History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

LAMPARD: CHELSEA EXTRA DETERMINED TO WIN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Frank Lampard is hoping lady luck is shining on Chelsea on Wednesday when his team host Italian giants Juventus – and he has expressed the deep desire the Blues have to make amends for last May’s heartache in the Champions League Final when they lost out to Manchester United.

In Moscow Lampard levelled out Cristiano Ronaldo’s opener but his team were defeated 6-5 on penalties when captain John Terry missed his spot kick and Nicolas Anelka had his saved by Edwin van der Sar. And the 30-year-old has admitted that he is hoping for a slice of fortune so his team claim Europe’s biggest prize this year.

“After last year we really want to win the Champions League,” he said ahead of the first leg of the last-16 game at Stamford Bridge – new manager Guus Hiddink’s first at home. “There is obviously something added this year because of the manner we came so close. You can’t help but have that on the back of your mind. There is a just a great determination to go back and win it.

“Whether that is this year or not is very hard to call. In the Champions League there are so many top teams. There are so many moments to get to that final that can go either way. You can win a game on a little bit of luck, or on a small detail.”

Labels: Champions League, Chelsea, Frank Lampard, Guus Hiddink, Juventus

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:20 am | Permalink | Comments

RANIERI DESERVES CREDIT FOR CHELSEA SUCCESS

Claudio Ranieri deserves to be credited with transforming Chelsea from a team of also-rans to champions – that is the view of Frank Lampard and current manager Guus Hiddink,

The Italian was at the Stamford Bridge helm for four years from 2000 before Roman’s Revolution took over in 2003.

And he was sacked for Special One Jose Mourinho after one season under Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich – despite finishing second in the Premier League.

The 57-year-old, who is now in charge of Juventus, Chelsea’s Champions League opponents on Wednesday, bought Lampard from West Ham for £11m in 2001.

And the England midfielder believes that if it wasn’t for Ranieri, who also reached the FA Cup Final with the Blues, he would not be the player he is today.

“I think Claudio should take a lot of credit for Chelsea’s success,” said Lampard. “A lot of things have happened at the club and Claudio is part of that.

“He bought a lot of good players to the team, even before the Abramovich era and without him I would not be here.

“I have the utmost respect for him and think he is a great man as well as a great manager. He opened my eyes in football terms.

“I think Claudio has to take a lot of credit of what he has done for the club in the time he was here (at Chelsea).”

The 30-year-old continued: “He elevated John Terry to captain and now he has developed in to one of the best captains in the world.

“Claudio achieved a lot when he was at Chelsea. He oversaw the transition of Chelsea being a good team who were not challenging for titles to one that was.

“He certainly gets credit for that in-house – I appreciate what he did for me and for the team.

“The fans, who are the most important people at Chelsea, hold him in very high regard because of the way he took the team on.”

Chelsea’s new Dutch manager Hiddink, who won his first game in charge of the Blues at the weekend, also praised Ranieri.

He said ahead of last-16 clash: “He is a gentleman coach and very intelligent.

“He knows how to cope with the press and cope with the pressure in this job and I respect him very much.

“He has several abilities. When he was at Chelsea he made a team that was very competitive for the Premier League.

“I have seen that he is a very good organiser of his teams – they have enormous tactical discipline.

“It is difficult to play against the teams he is managing.”

Labels: Champions League, Chelsea, Claudio Ranieri, Frank Lampard, Guus Hiddink, Juventus

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:17 am | Permalink | Comments

CHELSEA MANAGER TIGHT-LIPPED OVER CARLING CUP TEAM SELECTION

Chelsea manager Avram Grant is keeping John Terry and Frank Lampard in the dark over their roles in Sunday's Carling Cup Final against Tottenham at Wembley. Grant has a full squad to choose from and will not be drawn on whether club captain Terry or influential midfielder Lampard, both now fit after injuries, will start.

Lampard scored his 100th goal for the club in last weekend's FA Cup fifth round tie against Huddersfield.

But neither he nor Terry featured in their goalless midweek Champions League draw against Olympiakos.

Grant, speaking at his pre-match press conference said: "We have training [on Saturday] and then I will tell the players the team. I will tell the players before the media.

"We need big players and it is never an easy decision who to select. I don't believe rotation is the way, but sometimes you prefer other players.

"It's not an easy decision because Terry is a great captain, even when he is not playing. He is also a great defender but I think the other two did a great job until now. "Alex and [Ricardo] Carvalho were very good on Tuesday, and before his injury John Terry was excellent. This is a very hard decision.

"But this is my job. I need to take these decisions and I will take them. Players are not computers. You need to respect them, but need to take decisions that are good for the club.

"When you have big players in a team like Chelsea it is always not an easy decision, it was not easy on Tuesday."

Grant added: "It was not a good situation when Terry and Lampard were out injured. But this is my life.

"I like it and I can't do without the pressure. It will be the same in the next three months."

Labels: Avram Grant, Carling Cup, Chelsea, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Tottenham

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:47 pm | Permalink | Comments