or not Petit, jumping in front of him, had touched the ball (I saw later on the TV that he did not actually get a touch) but no matter. The important thing at that moment was to equalize, not worry about mistakes. And even if Carlo had got it wrong coming off his line in that particular situation, too bad. It happens, and these are the moments when we all do better to remember how many times a goalkeeper has claimed the ball successfully. I had put Petit on to replace Duff so I could deploy a midfield diamond with the right balance. Manu in front of the defence, Veron behind the strikers, Geremi on the left and Frank on the right. I know Duff would have liked to stay on against his old club right to the end, but I had to take what I thought was the best decisions for the team, and at that stage, this was the best solution as I saw it. Ten minutes later we had our equalizer, a penalty converted by Hasselbaink, and even if this was the first time in the campaign we had not won, in the end I was satisfied. I have seen enough football to know that when things start to go wrong as they did right from the kick-off of that game, salvaging a point qualifies as a success.
Another remarkable day to mention before turning the page of the calendar. Right at the last minute, before the transfer window was due to close, the final piece fell into place. Claude Makelele. A player remarkable for his ability as a ball winner and an organizer in defence, and special for his experience of wearing the jersey of a winning side like Real Madrid. Really and truly, I could not be more convinced of this buy. If Real have been at the top in recent years and dominated in Spain and Europe, between the defence and the halfway line they owe it to this man. Of course it is the players like Zidane, Raul, Figo and Ronaldo who make the headlines, but the trophies have come no less by virtue of Makelele’s efforts. To have his winner’s mentality and competitiveness at the heart of my midfield made me breathe more easily. The jigsaw was now complete and for this I could only thank the club and praise the enthusiasm of Roman Abramovich. I had searched out all the components that could link up with the others. Not just tactically but in view of whatever I could learn about each one, directly or indirectly, even with regard to their character. Assembling a team with so many new players takes time. No-one was going to give us too much of that commodity, I knew, but at that point I was also aware that the core of the squad was made up of high-class players, and this should reassure us. I say ‘us’ because everyone would be under pressure and at the same time eager to succeed in a great undertaking.
At least two covering each position. All first-choice players. All medal winners. Now we were on the right track. It would be up to us to show that this was the squad to deliver the goods to our chairman, who had made it all possible, and to our fans whose affection for the team deserved to be repaid.
I liked to change my formations, because I knew I had players with the tactical flexibility to be able to do it, but listing them for the sake of convenience as a conventional 4 – 4 – 2 below, for the season to date, creates an impressive picture. What’s more, it’s a pleasant dose of responsibility.
I repeat, if everyone can see that they are all in-distinguishably indispensable to the success of a common purpose, then we really might achieve the great aims set for ourselves. All the elements are in place, but I also know very well that it can be difficult for a player to accept the decisions of the coach, even though we are all professionals. Maybe there will be a few long faces now and again, but I still feel that, content or otherwise, everyone will know my decisions are taken in good faith. I am confident that our relationships will be frank and open, and I would like to have the same confidence, even at this early stage of the season, that we will be putting new silverware in the cabinet.
‘The first thing they ask me is why I didn’t play Bridge. Is this a joke?’
Taking a good look at the calendar during the summer, it was the month of September that appeared the most complicated, even if – or perhaps precisely because – it is the month with the fewest fixtures. September, of course, sees the start of the Champions League group stage and the long break from club football when internationals are played.
Perhaps one day in my career I will be offered the chance to coach a national team, and to be honest, in another ten years or so I would quite like to do it. Then I will see the problem from the other point of view, but from where I stand at the moment, these breaks are a burden on the club. Of course the needs of the national teams cannot be ignored, but it is a heavy imposition to have my players going off in numbers to all parts of the globe at this critical time. Certainly, if you want world-class footballers in your side then you know beforehand what to expect, because obviously they all represent their countries, but even knowing this, it is a situation fraught with difficulties. Especially in this instance, because of how quickly it comes around, after only a few Premiership fixtures. You start and then stop again, and this is not good for any kind of group endeavour. It is the same for all clubs, but because Chelsea have so many new players and we need more than other teams to find the right mix, it is worse for us. Being together at this stage is fundamentally important for team spirit, familiarization with plans, physical training, relationships in the dressing room … But there is no way around it, and all a manager can do is concentrate on the players he still has. There may not be many, and none are too fortunate either, since their efforts and attitude come under even closer scrutiny.
I gathered together the players available to me at our semi-deserted Harlington ground and, with the help of my staff, took the opportunity to put them through a few basics – physical mainly, but technical too, why not? It is actually rather an odd sensation seeing the dressing rooms half empty, and though it is nice to be able to park the car without a major struggle, there are problems with the organization of training matches too. To make up the numbers, I asked Mick McGiven (our invaluable reserve-team coach) to bring a few youngsters along, so that they could get the chance to test themselves at a higher level, and I had the opportunity to see them at close quarters. Whenever commitments with the first team allow, I always go along to see youth- or reserve-team games, and not only because it is a part of my ‘duties’. I love the Chelsea jersey whatever the level of the player who wears it, and quite apart from the professional obligation involved in hearing the day-to-day reports that Mick and youth coach Steve Clarke pass on in our dressing room, and finding out if there are one or two youngsters who have been making good progress. Steve Clarke was a defender in his playing days, a Chelsea stalwart from the 1997 FA Cup-winning side. In addition to his coaching duries he would often scout for me, and provide written reports on opponents.
I enjoy simply standing on the terraces and cheering. There is the risk sometimes in these games at Harlington that the younger ones may get pumped up and overdo things a little. Fortunately no-one has ever been overcompetitive to the point of hurting a first-team player, which can happen in football from time to time. Some years ago in Rome, just to give an example, Paul Gascoigne was dealt a serious injury by a very young Alessandro Nesta – who went on to become one of the best central defenders in the world.
It was also a month that opened with an important announcement regarding the history of the club. At the season’s first meeting of the Chairman’s Supper Club, Ken Bates stated officially that he would be stepping down in 2005 to become Life President. It is certainly not my place to remind Blues supporters of how important Ken has been to Chelsea, as his name will always be written large in the history of the club, but I would just like to include a word or two about our personal relationship. It’s a surprisingly ‘beautiful friendship’, in a certain sense. Surprising, because it is confined almost exclusively to the time spent in flights to and from away games. I rarely go into the office, he never visits the dressing rooms, and so our meetings are in reality somewhat sporadic. Something must have clicked between us – who knows what? – because I’m sure he has fondness for me just as I feel affection for him. I was amazed when, still with a year and a half left on my contract, he wanted me to sign up for another five years with the club. This was a huge offer, not least considering the current economic situation in professional