Ten Cate plotting changes
20 Oct 2007 - 15:24:51
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- Ten Cate plotting changes
New Chelsea assistant coach Henk Ten Cate has called for patience as the Blues' backroom staff start the process of changing the team's pattern of play.
The Dutchman has been brought in to assist new manager Avram Grant and existing number two Steve Clarke, having made his name for his work alongside Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona.
He told the club's official website: "I think you can play a certain way of football that is very similar to Barcelona, but you need the players for that and Chelsea doesn't have Andres Iniesta, doesn't have Deco, doesn't have Xavi who are players with a certain quality.
"But Chelsea on the other hand has Michael Essien and Claude Makelele and Frank Lampard, different players with different styles.
"But I think it is not the style of Barcelona players, it is the way they play that is attractive and with Chelsea with all the players we have and all the quality we have, we can play attractive football that is fun to watch, with the intention of winning the game, not with the intention of not losing the game.
"I think this change in attitude is huge. It is bigger than everybody imagines. You enter the field with it in the back of your mind that we are not going to lose, or you enter and you say we are going to win and we have to work on that.
"It will cost a lot of energy and effort working on the training ground, trying to convince the players there is also another way of playing football that is fun to do and which pleases the crowd.
"You cannot go for a miracle change, it is impossible. We are a big football club and we need results along the way and you have to do it step-by-step."