Krong Angkor

Ancelotti keen to avoid repeat of title race meltdown

COBHAM, England (AFP) - Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti admits he knows from the bitter experience that the Premier League title race is far from over despite his side's healthy lead at the top of the table.

Ancelotti has a golden opportunity to win the league in his first season in England as the Blues headed into this weekend's fixtures five points clear of second placed Manchester United.

The Italian has masterminded victories over all of Chelsea's big four rivals, with their 3-0 win at Arsenal triggering a deluge of praise for Ancelotti and his players.

But the former AC Milan and Juventus coach has no intention of planning his title party just yet.

He only has to think about to 2000, when his Juventus team squandered a nine-point lead in Serie A to gift the title to Sven Goran Eriksson's Lazio on the final day of the season, to remember how much can change in the final weeks of the campaign.

"In 2000 with Juventus we had a nine point lead and we lost the title in the last game. It was a difficult holiday after that," Ancelotti said.

"I don't know what happened. It was not easy to recover when we lost points in the end. Lazio won the title with Sven Goran Eriksson, so I helped him get the England job. But I never received any money for it!"

Although Ancelotti is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in Europe after leading Milan to two Champions League triumphs, the 50-year-old has only won a domestic league title once during his managerial career - with Milan in 2004.

He may never have a better chance to double that tally. With Liverpool and Arsenal wobbling, Chelsea have the experience and depth of squad to end United's three-year reign as champions.

Ancelotti insists there would be no repeat of that Juventus meltdown with his current squad, who possess the experience and strength in depth to last the pace.

"I would like to arrive at the last eight games with nine points more than the next time this season. I think it is difficult to repeat the same situation," he said.

"All the teams are behind us at the moment, although they can still have a possibility to return to the top."

Key to Chelsea's title challenge will be the form and fitness of captain John Terry, whose magnificent display in the win at Arsenal emphasised the England defender's importance to the Blues.

Manchester City were prepared to give Terry 200,000 pounds a week to tempt him to Eastlands in the close-season, but the centre-back eventually snubbed their offer and Ancelotti believes the man he compares to Milan legend Paolo Maldini will never leave Stamford Bridge.

"I never thought in the close season that John Terry would go to play for another club. He is the symbol of this club," Ancelotti said.

"It was not neccessary to speak with him because he wanted to stay at Chelsea.

"I hope for him and I hope for Chelsea he will spend his whole career here.

"His behaviour shows that he is a fantastic captain. You can compare John Terry with Paolo Maldini. They are the same, they have the same technical and leadership quality.

"He doesn't have a physical problem. He can do a very long career like Maldini.

"John Terry for me is not a surprise. As a player and a man he is as I thought.

"I am happy because players like John are a big advantage for a coach. The other players have a very good example to follow. To know what to do on the training ground they just have to look at how John works."