Before the madcap finances of Chelsea left the club in no position to compete in the transfer market, nor change their coach, the most significant criticism of Ranieri was that one of tinkering. Because what is the alternative to such a view? There isn't one which doesn't cause damage of some kind, be it at the lowest level of unnecessary bookings or dismissals and, at the highest point of concern, something as disturbing as the mass paranoia now being witnessed at Highbury.For the moment at least, Ranieri's greatest strength is a football paradox. One for a stream of "F" words in a moment of touchline abandonment. The other for refusing to take the merest peek into the mirror.Who is fighting for his professional life? Sir Bobby Robson. Enough, surely, to make a man a little tetchy, to jump this way and that as expectations rose with each new megabuck signing. But who's squirming now? Who's facing prosecution and inquiry by the Football Association? Ferguson and Arsenal's Ars? Wenger. He read of Sir Alex Ferguson's statement that feelers had gone out to him.
He noted Graeme Souness' inclusion in the list of runners for his job. But then so far, the manager of Chelsea is keeping his feet so adroitly that the temptation is to believe his stay of execution might just become permanent.Indeed, he is acquiring the aura of a winner in place of that image of a clown, and if it just happens that his command is handed to someone else in the next few months for one reason or another - perhaps a suggestion in the ear of the patron from one of his advisers - Ranieri could walk away from Stamford Bridge without a single word cast against his integrity as both as a coach of football and a man.It is a stunning performance from the son of a Roman butcher, given the pressures that have boiled around his excitable head.He saw the picture of Sven Goran Eriksson marching to his meeting with the paymaster of Chelsea, Roman Abramovich. Each day, however, you see a growing touch of assurance, humour that is about passion and joy rather than any desire for ingratiating effect. Claudio Ranieri came into this puking, mewling and so far mostly mirthless football season as almost everybody's idea of a multi-million pound fall guy. In a gale of laughter, he calls himself the Roman Tinkerman. When he is caught out in a workaday football manager's fib, he disarms a roomful of world-weary journalists with the miming of the growth of Pinocchio's nose.
It is great to run our own club, not spend all our time angrily campaigning against the machinations of owners trying to salvage their financial investments. We've built something truly precious here, which I do not believe Wimbledon's former owners, or anybody else involved with the franchise in Milton Keynes, can ever really understand."davidconn independent.co.uk. "Our aim is to get into the League and do it there, as a club owned and run by and for the supporters. The club has bought the Kingsmeadow Stadium, the home of Kingstonian, who were then in administration and have become AFC's tenants.Kris Stewart, the chairman, said the supporters were still thrilled to have their own club, and are enjoying their football, like the old days of the old Wimbledon. We're sorry for the pain it's caused, but it is all for the good in Milton Keynes."Back in south west London, seemingly a world away from the problems of Kvaerner, billionaire Norwegians, the plans of Asda Walmart and the financial niceties of a massive commercial development, AFC Wimbledon are top of their league with a 100 per cent record, and on Wednesday thumped Chessington & Hook 6-0 in front of 2,500 fans. Altogether, Winkelman said Inter MK will need up to £10m to see Wimbledon, as a solvent club, into the new stadium, assuming planning permission is granted.This week, he was euphoric: "It's a huge challenge and a huge project, but we've made it this far We've proved the can-do-ness of Milton Keynes.
The last two months' losses have been over £500,000 and Winkelman now has to consider how to buy Wimbledon out of administration; Hosking is waiting for offers. But in May, Gjelsten said he could no longer continue and the club sank into administration.Hosking said this week that Wimbledon's unhappy saga has wider implications: "A billionaire takes over, but circumstances change, and he leaves it with huge debts. His struggle to turn Kvaerner round is thought to be behind his decision last November to cut his Wimbledon losses, passing his shares and loans to Gjelsten. It is an irony that the two law firms, Kennedys and Olswangs, which conducted the arguments on behalf of the club - that Milton Keynes represented Wimbledon's only chance of solvency - are now owed six figures in unpaid legal fees.Perhaps the saddest feature of the proceedings was the argument that Milton Keynes could not develop their own local club because it would be too expensive.