Blues chief targets Euro glory

Gourlay also looks to change brash image

Last updated: 6th November 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Blues chief targets Euro glory

Gourlay: Ambitious

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Chelsea's new chief executive has set the club the target of winning the UEFA Champions League twice in the next five years.

Ron Gourlay replaced Peter Kenyon at the helm at Stamford Bridge in the summer and he insists the targets set when Roman Abramovich bought the club remain, despite Chelsea coming just short of winning the competition on numerous occasions.

Chelsea have reached the semi-finals of Europe's premier competition five times in the last six years, but have yet to win the prize.

Gourlay admits dominating in Europe remains one of the board's top targets and he is confident Chelsea can win the Champions League.

Ten-year plan

"In our ten-year plan there were two Champions Leagues in there and we've been very unlucky," Gourlay told Chelsea TV.

"Over the next five years we've still got to shoot for the stars.

"With no disrespect to the competition, which is an incredibly high standard, I'd still like to think we can win the Champions League twice in the next five years. That may sound aggressive but I think we can do it."

Gourlay conceded that Carlo Ancelotti would come under pressure if Chelsea failed to win trophies this season, but insists failure to win the Champions League would not lead to the Italian's dismissal.

"We go in every season to win trophies," added Gourlay.

"We put pressure on ourselves. There's probably more pressure from ourselves as a board of directors than from the owner. That doesn't mean to say we're going to sack the manager. I don't think I'll find myself in that position."

Brash image

Gourlay reiterated Kenyon's aim to make Chelsea self-sufficient, without having to rely on Abramovich's money, and claimed he wished to alter the club's 'brash' image.

He said: "Everybody has a different style. People always say to me: 'You worked with Peter Kenyon for a long time,' but we're two completely different personalities and I do things different.

"Hopefully, if there was brashness there then maybe you won't see as much brashness going forward. You'll still see as much energy, you'll probably see more will to win with realistic goals. We've learned a lot in the last five years.

"I like to operate honestly but realistically. Self-sufficiency is still the goal of the football club. That's what we're trying to attain. Is it going to happen this year? No, but we're not that far away. It would be nice to go to the owner and say we don't need any more cash but that's not where we are today."