22 May 2024 09:21:29
A collection of thoughts because I just don't have it in me anymore to write this up properly.
'Chelsea were not terribly well managed on the football side, sporting side or promotional side'. We are now looking to appoint our 6th coach in 2 years. You can't keep selling the fans on a long term plan where we need to trust the process when the people in charge clearly don't trust it either.
Media reported that we sacked Tuchel because he wanted to just focus on the coaching and had no interest in transfers. We've now sacked Poch for the exact opposite.
Poch was hired after an 'extensive hiring process' and has been sacked after a season where he achieved more than what anybody realistically expected. The people making these hires seem to be more secure than ever.
You look at the managers being touted, they all play completely different styles of football. Its a mess.
I think its a fair assumption that Poch said 'don't sell two brilliant players in Gallagher and Chalobah to pay for the expensive duds you've signed' and this has basically sealed his fate.
We have two SDs who need to justify their employment by seeing their signings playing in the first team. If an academy player succeeds, they get no credit, so there is no pressure from above the manager to play the best players, just the ones they have signed. Looking back, you can tell Poch knew his fate because he started playing Chalobah over Disasi in order to get the results he needed.
Where does this lead? Assumedly it's going to be a yes man who plays the players that are signed for lots of money, is ok with the best players in the squad being sold off to enable the next summer's influx to be paid for and doesn't raise his voice in front of the board. We can all look forward to Mudryk starting every game next season and finishing up with 5 goals while we finish 10th and be told to keep trusting the process. Shambles.
22 May 2024 10:15:56
Absolutely RBD. Unfortunately the board want a yes man. Respect to poch for not being that guy.
It's been a long term problem at chelsea, if you don't play your expensive signings no matter how rubbish they play, your fate is sealed.
22 May 2024 10:40:09
You have put my worst fears into very well chosen words RBD. For both our sakes and that of club and all fans that one day the shambles ends.
The fact that poch wasn't given a second season must surely in part have been due to arguments over transfer policy/ decison making, given as you sday that the managers mooted to replace him play different styles and not necessarily of the Pep/ Klopp type. Few of them have Poch's EPL plus European experience combined with ability to improve young players. Not to have given him a chance to take us into Top 4 next season seems insane. And one question is how much more money have the club again had to spend in parting ways with him. a TC's worth?! CG going would take out what was the beating heart of Poch's successful effort to get the side to gel.
Just hope my current deep despair will be lifted in time by miraculous manager appointment who takes my breath away, gets us off to a flying start in EPL, never any doubt of achieving top 4, easily with 80 points and wonderful GD, and makes me thankful and apolgetic for ever doubting what's happened, what currently looks like folly. Might be possible, after all Poch has done most of the hard work towards this during this past season and passed on a far better situation than he inherited.
For now, I can only think of those immortal lines of Private Frazer from Dad's Army:'We're doomed Captain Mainwaring, we're doomed'
22 May 2024 10:55:41
Very much in agreement with you RBD. From the comments by Ed002 in relation to another poster, I would assume that Poch walked, as the club don't seem to actively have a successor lined up. Absolute shambles.
22 May 2024 11:14:09
I have see no evidence of interference from the SD’s or owners in team selection or tactics.
I’m only guessing like we all are that the club is determined that any manager, including Poch, is part of structure with clear parameters of responsibility. I have not made up my mind if this sort of structure works but my guess is Poch knew what he was getting into when he excepted the job.
So, as much as I want continuity and Poch to be successful and stay, if he no longer wanted to be part of that structure then it’s best an amicable divorce happened sooner rather than later.
We now move onto another chapter. Good luck to Poch and good luck to our new manager and all his staff.
22 May 2024 13:06:18
Suppose it's a question of how seriously attention is given within the 'structure' to the view of 'head coach'/ 'manager' who is seeing the players at close range day after day. compared to those who don't, have never had managerial experience of dealing with players themselves and assessing them, and may have other priorities at odds with what the manager/ head coach sees in the players he is dealing with. That's what worries me and makes me wonder how we will ever keep a 'head coach'/ 'manager' for any length of time.
22 May 2024 13:35:17
JBS, I have no idea about the reasons for the mutual decision to part ways. I have no idea if the SD’s had any influence on the owners part of that decision.
I am generally happy with the standard of our player recruitment.
I didn’t want Poch as our manager but then I didn’t want him sacked. I am desperate for stability but if the relationship wasn’t working it’s best to part on good terms a firm handshake.
22 May 2024 14:08:29
Tom, it has literally been reported in the Standard today that the SDs want to have control of club affairs that extend to on-pitch coaching.
I have no idea of knowing if that is true, but it would seem unlikely the journalist would drop that into their article with nothing to back it up.
22 May 2024 14:15:46
Fair enough YTom but my concern is who has the say in which players stay and which leave: the people who see them on day to day basis in training or those who don't? If it is the latter then the structure is not a very good one IMHO.
22 May 2024 14:36:35
RBD, it’s a report in the “standard. ”
I would find it impossible to believe that SD’s would have any practical influence on training, tactics or picking the team.
The papers will do there normal s@it stirring with attributing any CFC name to there generally toxic articles.
22 May 2024 20:50:59
RBD I think you have hit the nail on the head for how a lot of people are feeling.
I am genuinely incredibly worried.