Whose Gallas on About???

[JamboSean]

I do, yes - because the sort of siege mentality he employs is shared by Fergie. I think United fans have far more of a problem with Wenger or, naturally, Benitez than they do with Jose. He's burnt his bridges with Liverpool though, as he has with Barce: if he hadn't been snapped up by England, I think someone like Capello would be perfect for 'Pool. But definitely not Mourinho.

 

As for Citeh: heck of a long shot, that. They've got it all to do - and you have to wonder if, in the present economic climate, the owners will do all they suggested they would.

 

I still can't see it, it might just be me telling myself Jose wouldn't do it though.

 

Oh aye, totally a long shot. I just think it would be very interesting to sit back and watch over the course of a few seasons. I think it could work the opposite, they could see every one else pulling in the purse strings and take full advantage by spending money no one else has. All depends how badly the owners are effecting by it all though.

 

Mmm... I'm not sold on that argument, TBH. Ranieri's problem is he's been pigeonholed as someone who lays the foundations (at Valencia as well as Chelsea), but can't win things. This is probably unfair, and I think he'd have gone on to win the EPL in 04/5 had he been allowed to stay; but if you have someone as wealthy as Abramovich in charge, he naturally wants to maximise silverware. Mourinho is an infinitely more ruthless, relentless individual, far more likely to achieve the maximum possible.

 

Put it this way. I hugely respect the job Ranieri did in taking Chelsea to 4th and a CL spot before Abramovich arrived. Indeed, without it, Roman would've looked elsewhere: that 2-1 win over Liverpool in May '03 remains, to my mind, the most important in Chelsea's whole history. But had Jose been in charge that season, I'm convinced he'd have done more; and similarly, had he been appointed that summer, I can't believe he'd have spoken of it taking two years to reach the top as Ranieri continually did.

 

Ranieri didn't win anything, but he would have won the league the year Arsenal were superb under different circumstances. I believe Chelsea finished on a points total that would have won the Premiership most years. Mourinho was obviously the better option as it's proved and I think Ranieri would have won the league eventually as he got the best out of players Mourinho didn't fancy.

 

The story goes Abramovich wasn't even interested in Chelsea when he came to England but was meeting with Spurs officials. He went past Stamford Bridge and thought 'I'll have that one instead'. Of course, that is more than likely utter nonsense. It's all maybes anyway, as Mourinho wouldn't have even been considered that year for the job as he hadn't won the Champions League with Porto yet. Ranieri was being cautious when he constantly said 2 years. I didn't think he had the self belief that he could over turn Arsenal and Man Utd with the money he had to spend. And, who can blame him, he had never been in such a position before.

 

I think it's safe to say yourself, Alan Partridge and I have completely taken this thread away from the original topic!

[shaun.lawson]

 

Ranieri didn't win anything, but he would have won the league the year Arsenal were superb under different circumstances. I believe Chelsea finished on a points total that would have won the Premiership most years. Mourinho was obviously the better option as it's proved and I think Ranieri would have won the league eventually as he got the best out of players Mourinho didn't fancy.

 

The story goes Abramovich wasn't even interested in Chelsea when he came to England but was meeting with Spurs officials. He went past Stamford Bridge and thought 'I'll have that one instead'. Of course, that is more than likely utter nonsense. It's all maybes anyway, as Mourinho wouldn't have even been considered that year for the job as he hadn't won the Champions League with Porto yet. Ranieri was being cautious when he constantly said 2 years. I didn't think he had the self belief that he could over turn Arsenal and Man Utd with the money he had to spend. And, who can blame him, he had never been in such a position before.

 

I think it's safe to say yourself, Alan Partridge and I have completely taken this thread away from the original topic!

 

Ha! Indeed... I've heard that story about Abramovich too: poor old Spurs. Years ago, they were about to sign Manou Petit when the player asked Alan Sugar if he could lend him a taxi fare, and promptly hotfooted it to Highbury!

 

You're right, of course, about Mourinho not being an option before 2004; but if Ranieri did lack self-belief, he clearly wasn't the right man. What money had Wenger had to play with, for instance? But it didn't stop him; and while CFC's tally in 03/4 was impressive, the EPL has changed so much in recent years, and the totals at top and bottom are now much more stretched out, entirely because of finance.