Interviews, News - Written by BlueChampion on Sunday, May 18, 2008 16:49 | 1,475 Views | 23 Comments | Add Comment
Michael Ballack Interview | On Mourinho, Grant & Champions League
Here is an interview from Michael Ballack in ESPN Soccernet. He talks about his relationship with Jose Mourinho, his respect for Avram Grant and also about the champions league final.
On a manager’s role in Chelsea:
You don’t need too much influence from the coach when you have a dressing room as experienced as the one we have at Chelsea just now. When I was a young man learning my trade at Bayern Leverkusen, Christoph Daum was the coach and I learned so much from him. He would take you aside and talk to you when the time was right. I needed it at the time. At Chelsea, we have players who have all been in these pressure situations so many times now and we know what to do.
The job of the coach is merely to make a tactical change sometimes and to make sure we have the conditions we need to succeed and our coach can do that for us. Avram Grant is a nice man and I’m sure will be at Chelsea next season. We are in a Champions League final and pushed Manchester United very close at the top of the Premier League. There is no need to change the manager when a team are achieving things like this.
On Jose Mourinho & Avram Grant
Our manager [Grant] is a very different person to Jose Mourinho and he cannot change just to fit in with what people want. The fans loved Mourinho and they were very sad when he left. Obviously, the guy who follows was in a tough position. Mourinho brought me to Chelsea and I have a lot of admiration for him as a coach. Even though people always suspected there was a problem between us, I can say he was a good man to work with. The same is true with Avram Grant. You cannot compare the two because they are so different. Avram talks to the players in a much quieter manner and is very clear in his ideas. We all have respect for him, don’t worry about that.
I was injured at the start of the season and never had any problem when I was not in the Champions League squad. Everyone else seemed to panic when my name was not on the list, but it was never a problem for me. It was a tough time back then because I hate sitting on the sidelines, but all the hard work getting back to full fitness has paid off because the last six months have been my best at Chelsea.
On champions league final
We have the chance to finish the season with the ultimate success. We are faced a Champions League Final where there is no favourite. It’s a very exciting time for everyone at the club. I have been in this position before, but you cannot compare the Leverkusen team I reached the Final with in 2002 with Chelsea six years on. We have so much more experience at this club and we are ready to win the Champions League right now. At Leverkusen, it was amazing just to be in the Final, but this is different.
Manchester United are a top side, so we know this will be a massive test for us, but our form in the last few months is good enough to give us real belief going to Moscow. When you have as much confidence and the knowledge as we have in this Chelsea squad, you don’t fear any challenge.
My respect for Ballack has gone up a notch after this interview. I thought this was a nice candid interview from the German captain, who has started peaking for Chelsea in his second season at England. I hope Ballack scores that scorhing header before Sheva gets that winner, in the champions league final on Wednesday.
23 Comments
1. Evans Afedzo Cobbold
2. MourofEssien (MoE)
ballack, drogs and sheva goal- tevez gets one consolation at the end. 3-1, you read it here first-
3. MourofEssien (MoE)
welcome Evans to BC- Am a Ghanaian too- its not just Ghana but the whole of Africa that waits with bated breath for Chelsea’s victory. our ambassadors will make us proud on wednesday. go the blues and lift the flag highest on wednesday night. Paint Moscow blue and let the red devils know that we are the true lions.
4. Denver
@3 Im a jamaican (jamaican are slaves from Ghanaian& west africa… if u notice we sound alike)….and i was very happy when i found this site thanks BC!!!! were i could talk to other chelsea fans about our team and here the latest news. Chelsea is mentally stronger than Man and most if not all the other teams in Europe. thus we will come out with a convincing win… 3-1 is what i think too. we will press them and work hard !!!
5. churchill
americans for chelsea!
@ MoE- i agree that it will be 3-1. however, it will be ballack, essien and joe cole who score. ronaldo will score on a fishy penalty just before half. i hope that anelka plays. he has been a complete waste of money.
6. AgentBlue
Yow Denver….im Jamaican too dude!!!
I aint think I’d see none a ma countrymen on a Chelsea blog…after all: most of ma Jamaican ppls are Manure and Gooners fans!!
Cheers mate…Up Blues
7. Nihongo Blue
ballack is so wrong here. he is just thinking of himself and the few experienced people around.
1. What about mikel, kalou and other young lads.
2. What if these experienced people in EPL leave next season?
3. A coach not only plays in present but builds his team for the future too.
4. What about the theatrics between him and drogba?
After departure of jose these players have got some kinda license to show case their authority. isnt good for the club. Need to have control on players.
8. BlueChampion
Nihongo
It’s quite clear that Ballack is not thinking ahead. He is just looking at things the way they are. It’s very true that the ‘current dressing room’ does not need too much of a help from the coach. Subtly, he’s even undermined Grant’s role in the current season.
As regards the theatrics, I’d point my finger to John Terry. As the captain of the team shouldn’t he have got involved in this thing and calmed them down. Look, it was a very tense match with tempers flying all around but the captain should have stepped in to bring some order. I thought it should be the captain who should decide or should have decided on who takes the free kicks from different distances and angles.
9. Nihongo Blue
BC
its not just ballack / drogba… it was the same with mikel/sheva. Basically disorder everywhere. I have also seen this developing a bit between ronaldo/hargreaves in their match against arsenal but they used it to their advantage rather than disadvantage with ronaldo giving the kick to hargreaves and the wall not even jumping expecting ronaldo to take the kick.
10. Nihongo Blue
Do you think a captain has to tell it on field that if a free kick has to be taken from a particular point who has to take it? isnt it part of preparation for the match and roles assigned.
11. tmtung87
12. TBF
@BC
Extremely sorry to post the link
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=567237&in_page_id=1779
don’t read the article………just watch the phoro………….observe it closely…..have u ever seen anyrhin more sinister…lol……………..i haven’t
13. TBF
@Nihongo
you are making a mountain out of molehill…………….drogba/ballack incident has happened only once and ego is the cause of it………it happens almost everywhere…..ronaldo/hargreaves for instance………it is visualing things too much.
14. denver
@6. AgentBlue…. BIG UP man !!!!! most of my friends and cousins are Manu and gunners too man !! Good to see another Jamaican on the blog too… I thought i was the only one. you can link me up man (lanrev10@yahoo.com) respect!!
15. Arun CFC
Haaa.LOL… Vidic press self destruction button like Rafel benitez….
Vidic: Drogba Pretends To Be Weak
“Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic has risked the wrath of Didier Drogba by accusing the Chelsea striker of play-acting… “
Sure we are going to kill MANU…….we will be the European champion’s
16. KARAN
When Jose Mouriniho left the club in September, I was a bit Sad, but when people told me that it was Avram Grant who is taking over Jose place, I really never thought that we will be where we are now. Thanks to Avram and All The Players in the squad and Ufcourse how can i forget ROMAN ABRAMOVICH.
GO CHELSEA SHOW MANU WHAT WE GOT
SHOW ALL THAT WE GOT ON MAY 21.
BUT THE ONLY THING IS IT WOULD BE BETTER IF CHELSEA BUYS FRANK RIBERY OR SWENCHTEIGER INSTEAD OF BOSINGWA.
17. amiaq_ferguson
churchill, how often did u score 3goals in a game? How often did MU let go 3goals this season? i think never. even when vidic or rio missed the game.
it is good to stay positive.. especially when u havent won anything this season and the likes of Drogba wanting to leave, and Lampard hasnt sign a contract, etc..
when AG talked about referees being bias, he should be aware that John Terry rarely conceded penalty even when he clearly handball more than other player in this world. Isnt that bias or what…. but obviously, he talked rubbish just to phyco referee so that he will get some advantage just b4 the game.. what a coward!!
18. blueindian
@15..hey dude I just came to know that u have conceded a single penalty entire season and that was when Carrick made a blatant handball at Bridge…if its really true then please tell us how much Manure has to pay to referees every year…and whose pocket it goes from,Glazers or Ferguson or Quieroz or players…
19. BlueChampion
Nihongo
I’m not trying to say everything is fine because we made it to the finals. I’m just saying that the particular incident between Drogba and Ballack should have been controlled and regulated by Terry as he is the captain, instead of Steve Clarke having to calm down Drogba.
It is the captain’s responsibility to ensure the behaviour on the pitch is all fine. Same with Ashley Cole’s behaviour. Terry must have brought some sense to Ashley Cole when he behaved in that manner to a referee.
On Jan 20, 2007, when we played Liverpool at Anfield last season, didn’t Drogba and Ballack make a mess of a free kick (by neither going for it, even after ref’s whistle)? Is my memory serving me allright?
20. Den
lamps reportedly moving to inter. we will need to get diego or hamsik if that happens.
21. bluesluv
@BC
i think that the opening page with the pic of some kid wit the middle finger and then typing “my comment is fair comment” is a bit hypocritical
22. heyjose
guys concentrate on final now next season talk only after final
23. Mat
What happened. Chelsea played better and still lost.
Let us keep the team and grab the cup next year.
Until today I had other thoughts when the name Ballack comes up in the Chelsea team. I, PROUD OF HIM AND CHELSEA. GO GO GO GO AND WIN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TITLE FOR WE THE COMMITED FANS OF THE GREAT CHELSEA TEAM. GHANAIANS ARE BEHIND THE TEAM WITH PRAYERS . VICTORY SHALL SURELY BE OURS COME MAY 21ST.
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