(In this game, I set myself as being ten years older than I really am and with the experience to boot, and any references to 'playing days' are entirely fictional. Just giving a little warning here.)
The highly-anticipated announcement of who the next manager at Chelsea will be has been made. Chairman Roman Abramovich has decided to pass over several high-profile candidates, including former AC Milan boss and front-runner Carlo Ancelotti for the relatively unknown Jason Chilton. The 36-year-old American and former Premier League midfielder, most notably with Leicester City, had recently called it a career after persistent ankle injuries relegated him to reserve squad duty. But he had made his name available for numerous manager positions around the world that had opened up, including the one left behind with Guus Hiddink's departure from Stamford Bridge. "We needed a fresh perspective," Chelsea director Frank Arnesen was quoted as saying, "Jason is the kind of man that has the qualities of a great manager in the making. His ability to think outside the box with his approach to the game is something we were looking for." It is this line of thought that Chelsea has embraced in its quest to dethrone three-time defending Premier League Champions Manchester United and recapture their spot at the pinnacle of English football, which they last had in 2006.
"I cannot tell you how much of an honor this is to be put in charge of this club," Chilton was quoted as saying at his unveiling, "Everybody knows the tradition of excellence Chelsea has and I will make sure to uphold it to the best of my ability." When asked about any speculation of his involvement in the transfer market, the affable American said he was eager to test the waters. "I have a few names I'm considering," he told reporters, "but I will need to do a full evaluation of the squad before I decide to test the transfer market."
July 15, 2009 -- Chelsea, Balotelli agree to terms
Chelsea manager Jason Chilton has only been on the job for a week, and already he is making waves in the football world. He announced on Tuesday that the club has come to terms with 18-year-old Italian phenom Mario Balotelli, completing the £33 million transfer from Inter Milan. Chilton said he had eyes for the young striker after seeing him in action with the Italy under-19 squad, and was quoted as telling chairman Roman Abramovich that he "would move mountains to get Balotelli in a Chelsea uniform." Now that Chilton has his man, he is all smiles.
"A kid like Mario is a once-in-a-lifetime find," he said at a press conference to announce the signing, "He has the two things that I desire in a quality striker: size and technical proficiency. His size is apparent, but what got me was how technically sound he is for his age." Balotelli, listed at 6'2" and 178 pounds (188cm, 81kg), would immediately be featured next to Didier Drogba, and the powerful Ivorian was looking forward to playing and possibly mentoring him in his transition from Inter to Chelsea and England. "He is a very gifted young man," said Drogba, "and I welcome the opportunity to help him become a world-class footballer like me."
Such a bold move would have thrown off many fledgling managers, but Chilton was confident from the beginning. "I knew what I was doing from the start, and the negotiation process was relatively painless," Chilton said when asked about it, "I just hope that any and all future transfers go off like this." It should also be noted that he did most of his negotiations with Jose Mourinho, the current manager at Inter and former Chelsea boss, who gave Balotelli his blessings after Chilton promised him a spot in his starting lineup. As for incumbent striker Nicolas Anelka, Chilton said that he has plans for him based on what he has seen in training, but he did not reveal those plans at the time.
---------- Post added at 12:13 AM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 09:11 PM ----------
(Still getting caught up to the present...might take a while guys! Also, should I include summaries of notable fixtures or just give month-to-month updates?)
August 8, 2009 -- Chilton looks to Community Shield, future
With the start of the Premier League season drawing near, the anticipation is as high as ever. The expectations are just as high at Stamford Bridge, where new manager Jason Chilton is already making bold claims for the upcoming year. But before he can live up to those claims, he must first lead Chelsea into the Community Shield showdown with Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on the 9th. This will be Chilton's first test at the helm of his new club, after completing a successful tour of Mexico in friendly competition. Chilton also completed a transfer for promising center-back Shane Duffy of Everton, though his critics have questioned the £5.25 million move for the 17-year-old Northern Ireland international. But he offered a quick rebuttal to the naysayers as he is looking toward the future of the club.
"I realize that we have one of the older squads in the league," he said, "But I know these guys aren't gonna be around forever. We need to start building for the future right now in order to keep our place among the elite clubs in the world. Chilton hinted that he may be bringing on some more young players to groom, though he also hinted at the possiblity of acquiring more established talent to fill out his squad. One of the names that has been thrown about in conversation is Landon Donovan, who is very familiar with Chilton on the United States national team. The 27-year-old L.A. Galaxy midfielder/striker has been rumored to have drawn the interest of a few English clubs, including Birmingham and Liverpool, as well as French side Girondins Bordeaux. When asked about Donovan, Chilton made no efforts to hide the admiration he has for his former colleague. "To make the finest American player a part of the finest English club would be wonderful," he told reporters, "It would also be a major boost to not only Landon, but to U.S. football as a whole. We may not yet be at the super-elite level of nations like Spain and Brazil yet, but as things change and develop and as America continues to embrace the game, we can only grow stronger."
August 10, 2009 -- Chilton matches Ferguson blow-for-blow, Chelsea wins on penalties
On a rainy Sunday afternoon, Chelsea manager Jason Chilton received a baptism of fire as he was asked to lead his team in the Community Shield matchup against the three-time defending champion Manchester United and legendary manager Alex Ferguson. In the end, it would come down to penalty kicks after the match was deadlocked at 2-2. With striker Didier Drogba unavailable because of a leg injury, Nicolas Anelka led the charge in the first half, scoring in the 39th minute off a brilliant setup by Frank Lampard, tucking in a shot on an angle to the left of keeper Tomasz Kuszczak. But the first part of the second half belonged to Man United, getting a pair of quick goals from Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney in the 66th and 70th minutes respectively. This would test the mettle of Chilton, and he did not buckle under the pressure, with him leading Chelsea on the charge. The effort would be rewarded with the equalizer off the foot of Florent Malouda in the 83rd minute, capitalizing on a cross put in by Branislav Ivanovic. When the shootout commenced, Chelsea keeper Petr Cech turned away midfielder Darren Fletcher's spot try with a diving save, leaving the game on the foot of fullback Ashley Cole. Cole would drive his attempt past Kuszczak to secure the victory.
Despite the come-from-behind win and what surely will be the first of many trophies, Chilton was not entirely pleased with how things went. "It's always great to win," he told the press in his post-match conference, "but there's so much that we could have done better that we didn't do. We need to be solid in all aspects of play if we are to succeed." He declined to comment in public about Rooney, who got the Man of the Match award, but later he was quote as saying that Rooney is a world-class player, and that "he has the power and ability to turn a game around in an instant." This was also the first chance that Mario Balotelli was able to showcase his abilities, and he had a solid game for Chelsea, converting on his shootout attempt.
August 15, 2009 -- Drogba, Chelsea stellar in Chilton's league debut
The start of the Premier League season saw an on-form Chelsea side overwhelm Stoke City, with the Blues scoring a 4-1 victory at Britannia Stadium. Having been touted as favorites to win the league, Chelsea manager Jason Chilton rolled out an attacking arsenal that left supporters mesmerized and impressed. Captain John Terry would kick off the scoring in the 36th minute, heading home a corner kick to put the visitors ahead. From there, Didier Drogba would take over, netting goals in the 42nd and 45th minutes before completing the hat trick in the 70th minute. Striker Ricardo Fuller would pull one back for Stoke, but it was merely consolation as Chelsea proved their superiority in an emphatic manner, starting with Drogba.
"When Didier is on his game, he is. . .bar none, the best striker in the world," Chilton said when asked about the Ivorian's performance, "There's few people, if anyone that can match the size, strength and skill that he possesses. He was tremendous today...spot-on." He was then brought to light of the fact that the transfer windown was still open, and whether or not he was going to make any moves or not. "I'm happy with the squad I've got so far, but that doesn't mean I'm done bringing guys in. There's always the chance of injury or someone falling out of favor, but don't expect anything major from me again during this window."
The highly-anticipated announcement of who the next manager at Chelsea will be has been made. Chairman Roman Abramovich has decided to pass over several high-profile candidates, including former AC Milan boss and front-runner Carlo Ancelotti for the relatively unknown Jason Chilton. The 36-year-old American and former Premier League midfielder, most notably with Leicester City, had recently called it a career after persistent ankle injuries relegated him to reserve squad duty. But he had made his name available for numerous manager positions around the world that had opened up, including the one left behind with Guus Hiddink's departure from Stamford Bridge. "We needed a fresh perspective," Chelsea director Frank Arnesen was quoted as saying, "Jason is the kind of man that has the qualities of a great manager in the making. His ability to think outside the box with his approach to the game is something we were looking for." It is this line of thought that Chelsea has embraced in its quest to dethrone three-time defending Premier League Champions Manchester United and recapture their spot at the pinnacle of English football, which they last had in 2006.
"I cannot tell you how much of an honor this is to be put in charge of this club," Chilton was quoted as saying at his unveiling, "Everybody knows the tradition of excellence Chelsea has and I will make sure to uphold it to the best of my ability." When asked about any speculation of his involvement in the transfer market, the affable American said he was eager to test the waters. "I have a few names I'm considering," he told reporters, "but I will need to do a full evaluation of the squad before I decide to test the transfer market."
July 15, 2009 -- Chelsea, Balotelli agree to terms
Chelsea manager Jason Chilton has only been on the job for a week, and already he is making waves in the football world. He announced on Tuesday that the club has come to terms with 18-year-old Italian phenom Mario Balotelli, completing the £33 million transfer from Inter Milan. Chilton said he had eyes for the young striker after seeing him in action with the Italy under-19 squad, and was quoted as telling chairman Roman Abramovich that he "would move mountains to get Balotelli in a Chelsea uniform." Now that Chilton has his man, he is all smiles.
"A kid like Mario is a once-in-a-lifetime find," he said at a press conference to announce the signing, "He has the two things that I desire in a quality striker: size and technical proficiency. His size is apparent, but what got me was how technically sound he is for his age." Balotelli, listed at 6'2" and 178 pounds (188cm, 81kg), would immediately be featured next to Didier Drogba, and the powerful Ivorian was looking forward to playing and possibly mentoring him in his transition from Inter to Chelsea and England. "He is a very gifted young man," said Drogba, "and I welcome the opportunity to help him become a world-class footballer like me."
Such a bold move would have thrown off many fledgling managers, but Chilton was confident from the beginning. "I knew what I was doing from the start, and the negotiation process was relatively painless," Chilton said when asked about it, "I just hope that any and all future transfers go off like this." It should also be noted that he did most of his negotiations with Jose Mourinho, the current manager at Inter and former Chelsea boss, who gave Balotelli his blessings after Chilton promised him a spot in his starting lineup. As for incumbent striker Nicolas Anelka, Chilton said that he has plans for him based on what he has seen in training, but he did not reveal those plans at the time.
---------- Post added at 12:13 AM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 09:11 PM ----------
(Still getting caught up to the present...might take a while guys! Also, should I include summaries of notable fixtures or just give month-to-month updates?)
August 8, 2009 -- Chilton looks to Community Shield, future
With the start of the Premier League season drawing near, the anticipation is as high as ever. The expectations are just as high at Stamford Bridge, where new manager Jason Chilton is already making bold claims for the upcoming year. But before he can live up to those claims, he must first lead Chelsea into the Community Shield showdown with Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on the 9th. This will be Chilton's first test at the helm of his new club, after completing a successful tour of Mexico in friendly competition. Chilton also completed a transfer for promising center-back Shane Duffy of Everton, though his critics have questioned the £5.25 million move for the 17-year-old Northern Ireland international. But he offered a quick rebuttal to the naysayers as he is looking toward the future of the club.
"I realize that we have one of the older squads in the league," he said, "But I know these guys aren't gonna be around forever. We need to start building for the future right now in order to keep our place among the elite clubs in the world. Chilton hinted that he may be bringing on some more young players to groom, though he also hinted at the possiblity of acquiring more established talent to fill out his squad. One of the names that has been thrown about in conversation is Landon Donovan, who is very familiar with Chilton on the United States national team. The 27-year-old L.A. Galaxy midfielder/striker has been rumored to have drawn the interest of a few English clubs, including Birmingham and Liverpool, as well as French side Girondins Bordeaux. When asked about Donovan, Chilton made no efforts to hide the admiration he has for his former colleague. "To make the finest American player a part of the finest English club would be wonderful," he told reporters, "It would also be a major boost to not only Landon, but to U.S. football as a whole. We may not yet be at the super-elite level of nations like Spain and Brazil yet, but as things change and develop and as America continues to embrace the game, we can only grow stronger."
August 10, 2009 -- Chilton matches Ferguson blow-for-blow, Chelsea wins on penalties
On a rainy Sunday afternoon, Chelsea manager Jason Chilton received a baptism of fire as he was asked to lead his team in the Community Shield matchup against the three-time defending champion Manchester United and legendary manager Alex Ferguson. In the end, it would come down to penalty kicks after the match was deadlocked at 2-2. With striker Didier Drogba unavailable because of a leg injury, Nicolas Anelka led the charge in the first half, scoring in the 39th minute off a brilliant setup by Frank Lampard, tucking in a shot on an angle to the left of keeper Tomasz Kuszczak. But the first part of the second half belonged to Man United, getting a pair of quick goals from Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney in the 66th and 70th minutes respectively. This would test the mettle of Chilton, and he did not buckle under the pressure, with him leading Chelsea on the charge. The effort would be rewarded with the equalizer off the foot of Florent Malouda in the 83rd minute, capitalizing on a cross put in by Branislav Ivanovic. When the shootout commenced, Chelsea keeper Petr Cech turned away midfielder Darren Fletcher's spot try with a diving save, leaving the game on the foot of fullback Ashley Cole. Cole would drive his attempt past Kuszczak to secure the victory.
Despite the come-from-behind win and what surely will be the first of many trophies, Chilton was not entirely pleased with how things went. "It's always great to win," he told the press in his post-match conference, "but there's so much that we could have done better that we didn't do. We need to be solid in all aspects of play if we are to succeed." He declined to comment in public about Rooney, who got the Man of the Match award, but later he was quote as saying that Rooney is a world-class player, and that "he has the power and ability to turn a game around in an instant." This was also the first chance that Mario Balotelli was able to showcase his abilities, and he had a solid game for Chelsea, converting on his shootout attempt.
August 15, 2009 -- Drogba, Chelsea stellar in Chilton's league debut
The start of the Premier League season saw an on-form Chelsea side overwhelm Stoke City, with the Blues scoring a 4-1 victory at Britannia Stadium. Having been touted as favorites to win the league, Chelsea manager Jason Chilton rolled out an attacking arsenal that left supporters mesmerized and impressed. Captain John Terry would kick off the scoring in the 36th minute, heading home a corner kick to put the visitors ahead. From there, Didier Drogba would take over, netting goals in the 42nd and 45th minutes before completing the hat trick in the 70th minute. Striker Ricardo Fuller would pull one back for Stoke, but it was merely consolation as Chelsea proved their superiority in an emphatic manner, starting with Drogba.
"When Didier is on his game, he is. . .bar none, the best striker in the world," Chilton said when asked about the Ivorian's performance, "There's few people, if anyone that can match the size, strength and skill that he possesses. He was tremendous today...spot-on." He was then brought to light of the fact that the transfer windown was still open, and whether or not he was going to make any moves or not. "I'm happy with the squad I've got so far, but that doesn't mean I'm done bringing guys in. There's always the chance of injury or someone falling out of favor, but don't expect anything major from me again during this window."
I won't be back in until the 26th, so stay tuned then.