00:00Morning, morning.
00:02How are you doing?
00:07Are you okay?
00:17Okay, good afternoon and thank you for joining us.
00:21We will take the usual format today, beginning with Sky Sports and James Solundra.
00:26Off you go, James.
00:27Hi, Cal, good to see you.
00:29Hi, how are you?
00:30Yeah, good, thank you.
00:30Firstly, what are your thoughts on the club's appointment with Xabi Alonso as the next manager?
00:36Yeah, really exciting news.
00:38Great coach, massive pedigree.
00:40Yeah, really exciting for the club.
00:42We're all looking forward to working with Xabi.
00:44And did it say something about the stature of Chelsea Football Club that despite it being
00:48a disappointing campaign, the club can still attract a manager of that calibre?
00:54Yeah, it doesn't surprise me.
00:56It's a massive club.
00:57I think we've got really exciting players, some of the best players in the world who have
01:01shown, even though it's been a disappointing season, they have shown at times this year
01:04the quality that we have.
01:06So, yes, it's a massive club and it will always attract top players and top managers.
01:10And what are your own expectations for what happens for you following these two matches?
01:16Would you like to remain involved with the first team?
01:20Yeah, I haven't thought about that.
01:21There is so much to prepare for.
01:23There is so much at play.
01:24So, boring answer.
01:26But my focus is always on the next game, the next training session.
01:29I imagine you've not seen the players too much since the FA Cup final.
01:33But have you got an early indication of team news?
01:36Any fresh concerns at all?
01:37No.
01:38So, they're going to train this afternoon.
01:40We'll have a much better idea of where they are.
01:43It was a tough game on Saturday.
01:44So, we'll have to see how they've reported in and how they look in training before we
01:48have any final say on the squad.
01:50Levi Caldwell has started the last two matches, his first two starts of this season.
01:55So, is it likely he'd be able to start again three days after Wembley?
02:00Yeah, we need to be careful with Levi.
02:02He's obviously coming back of a very serious injury.
02:04He's performed well in those two games.
02:07We'll see how he looks today.
02:08We'll see how he reports and we'll make a decision on that.
02:10But definitely, I agree, we have to manage him right.
02:13And finally for me, Spurs tomorrow.
02:15How motivated are this group to end this season, the final home match, on a high?
02:20And also, at the same time, it would make things very difficult for Tottenham in terms
02:24of survival hopes if you were victorious tomorrow.
02:27Yeah, we're very, very focused.
02:29We need to win the next two games to give ourselves the best chance to finish as high
02:34up in the league as possible and get European football.
02:37That is our only focus in doing our job and putting in the performance we need to be
02:42a good side.
02:45Thanks, James.
02:46Soraya?
02:46Hi.
02:48Obviously, as mentioned, last time during the season, back with the league, everyone
02:51was looking forward to it against Spurs.
02:52How have you actually found your time as being interim?
02:56It's going to be the last time you step out of the league in this role.
02:59What have you learned about yourself as a manager and about the squad when the new chapter starts?
03:04I've enjoyed the challenge.
03:05I've enjoyed the pressure.
03:08It's easier when you win games rather than losing games.
03:11But, yeah, I've enjoyed it.
03:13And we're ready for the game tomorrow.
03:16Just touching back on Levi Cowell, obviously, as you said, very serious injury.
03:20But you've even come back slightly better than you previously.
03:24Sharp, fast, added that different bit of dimension and momentum to the game.
03:28When it comes to how he's managed that and the process, how has it been for you as an
03:33interim manager when you haven't really had a defender that can break the lines, push
03:38the ball up the pitch like we saw against Manchester City?
03:41Yeah, it's been great to have Levi back.
03:43Great for English football as well.
03:45I think we've got a really, really talented, really high potential player here.
03:49And injuries are a part of it.
03:50And he's shown really good mental strength and character to come through that and perform
03:55away at Anfield and in an FA Cup final.
03:58So, yeah, really, really excited about Levi.
04:00He's added a lot to the team, not just on the pitch, but off the pitch as well.
04:03So it's been a brilliant two games for him.
04:06And hopefully he can finish the season strong.
04:08And lastly, you said after the final, we know what this team's going to do.
04:10They're not capable of what they need to produce on a consistent basis.
04:13Is that just a genuine need for more time for this squad under the next manager that's
04:18going to come in?
04:19Or is there actual specific key things that you see in yourself that's like there's gaps?
04:25Yeah, it's hard in such a small sample size to make that call.
04:29I think when I say that we've seen what they're capable of and they need to do it in a
04:33more
04:33consistent basis, I felt like with all the injuries we've got in our squad, we went toe
04:38to toe with Man City and it was an even game.
04:40It was a 50-50 game, in my opinion.
04:42So Menyo decided the game with a bit of quality.
04:44But there was other instances where that could have been a Chelsea player that decides that
04:47game.
04:48I think that shows the level of this group, the quality of this group.
04:52And we haven't done it on a consistent basis.
04:54Otherwise, we wouldn't be where we are in the league.
04:57But there's also been a lot of change.
04:58There's also been a lot that's gone on at the club that it's not my place to say what's
05:03right or wrong, but that can affect momentum, that can affect the group.
05:07But when this group is at their best, I think we're up there with anyone in Europe.
05:11So how do we produce that on a more consistent basis?
05:14That's what we'll be looking at at the end of the season.
05:16That's what we'll be trying to help the group with.
05:18And also they have to want to produce that and they're capable of doing that.
05:21But for now, it's two games left to get six points, hopefully, and push up the table
05:25as far as we can.
05:28Cheers.
05:28Thanks, Soraya.
05:29Nizar?
05:29You mentioned injuries there.
05:32I just wondered, there's a few players not in your squad in the last few weeks.
05:35Benoit, Babi, Isile, Mamadou Saar, and Roméo Labia.
05:39I just wanted to know if there's any update with those three.
05:42Yeah, Romeo took a slight knock in the build-up to the game.
05:46Nothing major.
05:47But with Romeo, we just don't want to take that.
05:49I didn't want to take that risk.
05:51We don't want to take that risk.
05:53I thought he was brilliant in the games that he did play and he gave us a lot the same
05:56way Levi did.
05:57But we just have to be careful with players of that that have had injury history.
06:01And I was asking about Mamadou Saar and Babi Isile as well.
06:04Yeah, they didn't make the squad.
06:06They're training really well, training really hard.
06:09We can use them in the next two games potentially.
06:11But we've got a lot of players in those positions.
06:13So you want to make sure you've got the right balance on your bench.
06:16But nothing to report with those two.
06:18Jaar Petro and Rhys James, are they going to be subject to a bit of loan management?
06:22And I only say Jaar Petro because he looked a bit tired at the end when he came off.
06:25He did a lot of money, didn't he?
06:27Yeah, with all the players, we have to see how they come back in today.
06:30How they were in yesterday.
06:33Hopefully it's positive signs today when they report and when they train, they feel good.
06:36And we'll make a decision on that as late as we possibly can.
06:40And last question, there's a sort of Londoner who, you know, your family are Chelsea fans and stuff like that.
06:45You'll know the importance of a Chelsea versus Tottenham game, like especially at Stamford Bridge and the record that Chelsea
06:51have.
06:52Do you think the players understand that though?
06:55And are you going to do anything to make sure the players are up for it and maybe tap into
06:58that rivalry and that aggression that they can show on that pitch?
07:02I think the players have shown in the last two games that their fight and their heart has been questioned
07:07at times.
07:07I think they've shown in the last two games that for me, that's not an issue.
07:11Everyone knows the rival between Chelsea and Tottenham, but ultimately both teams have got a lot to play for.
07:16So I don't think we're going to have to do anything extra special to motivate the lads.
07:20We need six points from our next two games.
07:23I think they need a point to almost guarantee safety.
07:27So both teams are fighting at different parts of the table, but both teams are fighting for the point.
07:32So we shouldn't need to add any extra motivation, but it will naturally be there with a London derby between
07:38Chelsea and Tottenham.
07:39Thanks, Nizar.
07:40Simon?
07:42Hi, Simon.
07:45Alonso, have you spoken to Alonso at all since the appointment?
07:49He sent me a text message yesterday.
07:51I'll keep that private, but mainly just around the final.
07:55So I've had a brief conversation with him via text.
07:58And are you going to be part of his backroom staff next week?
08:03I don't know at this moment in time.
08:06Our focus, and those discussions haven't really been had.
08:08We've got a lot to prepare for with the cup final last week and two massive games coming up.
08:13So that's where all our focus is.
08:15And whilst I appreciate the focus is these two games, have you noticed a buzz around the players?
08:21Are they talking about the Solonso to the club to get here?
08:26Have you detected that they're signing back in the rivalry?
08:30Yeah, I think everyone at the club's excited.
08:33Like I said, a great coach, has had a really good career so far, won major trophies, great playing career.
08:38We'll have a lot of respect from everyone.
08:41And it's a really exciting appointment from the club.
08:44We'll finish with Martin.
08:46Hi, Callum.
08:46Just one more question.
08:48We saw a Chelsea long throw on the headway and you nearly scored from it.
08:53Does that suggest that in the next couple of games we might see a few more?
08:57Potentially.
08:58But it was actually Bernardo, the set-piece coach, who does a great job, who came up with the idea
09:03and saw a weakness that he felt that we could expose and we were unlucky that we didn't.
09:08Yeah, anything to win football games.
09:10You won the first one for about four seasons.
09:11Is it really?
09:13Not bad.
09:14You'll get one or two coming in from Kevin Dancer.
09:16Yeah, I'm sure.
09:17Seems to be the theme in the Premier League at the moment.
09:20So, thank you.
09:22Thanks, Martin.
09:23Thank you, everyone.
09:24Cameras off, please.
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