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| Zola's Dream: Chelsea's legend dream is to become the teams manager |
Gianfranco Zola has emerged as a serious contender to become Chelsea's next full-time boss and help change the Stamford Bridge mood.Although the Blues hierarchy already feared that Pep Guardiola was slipping from their grasp, Wednesday's confirmation that the Catalan has opted to join Bayern Munich was still a blow to Roman Abramovich.Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, Borussia Dortmund's Jurgen Klopp, Michael Laudrup of Swansea and Diego Simeone, whose Atletico Madrid side humiliated the West Londoners in August's UEFA SuperCup, have all been linked with the post.Frank Rijkaard is also available, after being sacked this week by Saudi Arabia.But with Blues fans starting to vote with their feet and pockets as well as showing their displeasure at interim manager Rafa Benitez, Zola will be a live option to take over in the summer when the board sit down next month to start planning the club's future.The Watford boss has never hidden the strength of his love for Chelsea, where an astonishing six-year spell as a player saw him voted as the club's all-time leading player by supporters."One of my dreams is a day when I can become the manager of Chelsea," Zola admitted earlier this season. "Chelsea is in my heart. I hope one day I will get the chance to be manager there."The 46-year-old, who had previously conceded he would be "crazy to say no" if he was ever offered the Stamford Bridge job, added: "Let's put it this way, one day I would like to be good enough to manage Chelsea. It is in my heart."Mr Abramovich has been very good to me and asked me a couple of times to go back to Chelsea to work but what's the point of going there and not having anything to do for the club."The way I see it is that I want to go there when I know I can give something back to the club."As the brickbats raining down on Benitez intensified on Wednesday - to the point where even former Blues stalwart Ray Wilkins was critical of the supporters - the pressing need for a manager the fans can galvanise around was clearer than ever.Wednesday's attendance of 38,484, for the 2-2 draw with Southampton, was the lowest for a league match at the Bridge in SIX years.Frustrated fans again turned on late substitute Fernando Torres and the unwanted Benitez.Zola's first managerial spell, at West Ham, saw him sacked after the Hammers only narrowly survived relegation from the Premier League in 2008-09.But the Sardinian has demonstrated he has learned from his Upton Park experiences in his first season at Watford, steering the Vicarage Road club into a Championship play-off position.The Chelsea hierarchy seem determined to stick with their plan to allow both Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole to leave when their contracts expire at the end of the season, despite the clear opposition of the supporters.But the scale of the vitriol directed towards Benitez - and which is in danger of reaching as far up the ladder as Abramovich - has made the idea of a universally-popular appointment far more appealing.Bringing in a fans' hero with the promise that he will be given time to stamp his mark on the club would also meet with approval.And with there being no prospect of an olive-branch being offered to Roberto Di Matteo, sacked in November to make way for Benitez, Zola's stock is rising among Abramovich's advisors. Benitez, meanwhile, has to lift the mood of the dressing room ahead of Arsenal's visit on Sunday, aware that a run of just two wins in seven home games since he took charge is becoming a crisis.The Spaniard, though, is again set to omit skipper John Terry, even though both Benitez and the skipper want the centre-half on the field.Benitez explained: "I couldn't put him on against Southampton because he has no match fitness."He's not fit to play 90 minutes."We'll see how he trains, but it will be difficult for him to start against Arsenal. He needs games and minutes, but at the right time."To change a player with no match fitness, when you have to play high if you're chasing a game, would be a risk. I will try not to take a risk."I will try and do my best and make the right team selection."
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| NO WAY: wenger warns Cavani's double bid payment |
Arsene Wenger has admitted he has NO CHANCE of buying Edinson Cavani in the current transfer window.Arsenal manager Wenger confirmed his admiration of the Napoli and Uruguay striker on Thursday, but insists he has not made a bid for the 25-year-old - says there is no way the Italians will sell even if he did.Cavani has a £45million buy-out clause in his contract and Chelsea had a £35m enquiry knocked back last summer.Even though Wenger says he has “big money” to spend, it would seem he is out of Arsenal's league. Wenger said: “Napoli are playing for the championship and the Champions League in Italy. So what is the interest of Napoli to sell Cavani? None. Unless you say, ‘Okay, we pay twice the price of what the player is worth.’"He is also cup-tied for the Champions League on top of that - all the players who can strengthen us are cup-tied in the Champions League."We can spend the money that we have decided to spend, if it is for a player we think gives us a plus. I do not want to speak about Cavani because we have not made an enquiry for him."We can strengthen everywhere. At the moment, it is more important that the team remains focused. If we find something, we will do it. But I prefer to do business in the summer and have identified players for then.“Even if you buy anybody, you have no guarantee that you will be in the top four."You think we cannot get into the top four as we are now? I think we can.”The Gunners boss, who also set to miss out to Manchester United on Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha, reiterated that non of his perferred targets are likely to be available in the winter month.The best news Wenger can hope for is that Arsenal will announce that Theo Walcott is to sign his new contract on Friday after agreeing a £90,000-a-week deal.
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