Carlo Ancelotti's masterplan is to make midfielder John Obi Mikel a star in his own image

Simon Johnson
24 Jul 2009

Carlo Ancelotti has only been in charge of Chelsea for a few weeks yet he has already made a major impact on the dressing room.

But it is his influence on John Obi Mikel which could have the biggest say over whether his time at Stamford Bridge will be a success or not.

The Nigerian international joined the club three years ago for £16million from Lyn Oslo and to many observers he is still a player of potential rather than the finished article.

After arriving as an attacking midfielder, he has since been tasked with trying to fill the considerable void left by Claude Makelele, who played the holding role with such distinction between 2004 and 2008.

The 22-year-old, who has just signed a new five-year contract, has progressed into an effective rather than exciting midfielder, powerful instead of pleasing to the eye, but now Ancelotti wants to turn him into the heartbeat of the team.

The Italian knows what it's like to be overshadowed in a team full of stars. As a combative midfielder, he was often overlooked when it came to handing out the plaudits during his playing career at AC Milan, where he won two European Cups.

While Ancelotti had Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten hogging the headlines, for Mikel it is Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

The 49-year-old clearly sees something of himself in Mikel (right), but more significantly for Chelsea, he also sees an unappreciated talent who could lead the club to glory.

The Italian said: "I have a lot of trust in Mikel, I think he can be the playmaker of this team. He is a young player, but has great quality, both technical and tactical.

"For the present and for the future he is a very important player for us. We are very happy he has signed a new contract and I hope that he stays at Chelsea for a lot of years. I would like that he puts in his great quality for the team."

Such praise can only be good for a player's confidence and for Mikel, it has made him aspire to become more of a dominant force in the Premier League and in Europe. And as far as he is concerned, he couldn't wish for a better coach to help him achieve his goals.

Mikel said: "He was a great player himself and it is a great honour that he sees something in me.

"He says I am a player with great qualities, but thinks I can be even better. It is going to take a bit of time, but I am going to work very close with him to make it happen.

"He likes the fact I am strong and can play with the ball, but says that I still need to add more things to my game - if I do that then he thinks I'm going to be fantastic. Hopefully things are going to go well and he will bring out the best in me.

"I have worked with him for two weeks and we are trying to get to know the formation he wants to play.

"Before the season starts we are all going to be mentally focused and we're going to get the system right. The team wants to win titles and this is why he is here."

For Mikel, there could be no better role model and he is already full of respect, as well as some envy, for his new boss.

So far he has picked up two FA Cup winners' medals and one in the League Cup for all his efforts, but it is the kind of success Ancelotti has tasted in the Champions league which he craves.

He said: "The manager has won it twice as a player and as a manager and I really envy him for that. We have come close so many times and I think that is why the club have brought him here, to take us to that final step.

"I haven't talked to him yet about what it's like to win the Champions League, but I hope he will have a big impact on my career.

"The way he has come in and the ideas he has as to how to set the team up, I think we can win everything."

Ancelotti's first task though is to continue Chelsea's winning momentum on their pre-season tour and tonight they face his former club AC Milan in Baltimore, where new £18million signing Yuri Zhirkov could make his Chelsea debut.