LIPPI LINKED WITH CHELSEA POST
-
Chelsea reportedly want Marcello Lippi rather than Guus Hiddink to become coach if Jose Mourinho decides to leave.
Mourinho has been tipped to quit Stamford Bridge in light of the recent unrest behind the scenes even though his contract ties him to the club until 2010.
On Saturday the Portuguese coach declined the chance to reassure supporters he would remain at Chelsea for the duration of his deal while billionaire owner Roman Abramovich and chief executive Peter Kenyon have been startled by his public outbursts. And now The People reports Lippi is the man wanted by the Chelsea hierarchy if Mourinho's position becomes untenable.
Having led Italy to World Cup glory in Germany last summer, the 58-year-old coach has been taking a break from the game but could now be set for a dramatic return in the summer. At club level Lippi's 20-year career has been filled with success during reigns with Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli while his international pedigree makes him the ideal choice ahead of Hiddink, who is the bookies favourite to take the Chelsea post after Mourinho.
On Saturday Mourinho said: "I am still young for a manager but I am very old in football. I will be 44 next week, so I've lived in football for 44 years. "I've seen so many things in football, since I was a kid. In football you cannot be 100% categoric about some issues.
"When I say the club is more important than me - the future of the club is more important. -
Jose Mourinho, he has told Roman Abramovich that he will leave Chelski immediately but only if the Russian coughs up the entire value of his contract.
Mourihno, who renegotiated his contracted in April 2005, is paid an annual salary of £5.2m and also received up to £2.5m a season in performance bonuses. This means if Abramovich wants Mourinho out, it will cost him more than £25m.
But that's clearly small change to the Russian businessman as reports continue to gather momentum claiming that Mourinho will get his pay-off as the club wants him out - but not at the price he's asking.
According to The Sunday Times, Chelsea held an emergency board meeting on Friday to discuss Mourinho's position, during which Peter Kenyon, the club's chief executive, is thought to have asked all parties to consider a resolution that will not undermine their season.
However, should it come to that, Mourinho won't be out of work for too long as already his agent is canvassing offers of employment from other clubs. But the coach is staying far away from the negotiations in order to ensure that he doesn't breach his contract and that the board will have to pay him out. -
Mourinho must keep it shut
AS truces go, itÂ’s one of footballÂ’s most delicate balancing acts since peace reigned on the Western Front for 24 hours on Christmas Day 1914. In return for Jose Mourinho getting the centre-half of his choice, he keeps his mouth shut until the end of the season.
Which the Chelsea manager will probably find slightly more tricky than adding the Champions League and a third title to the two Premiership crowns already delivered. Not that he said much — or actually needed to say much — during or after Chelsea’s 4-0 stroll against Wigan on Saturday.
All the words that needed to be uttered came pouring down from the Stamford Bridge terraces. As the chants of ‘Stand up for the Special One’ echoed round the ground, Mourinho sat in the dugout nodding his head in silent approval. The only surprise was he did not stand up himself. And take a bow.
Up in the gods, Roman Abramovich looked down and saw the other Romans hailing Little Caesar. His manager had won the battle. As for the war, that is a different matter. As anyone foolhardy enough to attempt to cross the Russian billionaire long ago discovered, there is only one ultimate winner.
Not that this will unduly discomfort Mourinho. He knows his worth both inside and outside the club. Even more so outside.
Abramovich, determined to rein in his headstrong manager, has backed down. And that will not have been easy for a man who always gets his way.
At the same time, Mourinho knows exactly where he stands. Having been given the go-ahead to sign the defender he wants — Micah Richards or Tal Ben Haim — he realises there can be no more boat-rocking.
No more prevarication, no more drip-drip of information designed to undermine his bosses and bolster his own position. And, definitely, no more excuses. -
it will be nice to see lippi join chelsea.
-
lippi too defensive minded
-
r u sure???Originally posted by used:lippi too defensive minded
he played 5(or was it 6) attackers in the WC semis against Germany... -
i dont know about lippi
-
he abit like Wenger
-
he's an italian afterall, and most of the italian managers is known to be setting up their team to be hard to beat, rather then play entertaining football.Originally posted by Marco_Simone:r u sure???
he played 5(or was it 6) attackers in the WC semis against Germany...