Soccer:Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti played down suggestions Michael Emenalo could become his new assistant following the departure of Ray Wilkins. Emenalo, currently working as head opposition scout for Chelsea, has been working closely with Ancelotti since he was brought to the club by former coach Avram Grant.
Emenalo, along with first-team coach Paul Clement, are the two major names in the frame as Chelsea look to appoint a new assistant from within the club.
Clement will be on the bench alongside Ancelotti during their Premier League clash with Sunderland.
"Michael Emenalo is doing a fantastic job as head opposition scout and he is already working very close to me," said Ancelotti. "He is already an assistant. We will maintain the same type of training, we don't want to change. We have the possibility to maintain how we worked last season. The staff is able to maintain the same job without Ray.
"I have experience in football. Sometimes clubs take these decisions but with experience we move on and we maintain focus."
Emenalo, 42, was a defender during his playing days and became known to Grant during their time at Maccabi Tel Aviv. He moved to the United States in 1986 where he graduated from Boston University three years later with a degree in international relations with political sciences, having also played college soccer.
He also played in Belgium and Germany before winning the Anglo-Italian Cup with Notts County. He won 14 caps for Nigeria in total and played in the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
But the smart money inside the club is on Clement. His knowledge of the youngsters coming through the ranks is exceptional and Ancelotti concedes he is very good at getting his message across to the players. Clement was promoted through the Academy to become the club's youth team manager in June 2007 and then reserve team manager in December 2008, stepping up to work with the first team on a temporary basis under Guus Hiddink. The move was made permanent when Ancelotti arrived last summer.
But Ancelotti would not be drawn on the eventual successor to Wilkins, despite suggestions Clement was already the name in the frame.
"I have fantastic assistants in Paul Clement and Steve Holland. I have a lot of assistants within the club," said the Italian.
Meanwhile, winger Florent Malouda insists his ankle injury is improving. The Frenchman is expected to start against Sunderland tomorrow after shaking off an ankle problem he sustained in the win over Blackburn.
Although the France international has played against Liverpool and Fulham in the meantime, he is relieved at the progress he is making.
"My injury is okay, I have to play and it is still improving," said Malouda. "It came against Blackburn. It was a tackle from behind but I had to carry on because it was a tough game and I was struggling. Until half-time I was okay but after half-time I could feel the ligament and the calf was a bit stiff so I was limping on the pitch and I had to take care of my ankle."
The Barclays Premier League's joint top scorer with seven goals missed Spartak Moscow at home in the Champions League but recovered to face Liverpool at Anfield despite minimal training.
"It was a period with a lot of games and you have to win those games," he added. "There are always periods in the season when you are not 100% but you have to do the job and play for the points. Even if it is harder you have to do it and we are happy with the results at the moment and that is a great satisfaction when you are struggling and you feel pain somewhere. When you have the result it is a good recovery.
"We have a big December coming up and we have to be ready for those big games that are still coming."