At a time when all the top managers command serious, seven figure salaries, you have to wonder why any of those on Roman Abramovich’s shortlist would want to replace Andre Villas-Boas.
Not when it would mean working for an owner branded a ‘serious embarrassment’ by League Managers Association chief executive Richard Bevan. Not when the most hostile of dressing rooms needs rebuilding before there is any hope of delivering the success the owner craves.
Abramovich came under heavy fire yesterday - and rightly so. The fact that he is now searching for his eighth manager in nine years while needing to spend another fortune on an ageing squad suggests the £600million or so he has already spent has not been invested wisely.
What a waste, what a mess; what an absolute joke that a club which has secured the services of Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti goes into this evening’s FA cup replay at Birmingham with a managerial team that was not considered good enough to complete a Premier League season at West Bromwich Albion. Never mind that Roberto Di Matteo is about as popular as Villas-Boas with Chelsea’s players. Di Matteo and Eddie Newton were ousted from The Hawthorns last year following a run of one win in 10 matches, albeit after securing promotion to the top flight the previous season.
If Abramovich fails to strike some kind of deal with a Rafa Benitez or a Fabio Capello, the chances of Chelsea securing Champions League football will be very remote indeed.
Which, in turn, would make the job even less attractive than it already is to the two men understood to be the Russian’s leading choices. Would Pep Guardiola really trade Barcelona for that? Would Mourinho not be able to find something more appealing if he is as determined as he appears to leave Real Madrid this summer?
Mourinho might find the chance to finish what he started irresistible, knowing that on this occasion he could make certain demands.
But he would understand the animal he is dealing with as well as anyone, and would therefore take little confidence from any assurances he might receive. If the £50m striker is not scoring goals, it will not be long before Abramovich is on the phone. But what happens if Chelsea are unsuccessful in their pursuit of Guardiola and Mourinho? Where would Abramovich turn then?
Villas-Boas was something of a left-field appointment but there aren’t too many of those about unless he turns to someone like Borussia Dortmund’s Jurgen Klopp, who won the Bundesliga last season but then failed to qualify from a Champions League group that included Arsenal.
Instead, Abramovich may have to focus on England and those names that have mentioned in the past - Harry Redknapp, Mark Hughes and David Moyes.
Abramovich has chased England managers before but Redknapp is sure to accept an offer from the FA before he takes the plunge with Chelsea, while Hughes would probably need to do something of real significance at QPR before he drifts back into Chelsea’s sights.
Sportsmail understands that before appointing Villas-Boas last year, Moyes was the No 1 British choice and that is probably still the situation. After 10 years of consistent over-achievement at Everton, it would be an exciting move for the Scot. He would finally have the opportunity to spend some money and finally have the chance to compete for the major titles his obvious talent demands.
But would Moyes rush into such a position when there could be more attractive offers on the table? Tottenham could soon be looking for a new manager, as could Arsenal.
Abramovich has an image problem that will not improve while he stays silent and others express their opinions. Luiz Felipe Scolari predicted it will be ‘hell for whoever succeeds Villas-Boas’ and Bevan was every bit as damning. ‘The club, despite unlimited wealth, haven’t yet worked out how to build a successful football club,’ Bevan told the BBC.
‘Looking for an eighth manager in nine years is a serious embarrassment to the owner, the club, the fans and the league. Players need to know the manager’s strategy and his job are not in question. You get success if you get time and stability will come from that. Otherwise it’s very difficult for a manager like Andre to impose his philosophy and build a team.
‘After only eight months, you can’t build that sort of success. The club’s still competing in the latter stages of the Champions League, the FA Cup and fighting for a top-four position. If you want success, you must look at the longer term.’
Until Abramovich can prove he understands that, he could well struggle to persuade someone to become his next casualty.– Daily Mail