Ambition made me move - Clarke

24 April 2009 17:30
Assistant coach Steve Clarke quit Chelsea because he knew there was no chance of him ever being given the top job at Stamford Bridge.Clarke enjoyed lengthy spells at Chelsea both as a player and coach but left in September last year when former Blues star Gianfranco Zola asked him to become his assistant at West Ham.His move across London stunned Chelsea as Clarke had previously hinted he would only ever leave the club for a managerial post.Clarke's initial resignation was rejected by Chelsea but a compensation package was eventually agreed with West Ham that allowed the former right-back to make the switch to Upton Park.The tough-tackling Scot helped Jose Mourinho win every domestic honour at Chelsea before the Portuguese boss left in September 2007 and Clarke was alongside Avram Grant when the Israeli inspired the Blues to the final of the Champions League last season.But he found himself marginalised under Grant's replacement, Luiz Felipe Scolari, and jumped at the chance to link up with Zola at West Ham because he knew there was no possibility of him stepping into the hot-seat at Chelsea."I think I could have been the manager but I don't think it was realistic that Chelsea would have offered me the job," said Clarke."One of the reasons I left was that there was always the danger I would be labelled as number two at Chelsea. I was there as number two but then somebody else came in, and then someone else, then someone else and then someone else."I had to make a choice. Don't get me wrong it would have been a great job to have stayed at Chelsea and been number two. I could have stayed there for the next 10 years, I am sure. But I have personal ambitions, so I just felt I had to leave Chelsea to further my career."I made the step to come to West Ham for personal ambitions. Other people have to judge whether I have done a good job or not but I think West Ham are quite happy with what I am doing and Gianfranco is quite happy, so things are good just now."Chelsea were very surprised I left them to be a number two elsewhere, maybe that's why they made it so difficult for me to leave."It wasn't a gamble because I knew who I was coming to work with. I wanted to challenge myself in another way. I felt I could get a manager's job somewhere, so if it didn't work out, I would have been able to move in another direction anyway, so it wasn't such a big gamble."Medium to long term being a manager is my aim. I have got to be honest, when I was at Chelsea, the next aim was to be a manager. It was very unusual circumstances that saw me come across London - I didn't see it coming."But when I spoke to the people here and to Gianfranco, they sold the project to me very well. I am glad I came."At Chelsea I was working with the cream of the players in Europe if you like. I was working at the highest level and at a club where they could solve the problem by buying another player or throwing money at the problem to solve it. Here, we solve things in a different way. "Clarke's former club visit Upton Park on Saturday with the title now realistically out of their reach following a goalless draw with Everton in midweek.Chelsea are six points adrift of Manchester United at the top of the table and Sir Alex Ferguson's side also have a game in hand.The Hammers are hoping to finish seventh in the league and earn a place in the new UEFA Europa League next season and while Clarke has every admiration for Chelsea's interim coach Guus Hiddink, he is also surprised Scolari was not a hit at Stamford Bridge.Chelsea started the season in fine style and went on to record[LNB]

Source: Eurosport