"My Zola Mistake" - Chelsea Bos

It is easy for a Chelsea supporter to recognise how selling Gianfranco Zola at his peak might be a mistake, and today Carlo Ancelotti admitted his error as Parma manager.

The pair will be in opposing dugouts at Upton Park on Sunday, but back in 1996, Ancelotti was Zola's manager at Parma, the club he left to come to Stamford Bridge.

'I did a mistake with him because I wanted to play 4-4-2 and I put him on the right, and he would like to stay in the centre like a striker,' Ancelotti recalled. 'In that period there was this discussion, Chelsea arrived to offer him a good contract and he decided to come.

'I think it was a mistake because it was my first experience in Serie A and I was not able to change the system, I preferred to maintain the system I knew well, and for this Gianfranco had a different decision. But a lot of time has gone and now we have a good relationship. I think he had a fantastic experience at Chelsea and all the fans remember his performance.'

Zola is currently having a tough time at West Ham, with the club entrenched in the relegation zone, yet Ancelotti believes the Blues legend has what it takes to drag them clear.

'I think that Gianfranco is not living a good moment but he has a quality to improve, West Ham have a lot of problems with injuries but we have to pay attention on this game because it is a derby and they will put very good spirit in this game, we have to pay attention,' the manager warned.

'When you play teams at the bottom you have to because they will do their best to win. We saw against Portsmouth that they created a lot of difficulties for us, and we have to pay attention to West Ham.

'We have to respect every team - every team has character and quality and determination, not just the teams in the top but also the teams that don't want to go down to the second division.'

Author: Chelsea Offical site