Monday, June 1, 2009

Ancelotti Outlines The Challenge Of Becoming Chelsea Boss And Learning English

The experienced Italian provided his first ever interview conducted in English.Alan Dawson

(June 1st Goal.com) - Carlo Ancelotti's induction into Premier League life and Chelsea Football Club has polarised opinion as some quarters believe the Italian's inability to speak fluent English may prove a stumbling block to instant results and success.

The former AC Milan boss, though, today gave a full interview to Chelsea TV in which he expressed gratitude to his former club, while also indicating how he will put all his new energy into the Stamford Bridge side.

Pausing in his delivery of deliberate but well-thought-out English, Ancelotti said, "Milan for me was a great experience as for five years we played as a great team and we won a lot of success. For eight years I got to train a great team but now I think that the time is to change and Chelsea, for me, was a great opportunity and a great time for a new experience."

Regarding linguistic challenges, he said, "This is the first interview in English I have done and for me it is not easy! I want to learn and to improve, though, and in time for the start of the new season I will speak well.

"It is important for me to speak to the operators who will work with me, the assistant, and the players."

He continued, "I want to say thank you to Milan. But now is the right moment for a new challenge and I want to put all my new energy into Chelsea."

On how how he will adapt to life at a club where the ambitions and expectations are high, he said, "There will be the same pressures [at Chelsea as there are at Milan].

"Chelsea and Milan are both great teams in Europe and they both want to win all the competitions so there will be the same pressures," he concluded.

Alan Dawson, Goal.com (click here to read article on goal.com)

No comments: