eels. What else can I use to put on my roses? Thank you. I love you all.

 

[sallyinzaghi]

It was sad to see Rafael Benitez giving speech on his resignation; there was so full of emotions and he didn't finish his prepared speech - he didn't finish the part where he was supposed to say "my daughter is a Valencia fan, and valencia will always be in my heart" ..

lol, Mourinho quotes are enjoyable. I especially liked how he replied to those who asked me how does he cope, and he said "how do I cope with this, how do I cope with the urgent need to win all the trophies... I love it. Don't ask me how do I cope, I love it."

 

[Lampard #8]

Ranieri is loved by Chelsea but that doesn't cut it. Chelsea were in quite a pickle, the fans loved Ranieri but you cannot ignore the fact he spend 150million and won NOTHING.

People forget Claudio Ranieri was signed by Ken Bates as part of a 3 year plan to win the English Premiership. He had 4 and spend 180million over the 4 years.

Jose Mourinho is an awesome catch! I am delighted. The man is not scared to say he wants to win, and he will create a new youth policy and the way he goes about everything at the club just reeks of victory and success.

A few titles and Ranieri will be forgotten like Gullit and Vialli and mind you they acheived then Claudio.

 

[Sarah_old]

Speaking of quotes, I saw this at football365, and it had me laughing uncontrollably :LOL:

The Best Ever Quotes Of 'Bad Tinkerman'

Anyone else have some good memorable quotes by the 'Tinkerman'?