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Ancelotti vows John Terry saga will not dent Chelsea title ambitions
3 Feb 2010
Carlo Ancelotti does not believe the media spotlight on John Terry will have any bearing on Chelsea's title bid.
Terry was on duty for the second time last night since a series of allegations into his private life broke, and captained the Blues to a disappointing 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Hull.
Ancelotti confirmed he may allow the under-pressure England captain some time away from the squad should he need it but refused to entertain the idea that the current spotlight on Terry could force Chelsea to lose focus.
"Nothing can disturb our concentration in this competition," said Ancelotti, whose side nudged their lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League to two points at the KC Stadium.
"I think that Chelsea are focused for every game. Sometimes we play good football and sometimes we have more difficulty but the concentration is always on top.
"The atmosphere in the team is the same. No change."
When asked whether Terry would be granted a leave of absence when Chelsea meet Cardiff in the FA Cup on February 13, the Italian said: "If he needs a holiday I will give him a holiday. If he doesn't need a holiday then he will play against Cardiff. You will see the line-up then.
"It is an issue for me and John Terry; it is not your problem, I think.
"For him nothing has changed. He has played a very good game and every game he is leading very well. He is doing his best every game."
Hull boss Phil Brown saw Steven Mouyokolo put the unfancied hosts ahead after half an hour only for Didier Drogba to level before the interval.
It was the Ivorian's 20th goal of the campaign and marked his return to the side following a month on African Nations Cup duty.
Brown said: "We went 1-0 up and I was disappointed with the goal we conceded. Not to go 2-1 up just before half-time was the biggest disappointment though, because Anthony Gardner had a great chance.
"Then you've got the second half and you've got to defend valiantly, which we did.
"But we played some great football too, we put them under pressure - no doubt about it. We fully deserved a point and maybe even all three."
Reader views (4)
Blanket insults? Religeous rambling?
I think you've missed my point old son. I was merely suggesting to the gentlemen of the press that the insults John Terry will take at away grounds are not due to fans outrage at his behavior, but rather the fact that they have found a new pantomime villain.
- Barry, Welwyn England, 03/02/2010 11:12
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Barry.
Are you one of these football fans you claim aren't the brightest, who only take their lead from newspapers, and who are all highly immoral?
Because if you're not, could you leave the rest of us to our football pages please, stop offending everyone on here with your blanket insults, and take your religious rambling somewhere more appropriate?
Thanks.
- Stu, Beckton, 03/02/2010 10:38
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I keep reading reports that John Terry's position will become untenable because of the abuse he will take at every ground in the land.
Do these reporters really believe that the whole of the football viewing public have suddenly suffered a collective bout of moral outrage? Get real guys.
Football fans will look for any reason to boo an opposition player, and this is a good enough one. They boo Ashley Cole because they think he's greedy. They boo Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney because they think they are fat and they hurl abuse at Peter Crouch because he has the audacity to be tall.
Football fans are, by and large, not the brightest in the world and they will take their lead either from the tabloids or from the loudest voice in the stand.
John Terry's private life is a shambles, but show me one fan in that crowd who says they occupy enough moral high ground to condemn him and I will show you a liar.
I believe someone (who these pious folk must have heard of) once said something along the lines of "let he who is without sin cast the first stone"
- Barry, Welwyn England, 03/02/2010 09:59
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The picture above simply goes to back up everything I've said about the "man". He is SUCH a pathetic child. If he thinks that responding in such a petulant way in what is only going to be the first of MANY games where he gets that sort of response, it really does go to show what a deluded fool he genuinely is.
An utter embarrassment, nothing less.
- Stu, Beckton, 03/02/2010 08:30
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