Carlo Ancelotti has admitted he wants to return to the Premier League next season but expects José Mourinho to still be in charge at Chelsea, adding that he feels the Portuguese is the best man for the job at Stamford Bridge.
Ancelotti, in charge at Chelsea between 2009-11, winning the double in his first season in charge, is currently taking a year out after leaving Real Madrid last season but was heavily linked with Liverpool before Jürgen Klopp was appointed and has been similarly linked with a return to Stamford Bridge.
Defeat at Stoke was a third in a row – the first time Chelsea have done so since 1999 – and already they have lost 10 times in all competitions this season yet Roman Abramovich appears likely to stand by Mourinho, and Ancelotti agrees with the decision.
“After a fantastic season, how they did last year, maybe they have lost a bit of motivation and after some bad results it’s not so easy to move on from a difficult situation,” said Ancelotti, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live. “The players didn’t change, the manager didn’t change but to have success you have to be 100%. At 90% in football is not enough, you have to be 100%.
“Chelsea are used to competing at the top level. They have lost a little bit of confidence in their play and arrived at bad results. Slowly they can move on from this situation. Mourinho is the best person to manage this because he is the one involved, he knows the situation and the condition of the players and the club took the right decision to stay with Mourinho. Just like players, some managers can lose a little bit of motivation when you have success.
“I think the manager is never secure, never safe, because he does not make the decision to stay or go. I think the club has the right people to make this decision and I think Mourinho is the best manager for Chelsea at the moment. He is one of the best managers in the world, everyone knows this and in football sometimes you have to manage this kind of situation. I’ve never come across a manager who has won all their games.
“With Roman, I had the same relationship with other presidents, sometimes he wanted to know why I made a decision but I think it was normal. He wanted to be informed about what was happening in the team and sometimes he has to speak to the manager about the results. Every manager has to consider that part of the job is getting sacked.”
Ancelotti also ruled out returning to take charge of Chelsea, or anywhere else, in a caretaker capacity should Mourinho leave the club during the current campaign.
“I will stay out until the end of the season and try to find another club next season,” he added. “Not just in England, it can be in another country, but my idea is not to start now. I had a fantastic experience in France and Spain. The most important thing is to start; to find a club with a good project and be competitive. If it’s in England, it’s better.
“I’m not training but it’s my decision, I wanted to take a break for a year and I’m enjoying it. I’m living in Vancouver, everything is quiet and there is no pressure, but I’m ready to start at the beginning of next season.
“I want to enjoy the next six months and rest again. The Premier League is my No1 choice but the most important thing is to find a club with the right project. I would like to have a team that will be competitive and in Europe but when I went to Paris Saint-Germain it was because it was a really good project, to be competitive in three or four years.”
