Читать книгу Proud Man Walking - Claudio Ranieri - Страница 6

I decided to play 4 – 4 – 2, but in particular, to start Veron on the right. Zilina took the field adopting a cautious approach, with a lone striker up front and little appetite for attack. They were obviously wary of us even with home advantage, more so than against Maccabi, their opponents in the previous round, but hoped to repeat the upset by exploiting space on the break. As it turned out, they had one chance at the beginning, when after just three minutes Desailly was forced to make a rather scrambled clearance, but after that little or nothing else. We played the match as we should have, deservedly running out as 2 – 0 winners with a goal by Eidur Gudjhonsen and an own goal also resulting from a move of his. Getting off on the right foot is always important, and even more so for us, with all the talk that Chelsea generated during the summer. But besides the result, I was happy about the attitude of the squad and the tactical flexibility I had sensed.

The Liverpool date was already near, but the transfer window had not yet closed and I was hoping not only that the players I had asked for would materialize, but also that they would be available as soon as possible, with preparation of the squad in mind. The bigger the names, the more complicated the negotiations turn out. In discussions with the management we had agreed to look for a holding midfielder and a forward. However, they had to be players who could make a difference to our squad, and, given the top-class players we already had, the circle was now closing on possible targets. For the midfielder, I was very keen on Claude Makelele, not least in view of the fact that he was unsettled at Real Madrid; and for the forward, I liked the look of Hernan Crespo, or, alternatively, Fernando Morientes. Inter wanted to sell the Argentinian as they needed cash, but they were asking too much, whereas in the case of the Frenchman at Real the situation was more complex, diplomatically in particular. My plan, as I had explained clearly to Abramovich right from our first meeting, was to cover every position with two players, both of whom I could consider as first choices. I needed another two pieces for the jigsaw, just like these.

In the meantime, the great day had arrived. No Mutu unfortunately, since, as I had feared, the transfer documentation from the Italian Football Federation did not come through in time, and we were at the airport ready to board for Liverpool. Ready for the biggest and most exciting adventure of our career. The 2003/04 Premiership campaign was about to get underway.