London: Under-pressure manager Andre Villas-Boas resisted suggestions that he may need the help of a more experienced man in guiding the club through their latest crisis, as he finalised struggling fifth-placed Chelsea's preparations to host Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League, 12 points adrift of leaders Manchester City, and on the brink of possible elimination from the Champions League.
The 34-year-old Portuguese, who has overseen the club's worst start to a season since Russian Roman Abramovich took control in 2003, declined to comment on reports linking former boss Guus Hiddink with a return. Hiddink, who enjoyed four successful months in charge at Chelsea in 2009 when they won the FA Cup, became a free agent after he failed to guide Turkey to qualification for the Euro 2012 finals.
"I don't agree with that. I don't solve problems on my own, I solve them with my group of people and my group of players. Now I just have to hold on to my self-belief and the belief of my players," said the Blues boss.
Instead, he made clear he believed he retained the backing of the owner and the players after "many meetings" this week. He conceded a crisis meeting took place following Wednesday's Champions League defeat at Bayer Leverkusen.
The Daily Mirror reported that Villas-Boas called a team meeting at the club on Friday as his side face a tough upcoming five games in the next two weeks that could define his future. It was claimed that Villas-Boas feels that he needs to get rid of the cliques within the dressing room, with the Portuguese boss seemingly also under pressure to feature 50-million-Pound man Fernando Torres more often.
Villas-Boas, on his part, said changes were necessary, but not to his tactics or philosophy.
"Self-confidence and self-belief is what we need now and everybody wants to get it," said Villas-Boas, ahead of the home match on Saturday. "That thing only comes with wins."
The Portuguese coach denies talk of his players revolting against his tactics, insisting they recognise what he is trying to achieve.
"Not critical meetings, no animosity, not insults here and there, no critique whatsoever regarding what we are doing, no doubts whatsoever regarding what we are doing."
"The philosophy will be the last thing to die at this club. It's a thing that makes technical staff and players very, very proud."
He said he felt sure that Chelsea could recover their winning form, adding: "Every game gives you an opportunity to get back on track and that's exactly our focus."
Despite four defeats in seven league games, Villas-Boas also insisted he has the support of the club's notoriously impatient owner, having spoken to the Russian billionaire since the Leverkusen defeat.
Three of those defeats all came late on in matches, but the manager said, "There is the so-called Fergie time and Manchester United seem very successful in making the most out of it. In football, you just have to get the focus right in those last minutes."
Villas-Boas, the seventh Chelsea manager in eight years of Abramovich's reign, also hit back at critical comments made by former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack, who helped Bayer Leverkusen to beat them 2-1 on Wednesday. German Ballack said Chelsea lacked confidence and no longer had the formidable mental strength that had characterised their performances in past years.
"Michael has always been very self-opinionated," said Villas-Boas. "I disagree with him. He doesn't live in this dressing room. He used to live here before and he didn't solve all the problems before."
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