That was a little rash
Roman Abramovich is crazy, isn’t he? For so long all he wanted was a manager to bring him what he craved the most, that Champions League trophy. What does Roberto di Matteo do? He brings him the trophy (along with another FA Cup) and then the Russian sacks him. Utter madness.
In the aftermath of Chelsea’s decision to sack di Matteo after just six months at his post it still makes no sense whatsoever. Even more bizzare is the appointment of Rafael Benitez as the Italian’s replacement until the end of the season.
There are a few issues that need addressing here.
First of all, why sack di Matteo? Yes, Chelsea are on a bad run but still sit third in the table with another six months or so left in the season. The players respected di Matteo and what he was able to achieve in such a short amount of time.
Bringing in Benitez now means that the team needs to readjust to a new manager and a new philosophy which can cause disruption something Chelsea do not want so far into the season and with Man City visiting at the weekend.
Chelsea were poor against Juventus on Tuesday night but playing in that imposing arena against the Italian champions is a tough task for any team. Juventus are a superb side and there is no shame in losing to a team that will most likely go far in this year’s competition.
Even with the loss, Chelsea still have an outside chance at qualifying for the knockout stages which makes di Matteo’s dismissal seem even more ridiculous when you consider that Man City were eliminated from the Champions League last night and there is no talk of Roberto Mancini’s job security.
It’s a bad move but this is how Abramovic does his business. Ruthlessness may be a bit of an understatement but Benitez has got a lot to do in a short space of time to make sure he isn’t the next one getting kicked out of Chelsea’s revolving door.
Benitez has to try and win over Chelsea’s fans, too, as many are upset and displeased with the Spainard’s arrival. I thought it was a joke that Chelsea were even considering bringing Benitez in as manager as I consider him to be a poor manager who managed to win 4-1 at Old Trafford with Liverpool and still not win the league from a commanding position during the 2008/2009 season.
He certainly has a mammoth task on his hands and the first couple of weeks will not be easy, especially if results don’t go his way. If Benitez is able to get Torres playing like he was at Liverpool under his stewardship, and make the most out of the talented squad at his disposal, then he can alleviate the pressure on him and win over Chelsea fans. A win against the Champions would be a good start. Good luck, Manuel.
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