Carlo Ancelotti pledges rest of his career to Chelsea

Simon Johnson
25 Sep 2009

Carlo Ancelotti today revealed he wants to stay at Chelsea for the rest of his managerial career.

Ancelotti has been a big success since taking over in July and has led the team to the top of the Premier League.

The Italian, who signed the three-year contract after leaving AC Milan, has made an even better start at Stamford Bridge than Jose Mourinho did in 2004 when the club went on to win the title with a record tally of 95 points.

Ancelotti, whose team will be aiming to make it seven League wins in a row when they take on Wigan tomorrow, is already hoping he will get the chance to extend his existing £6million-a-year contract in the future.

He said: “I hope to stay at Chelsea but it doesn't just depend on me.

“It's been three months since I arrived here and it's going very well and I hope to stay a long time.

“When I started to coach in 1995, I thought my career would finish in 2000. When it got to 2000, I said it's better to continue because I like this and I then thought I'd close my career in 2005.

“Then in 2005, after the Champions League Final defeat by Liverpool, again I thought it's better to continue. Now my goal is 2015.

“I'm not surprised at how well things have gone for me because I knew very well the quality of the players I have here, but I know there will be difficult moments and it's important to remember that no team can go unbeaten.

“I have not seen at any time in my career a team that is unbeaten, but we will try to maintain our form and stay at the top of the League.”

Ancelotti has also backed midfielder Joe Cole to force his way back into the England squad and star for Fabio Capello's side at the World Cup finals in South Africa next summer.

After eight months out following a serious knee injury, Cole made his first-team comeback against Queens Park Rangers at Stamford Bridge in midweek and faces a fight to force his way into Capello's thinking.

But Ancelotti said: “I'm sure Capello knows this player very well and I'm sure Joe can do very good things for the England team. He did in past matches for England and he can return to put his quality into the national team.

“Joe played very well against QPR and showed he is in very good condition. After eight months out it's not easy to play the way he did.”

Cole and Russian winger Yuri Zhirkov will be on the bench at Wigan tomorrow despite impressing in the Carling Cup victory over Rangers.

Defender Alex (groin) and Deco (knee) are set to return in two weeks and one week respectively.