Marco Silva is believed to be one of the three leading candidates for the Chelsea job this summer. The other two are Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola. But after seeing Fulham’s performance against Arsenal this weekend, it looks like the club’s supporters have already made up their minds when it comes to the Portuguese manager.
Silva has spent a long time in English football. He is set to complete his fifth season at Fulham. But other than that, he has also been at Hull City, Watford and Everton.
Chelsea will be looking to bring in a Premier League-proven manager this summer, or someone with equivalent top-level experience. When it comes to that, Silva might have the highest. And the Blues are also believed to share a good relationship with his agent Jorge Mendes.
That being said, it would be safe to say that most Chelsea fans would be underwhelmed if he is the one who ends up getting the job this summer. And those feelings have only grown stronger after Fulham’s toothless display in the one-sided loss to Arsenal this weekend.
Chelsea fans react to Fulham vs Arsenal
One prominent Chelsea fan account wrote on X: “Marco Silva’s name needs to be away from the Chelsea job sharpish.”
Another Chelsea fan said regarding the matter: “Keep Marco Silva FAR away from Chelsea.”
A third pointed out: “What’s the point of having five directors if Marco Silva is still being considered as a candidate for the Chelsea manager role?”
Now, one game is not enough of a sample size to judge a manager. That being said, Fulham’s performance did not seem that of a team coached by a veteran Premier League manager. They were never really in the game. And that will raise question marks over Silva’s suitability for a role where he will be expected to win such games consistently. Is he someone who can deal with that jump in expectations?
Would Silva be the right choice or another Rosenior?
Liam Rosenior was a perfectly fine manager for Strasbourg in France. But he failed to deal with the pressure that comes with being the Chelsea manager. Could something similar with Silva, who has a lot of experience managing in England, but never a top club?
To be very honest, Silva is not what Chelsea need at this moment. He would be another experimental choice and the Blues cannot afford that right now, after four years of failure already behind them.
What the club need right now is a manager who will come in and immediately earn the respect of the dressing room. Someone who has a proven winning track record. And someone who knows what the pressure of top clubs is. Out of the names mentioned, only one ticks all those boxes. You know which one.
