On eve of battle, Ancelotti under no illusions

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti admits winning the Premier League with his new club will be one of the toughest tasks of his career.

Ancelotti gets his first taste of life in the Premier League on Saturday as the Blues kick-off their domestic campaign at home to Hull.

But the Italian already knows enough about English football to realise he faces a formidable challenge to unseat reigning champions Manchester United from their throne because the league has so much strength in depth.

“In England the championship is more competitive because, in Italy, three or four teams can win. Here I think that more teams can win the league,” Ancelotti said on Friday.

“To win a season in England is not easy for any team. It’s not easy for Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester United, and also for Arsenal.

“To win here is very difficult. It’s a difficult start. We’ll have to overcome difficulties in every game.

“We have to work to improve because the situation on the pitch has to be natural. Now it’s not natural because some things are new for the players.

“But, with work, it will become automatic. We have to put continuity into the games. That wasn’t the case in the last game – some periods of the game were very good, others not. We need to put continuity on the pitch.”

Ancelotti won just one Serie A title in eight years as AC Milan coach and he is coaching outside Italy for the first time in his career.

But the 50-year-old insists he is not afraid of the step into a new football culture.

“This is my first season outside Italy so it is a bit different, but I want to do well with my team. I am happy, not afraid. There’s no tension or pressure,” he said.

“It is new but not the unknown. I’m not in the dark. I know my team very well. I appreciate the squad over the month I’ve had here, and the quality of this team.

“The ambition is to remain competitive until the end of the season in all the competitions – in the FA Cup, the Premiership and the Champions League.

“We want to arrive well in March and April in all the competitions. If we have strength and the right mental attitude, we can win at the end.”

In the short time he has been in England, Ancelotti has already made a positive impression on a Chelsea squad who have responded to his calm demeanour.

Seeing John Terry reject Manchester City’s overtures was a major boost to Ancelotti, while Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba and defender Michael Mancienne – who has now joined Wolverhampton on loan – have both signed new deals recently and the Italian wants Ashley and Joe Cole to follow suit.

“I am happy that Didier signed a new contract because he is a very important player for this team, not only for now but for the future,” Ancelotti added.

“He’s a very important striker who did very well for the team and will do very well for the team.

“We spoke with Mancienne and we found a right solution for him because he needs to play games. He will be a Chelsea player for the future.

“Didier is a top striker. I don’t know in the standings, but he is a top striker like Fernando Torres and Emmanuel Adebayor.

“I’m hopeful that Ashley and Joe will stay with us. For sure. This is the opinion of the club.”