http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=291334&cc=4716
Saturday, February 14, 2004
Ranieri: Cup tie will not be watershed
Big-spending Chelsea have two chances in the next eight days to lower the
colours of their London rivals Arsenal.
But manager Claudio Ranieri does not believe tomorrow's FA Cup fifth-round
clash at Highbury or next weekend's Barclaycard Premiership rematch between
the two clubs will either make or break his team's season.
New Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon raised speculation over Ranieri's long
-term future when he said it would be a 'failure'' if Chelsea did not see a
return on Russian owner Roman Abramovich's massive investment in the club by
winning something this season.
Kenyon has since qualified that by stating that failure for Chelsea would not
necessarily mean failure by Ranieri, and the manager said: 'I understood very
well Peter's words, because I met him before the speculation.
'Peter and I are heading the same way. But he is looking at the end of the
project, and I am looking inside the project.
'It's like a good building. He is a good architect and wants to show very well,
and I am a strong architect and I want to build it very, very strong. But we
are very much together, and that for me is important.
'He said 'you are the coach until 2007' and then I am happy. I am not worried
about anything else.''
Ranieri will be even happier if Chelsea can overcome Arsenal for the first time
since he arrived at Stamford Bridge four seasons ago - but he delivered an
emphatic 'no'' when asked if the two games would decide the season for Chelsea.
'They are two big games - the FA Cup and also the league - and Chelsea want to
catch Arsenal up.
'I am sure they will both be fantastic matches, the first with the passion of
the FA Cup and the second with the passion of the title. If we stop them it is
good, and then the race is between three,'' he said.
Despite Arsenal's recent supremacy over their London rivals and the fact that
Chelsea have never won at Highbury in the FA Cup, he is looking forward to the
game with optimism.
'I am a positive man. Why should I think I will lose the match?'' he asked.
'They are not unbeatable. It has to happen sooner or later, maybe tomorrow.
Why not?''
Ranieri hopes to have first-choice goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, who has missed
the last two matches with a groin strain, back in place of Neil Sullivan.
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無論輸贏
打場漂亮的球賽就是了
GO! CHELSEA!
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