Chelsea have been linked with a long list of managers over the last few days. Some have not excited the supporters, like Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva and Eddie Howe. On the other hand, there are others like Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas who have been able to capture the imagination. Of course, it might very well be a case of the big names getting more attention, largely because of what they achieved during their playing days.
That does not discount what they have achieved as managers. Fabregas, for his part, has been doing an excellent job at Como FC.
Working with a team that is traditionally not amongst the best in Italy, he has them right in the mix for the Champions League qualification spots. Just two seasons ago, the club were in Serie B. Of course, they have invested in the squad since then. But at the same time, one cannot overlook the job Fabregas has done.
Como have the second-base offensive and defensive record in Serie A this season. Only Inter Milan have scored more goals than them, and AC Milan have conceded fewer. Naturally, Fabregas has earned a lot of plaudits and is being viewed as someone who can do a job at Chelsea.
Chelsea told to snub Cesc Fabregas for Diego Simeone
William Gallas appears to be of the view that Fabregas, his former Arsenal teammate, can be a good long-term manager for Chelsea. But if they want immediate success, they should go for someone like Diego Simeone. As quoted by GOAL, he said:
“I think it all depends on what you are looking for. For the long-term, you can bring in Cesc Fabregas because he is doing well with his club at the moment. He is young and able to speak to a young squad. He’s doing a good job. In the long term, he can bring Chelsea back to the positions where everybody wants to see Chelsea.
“If you are thinking about the short-term, to have success straight away, they need that experienced head to guide them like Diego Simone and with his personality he can win things very soon with Chelsea. Maybe the Chelsea players need him too because we need to see more warriors and soldiers in the team after what they’ve shown us. I think you need that type of manager who is a little bit more harsh on the players.”
Of course, Gallas will know all about working for demanding managers. He was part of the Chelsea team that enjoyed so much success under Jose Mourinho.
Could Diego Simeone work at Stamford Bridge?
There is little doubt about Simeone’s credentials as a manager. He has done a phenomenal job at Atletico Madrid.
The Argentine has won a couple of La Liga titles with the club, alongside several other cup competitions. He has also taken them to two Champions League finals, but fallen short on both occasions. He will be aiming for a third when his team face Arsenal in the semi-finals this time around.
But could Simeone work in this Chelsea setup? I have my doubts. This team has been outrun by the opposition in all of their league matches this season. At times, it feels like they are lacking the desire to go on and take control of a game. On the other hand, so much of the Argentine’s football is based on hard work and making it difficult for the opposition.
Unless BlueCo are willing to change a large portion of the first-team squad, it is hard to see Simeone succeeding at Chelsea. That is why appointing him seems far-fetched at the moment, even if he was somehow willing to take the job.
