Victory over
Arsenal would see Claudio Ranieri add an English Cup
triumph to those he has already won in Italy and
Spain.
But it would also
bring a first notable reward for the gamble Chelsea
took in appointing the Italian in September 2000.
His predecessor
Gianluca Vialli was popular with Blues fans, and
could hardly be labelled a failure having delivered
five trophies during his tenure.
But the Premiership
title, and the attendant glamour of the Champions
League, are what Chelsea crave, and chairman Ken
Bates demands.
1987: Becomes manager of
Campania
1989: Takes over at Cagliari and wins
two promotions
1991: Takes over as manager of Napoli
1993: Moves to Serie B club
Fiorentina; guides them to promotion to Serie
A
1996: Wins the Copa Italia and
Supercopa with the Florence club
1999: Lured to Atletico Madrid and
signs Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for £12m
Mar 2000: Quits as manager before the
Madrid club are relegated from the Primera
Liga
Sep 2000: Takes over at Stamford
Bridge |
It
was perhaps a surprise then to see Ranieri pledging
his future to the club by signing a new five-year
deal recently.
After all, it was
only last November that fans responded to a dismal
goalless draw with Blackburn by chanting Vialli's
name.
Ranieri's early
inability to communicate effectively in English
hinted at problems in the dressing room.
And on the pitch,
his penchant for rotating players and making
half-time substitutions was questioned in some
quarters.
But while
inconsistency may have cost them a Champions League
spot this season, the Blues have proved a match for
anyone on their day.
A 3-0 demolition of
Manchester United at Old Trafford before Christmas
was a case in point.
And with Barcelona
publicly expressing their interest in the studious
Ranieri, Bates acted swiftly to secure his man.
"We have a
good squad and I hope to give everyone some
trophies," the manager said on signing his new
deal. "I know it's very difficult but I like
difficulties."
His managerial CV
certainly suggests a man capable of turning
under-achievers into trophy winners.
Ranieri arrived in
west London after a six-month spell out of the game.
He had resigned his
post at Atletico Madrid with the club in serious
financial trouble and struggling in the league.
But his previous
job in Spain proved his credentials, winning the
Spanish Cup with Valencia and earning qualification
for the Champions League.
Good enough to play
for Roma as a player, Ranieri made his name as a
coach with Sardinian side Cagliari, taking them from
Serie C to Serie A.
Right direction
He then moved on to
Napoli for two seasons, a period where current
Chelsea striker Gianfranco Zola played under him.
Ranieri joined
Fiorentina in 1993, winning promotion to Serie A and
then guiding the Florence giants to the Italian Cup
and the Italian Super Cup in 1996.
The Premiership
title may be the long-term goal in England, but an FA
Cup would be a step in the right direction.
