Blackbum may rule the roost with him in charge
Carlo Ancelotti successfully removed the clause that stipulates he cannot be employed by another Premiership club by agreeing to a smaller severance amount. The Italian humiliated by Chelsea’s crass gesture shows his serious intent to continue coaching in England counting redemption as one of his motives. Chelsea’s new found acquiescence may also have to do with their rivals locked into their managers.
Ancelotti could have moved to City if Mancini had failed to get them to the Champions League or the FA Cup. Harry Redknapp shows no inclination for the Chelsea job and Liverpool have been revitalized by Kenny Dalglish. Arsenal is Arsene and vice versa. Lower down too most clubs appear stable at the helm. Every indication is that the league unlike their European counterparts will see little managerial movement.
It would then have to be a club with outsize ambitions in terms of success as well as marketability, fairly deep pockets to afford Ancelotti’s salary and transfer choices, and importantly for the Italian represent an opportunity to showcase his coaching nous. An educated guess would put Blackburn in the running as a destination.
Venky’s, the Indian owners despite their less than surefooted landing in the Premiership have made it clear they see the club in the top echelon. Sam Allardyce was infamously sacked after the owners decided he was not their man to lead them to a Champions League spot. Given the talent depth this would be the equivalent of finding Sergio Busquets upright the whole duration of a match.
Steve Kean, the caretaker manager was given a measured vote of confidence before the season was over but his less than compelling efforts saw a side positioned 7th at the end of January fighting till the last day to stave off relegation. The side slid five places down from their 2009-10 finish. Not exactly where the new owners wanted to be.
An Ancelotti arrival at Ewood will signal Blackburn’s serious desire for a U turn while the Italian gets a shot at glory for effecting that upward mobility. Having a managerial resume as impressive and internationally credentialed as Ancelotti’s should make signings easier. It’s a much quieter market but the low key Italian might prefer that after the bruising London spotlight. The caveat of course is Kean’s recently signed two year permanent contract which the owners will have to pay out or alternatively a managerial assistant position could be created by mutual consent to work under Ancelotti. The Indian owners have shown a taste for unpredictability. This is not as left field after the first look.