John Terry's show of support for Carlo Ancelotti

22 February 2011 07:34
Copenhagen have not played a competitive match since December but some might dare to suggest it has been even longer for Chelsea. [LNB]Here at the Parken Stadium on Tuesday evening, however, we could just see the first real signs of a revival - signs, as Carlo Ancelotti put it last night, his stuttering team are not dead yet. [LNB] Testing times: Ancelotti (centre) gathers his squad for a word intraining[LNB]If they can capture the spirit of the performance delivered by Ancelotti and John Terry as they sat together to face the media on Monday, it will certainly give them hope. [LNB]Chelsea's manager and captain were terrific, united in their defiance and united too in their desire to salvage something from an extremely difficult season. [LNB]Under pressure: but Ancelotti insists Chelsea can win the Champions League [LNB]As Ancelotti said with the European Cup very much in mind, it could yet prove to be their 'best' season; before conceding that it could also be their worst with a comic timing that raised a laugh but also illustrated what a classy guy he is.[LNB] It is in adversity that people often display their finest qualities and Ancelotti has conducted himself through the professional nightmare of the last three months with tremendous dignity. [LNB]Robbed, inexplicably, of close friend and assistant Ray Wilkins in November, the Italian has at times appeared isolated at Stamford Bridge. He has discovered, like the majority of his more immediate predecessors, how complicated life can become when Roman Abramovich is your owner.[LNB] Last night, however, he had Terry at his side when it mattered most; when the Italian is at his most vulnerable and needs his players' backing. [LNB]It is an extraordinary situation in which a manager who last season guided his side to a domestic leaguea nd cup double - at the first attempt - is in danger of being sacked if he fails to win this Champions League last-16 tie. But that is the reality because, as Ancelotti said in an interview in this paper last week, there is no gratitude in football. [LNB]Here, though, Terry stood with him, and not because he had to. There is no UEFA rule that states a captain must accompany a manager to official press conferences. No, Terry decided it was time for him to show his support for his manager, and where he might have got it wrong at last summer's World Cup he got it so right on this occasion. [LNB]It was powerful stuff from a skipper tired of the revolving door on the manager's office since Abramovich took over. He called for stability and continuity, for Ancelotti to be given time, while insisting anyone who thinks this Chelsea team are past it will end up looking as foolish as those who wrote them off last season. 'And nobody apologises for the statements they make,' he said indignantly.[LNB] Forward thinking: Drogba makes a point to his new team-mate Torres[LNB] Terry dismissed the idea the players were destabilised by Abramovich's decision to dismiss Wilkins, even though, in 19 games since he left, they have won just six. [LNB]'No, I don't think it destabilised us,' he said, only then to express how much he was missed. 'Ray was a massive asset to this club and he brought an awful lot. It was a decision the owner made. We accepted it and moved on.[LNB] 'Ray was brilliant at what he did. We can say we missed him, but we knew we had to get on with it. Ray is still in a good relationship with the players and the manager.' [LNB]History, as Ancelotti was keen to stress, does show a team who have been poor in the league can still land club football's biggest prize. [LNB]'In 2007 it was the same situation,' said Ancelotti. 'I should remind you. The Italian journalists noticed that. Wait. The season is not finished yet.' [LNB]He was referring to the success he enjoyed with AC Milan that year. They might have finished fourth in Serie A, 36 points adrift of Roberto Mancini's Inter, but they won the Champions League with a final victory over Liverpool having beaten Manchester United en route.[LNB] Two years before that, Liverpool were fifth in the Barclays Premier League but champions of Europe for a fifth time. Terry and Ancelotti said their elimination from the domestic cups and slide down the league meant they could focus on Europe. [LNB]'It could be a blessing in disguise,' said Terry, even if he acknowledged their failure to qualify for next season's Champions League would be 'disastrous'.[LNB] Losing this tie would be a disaster, and Ancelotti needs to see more from Fernando Torres - almost certainly in the absence of Didier Drogba - even if he does admit the ?50million Spaniard is 'not yet 100 per cent'.[LNB] But it will not be easy this evening against a Danish side who held Barcelona to a draw here in the group stage. Copenhagen have not played a competitive game since December 7. But as well as becoming the first Danish team to reach the Champions League's knockout stages, they were also the first to reach the Danish mid-season break unbeaten, winning 10 of their last 11 league matches. [LNB]They will have noted Shakhtar Donetsk, who had not played a competitive match for 70 days, last week beat Roma - Ancelotti's probable destination should Copenhagen do the same to his side. [LNB]  Martin Samuel: Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti should not entertain rule by Roman Abramovich Chelsea hold no fear for Copenhagen coach who came back from the deadUnder-fire Carlo insists Chelsea can taste Champions League glory at Wembley Roma to offer Ancelotti escape from Chelsea as Roman turns on playersDeschamps: I snubbed King Kenny's offer to take charge of LiverpoolChelsea FC news from across the web [LNB]  Explore more:People: John Terry, Didier Drogba, Roman Abramovich, Roberto Mancini, Fernando Torres, Carlo Ancelotti Places: Copenhagen, Barcelona, Liverpool, Europe

Source: Daily_Mail