Claudio Ranieri admitted yesterday that it will be "impossible" to keep everyone happy in Chelsea's squad but warned his players they will be left at home if they do not accept the status quo.
Aware that the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge could be damaged by disillusioned individuals, Ranieri has made it clear he will not tolerate dissent. Before departing for tonight's game at Sparta Prague he said anyone unwilling to accept their quota of matches would stay in London for Champions League trips. The inference was that moaners will be ostracised.
Ranieri faces a tough management test with 20-plus players who would like to begin and end each fixture. It is not hard to imagine how frustrated some of those barely involved must feel when Damien Duff, a regular, said he was desperate to finish a match after being substituted on all five of his appearances. The Irishman will trust Ranieri can live with such remarks.
"It's impossible to keep all the players happy," Ranieri acknowledged. "But I spoke to everybody. I need everybody and sooner or later everybody could play. I want to see the answer (from my players) on the pitch. This is important not for me but for Chelsea. Everybody must accept this. This is a new era for Chelsea. Whoever understands this rests with us. If they don't understand, I'm sorry. Instead of being with us they can rest in London."
Ranieri will know it is vital for his future, as well as the club's success, that his players accept squad rotation. The Italian has to be seen to be in complete control and was honest when asked whether there was a danger of the atmosphere deteriorating as players become upset at being left out.
"Yes, and they know what happens if the atmosphere is not good," he said. "They know everything. I spoke very clearly (with them)."
Duff's comments hardly constitute an outburst at Ranieri. They were made without malice and amid clear indications that he is content at Chelsea, yet they show the difficulties Ranieri faces.
"I'm settling in fine," Duff said, "but in one of the games soon I would like to play 90 minutes. I was gutted to come off after 70 minutes (against Tottenham on Saturday). It seems like it happens in every game. I didn't like coming off at half-time against Blackburn but it was a tactical change.
"The gaffer likes to make a change so what can you do? I won't let it get me down. It doesn't help playing in different positions in the team, but I'm big enough and strong enough now not to let it bother me. Maybe a couple of years ago I would have."
It would be no surprise if Frank Lampard stands down tonight for a central midfield partnership of Juan Sebastian Veron and Claude Makelele.
Ranieri will almost certainly use a team starting together for the first time, though he will expect them to overcome opponents who are seventh in the Czech league.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
SPARTA PRAGUE (4-4-2): Blazek; Petras, Johana, Hubschman, Michalik; Poborsky, Nemec, Kovac, Zboncak; Jun, Sionko.
CHELSEA (4-4-2): Cudicini; Johnson, Terry, Desailly, Bridge; Geremi, Veron, Makelele, Duff; Mutu, Crespo.
