Chelsea might have struggled in their four years under BlueCo leadership, but it remains an attractive job for many. The club might have a tough time attracting truly elite managers this summer, especially without Champions League football on offer, but that does not mean that quality coaches won’t be interested in ending up in the Stamford Bridge dugout.
Quite a few managers have been linked with Chelsea over the last few weeks, ever since it became evident that things were going nowhere under Liam Rosenior. And some clear frontrunners have emerged in the race for the job.
One of them is Andoni Iraola. The Spanish manager is set to become a free agent this summer as he will be leaving Bournemouth. Chelsea are set to be eyeing him as a potential candidate for the vacant role. And it appears that the interest is mutual.
According to Football Insider, Iraola is showing a strong interest in becoming the next Chelsea manager at the end of the season. It is understood that the Spaniard would “find it hard” to turn down an offer from the Stamford Bridge outfit.
Iraola’s interest is good news for Chelsea
When news originally broke out that Iraola would be leaving Bournemouth this summer, most had assumed that he was on his way back to Spain. The Athletic Bilbao job was going to be available and he holds legendary status at the club.
Almost out of the blue, it has emerged that Edin Terzic is on his way to Bilbao. So, that closes a path for Iraola, if he was interested in it. And it looks like he could be eyeing a stay in the Premier League.
Of course, there is not going to be any lack of interest in Iraola’s signature. But the Chelsea job remains one of the most attractive in the game, no matter what the doubters may think.
Would Iraola be the right fit for this squad?
To be very honest, I have my doubts about Iraola’s fit when it comes to Chelsea. Firstly, his football is based on high intensity and pressing. On the other hand, the Blues have been outrun in every game and have an injury-prone squad. Will they be able to deal with that transition?
Secondly, Iraola’s Bournemouth team has conceded more goals than any team in the top 16 of the Premier League table. Chelsea are already poor defensively. So, the Spaniard might not be the answer to their issues at the back.
Thirdly, Iraola is not a proven winner. He has exceeded expectations with Bournemouth but has not won anything. And that is a jump many managers struggle with.
