22 Apr 2026 22:03:40
So pleased the ownership have gone in and binned Liam, the decision to go with an interim to close out the season is also a good call, a full review of all things good and bad and then move on. Blue. co and the people who run that company are multi billionaires and as sharp as a razor, they know mistakes have been made and will adjust and go again, that is what top level financiers and investment managers do, we are in good hands and anyone trying to put a downer on the project will ultimately be proved wrong (in my humble opinion), the club will be worth £10 billion plus over the next 5 to 10 years (as will most of the top Premier League clubs), we will get back to winning ways and we move on.
Football is cylical and our time will come again, no rights or wrongs here, no I'm right, you are wrong (that is for the bed wetters), let's celebrate after beating Leeds on Sunday and hopefully going on and winning another Cup (this time under Callum, who is a very shy but very likeable guy who actually knows his onions), love and peace to my Chelsea family and all the ED's who do such a great job on this site.
22 Apr 2026 22:30:31
Greenaway, I'm not sure what will happen with our current owners and I think this coming window will tell us a lot about our playing future and any potential success.
23 Apr 2026 08:14:56
Rather than the window, I think it will depend more on what happens in the SD department review, which will matter far more.
23 Apr 2026 08:54:01
I enjoy the sarcasm, Greenaway. Sad there are fans out there that believe it, tho.
Bill, the SD department review is simple...sack all 5 immediately, remove all of Joe Shields' little mates from the academy set up too and rebuild the club whilst they still can.
23 Apr 2026 09:43:13
Kazblue, I agree absolutely. Before any coach is appointed, get rid of the jumped up scouts and appoint an SD who knows what they are doing and who has a collaborative approach with coaches. If that mob remains, we will end up with another mediocre coach and will struggle again next season.
23 Apr 2026 09:49:38
If rumours are true, two of the SD's will be leaving anyway. I was told that the mighty Spuds and a German club have made polite inquiries.
I personally have no problems with the majority of players they have signed. Of course, they have made mistakes, but that's a common theme with SD's at most clubs.
It's different with their manager choices. I only wanted one, and he was a disaster. Whoever they choose as the next manager will not make all of us fans happy.
Strange, but if you go on most other clubs' pages, you will see SD's getting pelters. It seems like a common belly ache from fans.
23 Apr 2026 10:27:53
Tom, you are right, posters have different opinions about who should be and who should not be the next coach. However, I think nobody on this site wanted LR. The issue is which coaches would want to take the job. I really do hope that the owners seriously reflect on the direction of the club.
I think we have reached a crossroads, and if we don’t take the right direction, we will continue to decline. This summer is hugely important. I want to start next season with some hope.
23 Apr 2026 10:43:22
Some of the rumours about who our next manager is going to be.
A mate tells me Alonso has agreed in principle to join us as long as agreements can be made with some of his "staff" including coaches. I'm not sure what "staff" means in this instance!!
23 Apr 2026 10:54:22
Jimbo, I'm with you on the owners needing a period of reflection before making any adjustments to their vision moving forwards.
As I stated earlier, these are top level business people who want to fully maximise their investment, and that will only happen if we are successful on and off the pitch.
I expect some changes.
Tom, is this your normal mate who gives you all these snippets of info? Is he reliable? Alonso would be a perfect fit if true, but I thought he was bound for Liverpool?
23 Apr 2026 11:00:27
Yeah, I wish I could share your optimism. I see a pattern of the same mistakes made over and over again. From the choice of players they bring in, the failure to address major gaps in certain positions, to the choice of manager, they keep repeating the same mistakes.
23 Apr 2026 11:25:06
Greenaway, in years gone by I used to get some top info from a mate who worked at Cobham. Sadly, he got sacked for selling info to the press.
This guy sometimes gets things right and, to be fair, he does still work for some ex players (driver), but I personally think this is more a "wish" prediction as he told me last week Alonso was his No1 choice to takeover from LR.
23 Apr 2026 11:52:01
Interesting, Tom. Not sure what I think about Alonso as potential coach, but I agree with those who say that whoever is appointed is almost doomed to failure with the current SD structure and approach, where any manager too questioning of decisions is likely to be gone before any SD is.
Ok, he made a few mistakes, but I feel nostalgic now for days when Michael Emenalo was our (sole?) 'technical director' - effectively SD but with a more supportive-to-manager sounding title, as it should be. Rather than SD's boss with a relatively young, EPL-inexperienced coach (and EM fell into that bracket when first appointed) under RA. He then went on to some job at Monaco and is now director of the Saudi Football League.
His son, Landon, is now looked at as a v good prospect in our academy, of course.
Perhaps Michael is now out of the loop in terms of EPL transfer possibilities, plus too expensive today for owners' liking anyway, but someone like him, who is up and running with a good EPL track record as sole/major SD/Technical Director with scouts beneath him, and who really takes a good coach's advice very seriously - in terms of who is playing well, what positions need covering, what positions need a number one new choice, etc. - is presumably the person we'd be looking for?
23 Apr 2026 14:00:20
Perhaps we should all ask our barbers.
Regarding Alonso, no thank you.
23 Apr 2026 14:08:06
Alonso wasn't on my list, but I have done some research and I can see why we might go for him.
I remember watching his team play in the German league, and I would call the style pragmatic but effective. I hate to say it, very City-like.
23 Apr 2026 14:18:32
JBS, Emenalo would be a perfect fit for us.
23 Apr 2026 19:18:59
Tom, my head is in a spin. I don't know who I want as the next coach. Alonso wouldn't be the worst choice. Effective football won us Premier League titles.
24 Apr 2026 08:49:20
Jimbo, love the rumours, hate the facts.