Sacking Liam Rosenior was the right decision on the part of Chelsea. There is no doubt about that. The Englishman seemed out of his depth and had seemingly lost the dressing room as well. Since that decision, several reports have come out suggesting that he never had any kind of real authority over the players. And the real question is why the club management thought he was cut out for a job of this magnitude in the first place.
Over the last 24 hours, it has been suggested that Chelsea will look to appoint a manager with top-level experience. Of course, doing so won’t be easy after how BlueCo have constantly sacked managers, not given them proper backing, or enough say in transfer matters.
Why would top managers want to take the Stamford Bridge job right now? This is not a model that breeds long-term, or even short-term, success.
Pep Guardiola is someone who is at a club that has been constantly successful. Yes, he is a brilliant manager. But one also needs to look at the kind of backing that he gets. One example I always point to is how they signed Gianluigi Donnarumma when he became available despite signing James Trafford earlier in the same window. The bravery and ability to take up an opportunity as soon as it presents itself. Do Chelsea have that? No.
Pep Guardiola seemingly takes dig at Chelsea after Liam Rosenior sacking
Guardiola was asked about his thoughts on Rosenior’s sacking. And he did not really hold back. According to The Chelsea Chronicle, the Manchester City manager said:
“I’m so sorry. I’m pretty sure he’s a manager for that level. Always when this happens, always I think about how lucky, again, I am being in the club where I am. I picked the right club 10 years ago, with an incredible hierarchy, incredible CEOs and Sporting Directors.
“Unbelievable. The consistency, the trust with the people I’m working with here, it’s amazing. I’m so lucky. The decision [of Chelsea] is not my concern…”
You do not even need to read too much between the lines. And to be honest, that kind of criticism is completely justified.
Where next after Rosenior?
This is the bigger question now. This has been another wasted season for Chelsea. If they end up doing something of note in the FA Cup, then fair enough. But chances of that happening are slim to none after what we have seen over the last few months.
In the long run, the focus has to be on appointing the right manager. And after the complete failure that was the Rosenior era, and the club’s financial situation, there is little room for error.
That is why I am not convinced by the list of managers being linked with the job. Andoni Iraola is a brilliant coach but there is a world of difference when it comes to the expectations at Bournemouth and those at Chelsea. He might not be a good stylistic fit for this current squad as well.
What Chelsea need right now is to hire a proven winner who has shown the ability to succeed in a variety of environments and at the highest levels. Of course, it is up to BlueCo when it comes to how they would convince someone of that quality to take up the Stamford Bridge job.
