AnceIotti: I came, I saw, I conquered

By Mark Irwin - The Sun

Just eight months after landing on British soil, the Chelsea boss has surveyed his position from the top of the table and pronounced 'I came, I saw, I conquered'. Tonight Ancelotti leads his imperial army north, looking to conquer the savage Scouse tribes of Everton. And the proud Italian is ready to extend his empire across the whole of Europe, after quelling the troublesome Gallic hordes of Arsenal at the weekend. He explained: "Caesar's phrase comes to mind when I think of what has happened this season. I have come to England, seen what it is like and, before I leave, I want to conquer the FA Cup, the Premier League and the Champions League. "I have not lost my sense of humour since coming here. In England it rains every day but still people sometimes tell me it is a beautiful day. "That's when I tell them about Julius Caesar, who spent so much time in Britain yet, in the end, opted to move back to the Amalfi coast in Italy. "But I am not in any hurry to leave. The competition here is very strong and it is not going to be easy. "I would compare Manchester United with Inter Milan, Arsenal with Roma and Manchester City with Fiorentina. "But I want to pair Chelsea with my old club, AC Milan. If we can match some of Milan's past achievements, that would not be at all bad." Ancelotti has already won one battle, after keeping his vow not to sign any new players in the January transfer window. He laughed: "I had a wager with some sceptical journalists that I would strip naked if Chelsea signed anybody in January. Luckily for them, I won the bet! "I did not need to sign anyone. The squad is doing well enough and players' careers last much longer now. It is quality that counts - and there is plenty of that at Chelsea." Ancelotti, 50, says it has taken him no time to settle into life in England and pick up the habits of the locals. He revealed: "I don't even need to shout in Italian when I get angry with my players now. I just tell them to 'F*** off'. "England is a unique country. The people are always courteous, no matter where you go. "I live in the countryside at Oxshott, close to our Cobham training ground. But I often go into London and it is magnificent. I often lose myself in its many districts. "Now I have learned the rules of the road and how to drive on the left, I go around by car. "I like the fact that everyone respects the laws. But if you go wrong, you get seriously hammered." Ancelotti is even happy with the British Press. He said: "OK, I accept we've seen the paparazzi here will go to any limits for a scoop. But all the concerns I had when I came to England have melted away." One English habit Ancelotti will not be developing is rushing to judgment on footballers' lifestyles, after confirming that deposed England captain John Terry will retain the Chelsea armband. He declared: "As long as their performances are not affected, I don't concern myself with my players' private lives. "For myself and for the club, John Terry is a great captain, a serious professional, a leader and a player with a great sense of belonging at Chelsea. "The supporters gave him a fantastic reception on Sunday and he was very happy about that. John is one of the most important players at Chelsea. But no one is indispensable as we've so many great defenders." Ancelotti also gave his support to midfielder Michael Ballack, whose comments about Arsenal after Sunday's 2-0 Blues win at Stamford Bridge have infuriated Gunners boss Arsene Wenger. He insisted: "I think Ballack simply explained his thoughts. "What he said was good, because we prepared for the game very well and did what we wanted to do on the pitch. "I heard Wenger complained about the number of fouls we committed but we did no more than Arsenal. I think we had a very good performance. "Usually we keep control through possession. But in that game it was not necessary to have the ball all the time." Ancelotti knows three more points at Goodison Park, while closest title rivals Manchester United visit Aston Villa, are vital. He admitted: "This could be a very important week in the battle for the Premier League. We have to win at Everton and maintain our place at the top of the table. "It is a very good thing to have this race against Manchester United. They are a fantastic team and, like us, are also involved in the Champions League. "It will be fantastic for English football to have these teams battling it out to the end of the season. "We have done well until now but we have to be even better. Every game could be decisive."