Source: Daily_Mail
Michael Emenalo to be named Chelsea's sporting director
Michael Emenalo is on the verge of another Chelsea promotion - this time to sporting director.The move will be Emenalo's second promotion since he joined the club in 2007, originally as head opposition scout.The move comes as new Chelsea boss Andr? Villas-Boas reshapes his back room team and the former first-team coach will have his new role as continental sporting director confirmed within the next 48 hours.[LNB] New job: Michael Emenalo is set to to be confirmed as Chelsea's new sporting director [LNB] The former Nigerian international joined Chelsea in 2007 when Avram Grant was manager. Grant recruited the former Nigerian international from the Tucson Soccer Academy in Arizona, where he had been in charge of the under-12s girls' team for little more than a year.Emenalo's first job at Chelsea was as head opposition scout but he was promoted to the first-team coaching staff last year and has made a positive impression on key figures at the club, including owner Roman Abramovich.Villas-Boas has already appointed his core coaching team, which includes former Chelsea midfielder Roberto di Matteo, and has said that he has no issue with working alongside the right technical director or director of football. However, his relationship with Emenalo is certain to come under scrutiny.[LNB] New team: Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas of Portugal, center, with members of his technical team, from left, fitness expert Jose Mario Rocha, assistant coach Roberto Di Matteo, assistant coach Steve Holland, and head scout Daniel Sousa[LNB]'The main thing is to build on the future and put competent people in the right places,' said Villas-Boas, who expects to have control over transfer policy. The players reported back for pre-season training at the club's Cobham training base on Wednesday morning, where Villas-Boas outlined his philosophy. He was expected to stress his vision of an inclusive training culture in which the players work collectively and openly with his staff.'We want them to triumph as persons, as social role models,' said Villas-Boas. 'When they do that, they triumph as players as well. We like to exploit talent and, by freeing their decision-making, we can find things in their talent that they thought they didn't have.'That is why we focus on ambition and motivation. That is the philosophy we have from top to bottom in our departments.'[LNB] No return: Chelsea players return to training on Wednesday, but David Luiz and Ramires are the only players missing due to the Copa America[LNB]The majority of the first-team squad will reported back on Wednesday, although Ramires and David Luiz have an extended break because they were involved in the Copa Am?rica.Villas-Boas wants to meet the players before making a final decision on his transfer targets, although Chelsea did miss out to Mourinho's Real Madrid on Benfica wing-back Fabio Coentrao. Mourinho and Villas-Boas also have competing interest in the Porto striker Falcao. [LNB] All the latest Chelsea news, features and opinionKakuta wanted by Arnesen as Hamburg sporting director plots another Chelsea raid Leo's London: Spurs are about to get left at home as Manchester pair and Chelsea kick onClub-by-club guide to all the Barclays Premier League summer transfers[LNB]
