A quick blog before the pre-match thingy for the Sunday cracker. Chelsea legend Ray Wilkins is the new first team coach after our beloved Clarke preferred to move on. I liked Clarke very much. He was highly respected by Jose Mourinho, which meant that Clarke had to be very good. Also, lots of players liked him and loved working with him. More than anything, I believe he was the key man in holding the team together and had to play the role of a first team manager, when Avram Grant was busy scratching his head. Ok, I’ll leave AG alone. He’s a poor old guy and he’s gone. All good things have to come to an end. Any doubts if I’m referring to Steve Clarke here?

Ray had a long illustrious playing career spanning 24 years and a managerial career of about 14 years so far. He is certainly a very equipped guy for this role. One thing where he could be better than Clarke is his communication and personality. He talks rather well. He knows to choose his words. One of his responsibilites is also to deal with media. In press conferences, Scolari says what he wants to but does not really come out on top. May be, with an interpreter, Scolari could be a great speaker. In English though, he needs some support, to talk to the media and to the players.

Not just that, Ray could be taking care of the details under the framework devised by Scolari. He could be the one fine-tuning the way we defend the corners, arrange the walls, take those quick free kicks and also studying the opponents for their strengths and weaknesses.

I was on the pitch a lot more as a coach when I was with Luca. I think I will probably be helping Felipe more with background work, preparing team talks, preparing videos, or should I say DVDs these days. So I will be preparing those on set-pieces, how the opposition play, that type of thing.

I’ll deal with a little bit of media as well because it is amazing how tired you can get when you are learning a new language. I can remember that many years ago when I was in Italy, I was trying to speak the language at the club and would go home mentally exhausted. And when you are manager of a big club like Chelsea, it is hard enough getting the team in the right shape, let alone dealing with everything outside of it. So whatever he wants me to do, I will be happy to do it.

When JM was around, one of his biggest pluses was supposed to be his ability to study and assess the opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. That made the job easy many a times. We might find our players doing the right thing every time but there was a lot of back ground work behind it. Ray, with his wide experience as a player and in management, could fill that gap created by the absence of JM and Clarke. In the absence of Clarke, Scolari’s back room staff lack the experience in English league and English football in general. Ray Wilkins would be just what the doctor ordered. Will wait and see. You can read his interview in the club website.

Chelsea’s performance has been best of the first round of champions league football. That has caused a roar in the press, creating some euphoria about Chelsea being the best in Europe and the firm favourites for the champions league. I know how champions league is won and lost. I would care less at this stage. It was so pleasing to see Man Utd and Arsenal draw their respective fixtures while even the others did not have it easy. Admit it with some modesty, we are the best in Europe and we are the firm favourites. Isn’t that what the press is also saying now?

Frank Lampard wants Ronaldo to play so that we can beat them when they’re strong.

We’re good enough to deal with United at their strongest – we shouldn’t want them weak. If they are strong, we still want to beat them.

That’s the spirit. I like that.

It’s been a while since we had a poll. Here you go. On the Chelsea vs Man Utd match. What do you say?

Chelsea vs Man Utd








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