Ancelotti dismisses quit report

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has insisted he has no plans to leave the English champions after a British newspaper report suggested he was frustrated by his lack of control at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea’s 1-0 away defeat to Birmingham at the weekend was their third loss in four league games and came after the shock sacking of Ancelotti’s assistant, Ray Wilkins.

According to Monday’s Sun newspaper Ancelotti made an unfavourable comparison between his situation and that of Sir Alex Ferguson, the veteran Manchester United boss and the man in charge of Chelsea’s main title rivals.

“You compare me with Ferguson, it’s a different position. Ferguson has total control of the team. I have just technical direction. Full stop. OK?”

But the Italian, speaking ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash at home to Group F makeweights MSK Zilina, denied he was on the verge of quitting and had consulted England’s League Managers’ Association (LMA) for advice.

“I don’t know if it’s enough to clarify my position today (Monday) to close these rumours and speculation,” said Ancelotti.

“These rumours are totally untrue. I don’t know why they came out. I didn’t speak with the LMA.

“They called me last night when I was at home, quiet, to find out what was happening.

“These rumours are totally untrue. I have my contract until 2012, here, in this club. I’ve said a lot of times that I’d like to stay here.

“I love not just this club, but these players. I have a lot of confidence in these players, in this squad, so there’s no reason to change my ideas.

“I think that when the team don’t reach the right results, obviously the coach is under pressure.

“Obviously I am under pressure because I’d like Chelsea to win every game, but just this. I am focused on my job to make us play better than we are at this moment. Just this.

“There was, last (Sunday) night, an LMA dinner with the coaches and they wanted to know about these rumours.

“I said to them that this is totally untrue. I read in the papers today that I called them. That’s untrue. I didn’t call nobody.”

He added: “There is no reason to think about this, my position. My position in the club is very clear.

“I am the coach and I have to train my players to maintain the team, the club, at the best level. Now, this moment is not so good on the pitch and we have to do better there.

“Obviously I understand very well because I had a lot of occasions like this in my career. The coach is in trouble when the team doesn’t produce results, but this is my life.

“I like my life. I’m not disappointed about this. I’m disappointed because Chelsea have lost three in four games, and this is not good: for me, the players, the club, for my job. We want to do better there.”

Chelsea held a five-point lead over Arsenal and Manchester United at the end of October but now top the table on goal difference alone.