The Lead
A manager insists he’s not under pressure despite being under pressure. Players self-incriminate to the media, blame is parsed by the pundits, and everyone counts down to the announcement that Chelsea will replace Andre Villas-Boas at a key moment in the season. Few will begrudge Roman Abramovich, but even fewer will lay the blame on the right person.
To be sure, Villas-Boas is not having a great time. A loss should never be considered in isolation, but Chelsea fans should have enough evidence that the young Portuguese manager my be, like Donnie, out of his element. Zonal Marking’s Michael Cox described yesterday’s 3-1 Champions League loss to Napoli as tactically uninteresting, and pointed out most of Napoli’s advantage came from Lavezzi exploiting space left behind an attacking Ivanovic in right-back. This is a mistake of layout, of team selection, of strategy—a manager’s mistake. It may have cost Chelsea a redemptive pop at the Champions League.
But then who in the English media will properly question why Villas-Boas was hired in the first place, why a promising but untested young career has been tarnished out of the hubris of a Russian owner who enjoys the management skills of Vladimir Putin (or Rob Ford)? While he has his critics within Stamford Bridge, supporters are reluctant to moan; they know it was he who paid off the £80 million debt Ken Bates left behind in 2003, he who bought Claude Makalele, and then did one better than Ranieri’s stellar 2003-04 season by snatching Mourinho from Porto.
But while Abramovich has b(r)ought Chelsea hitherto unknown success at home (if not abroad), he has systematically undermined any hope for consistency, and therefore for legacy. While Mourinho left the club in September 2007 by ‘mutual consent,’ it was no secret the manager did not see eye-to-eye with the owner. There was meddling in the transfer market strategy. An almost complete unknown in Avram Grant took over as club caretaker in his stead. Then a World Cup-winning manager from Brazil tried his luck—Scolari—a disaster.
Guus Hiddink moonlit for a bit, and things finally seemed to settle down with Ancelotti, who led the club to their first post-Mourinho Premier League title. A second place finish the following season was not good enough for Roman, who again thrust the club unnecessarily into chaos by firing the Italian on the final day of the season (despite some friendly revisionism via Cox). A flavour-of-the-month 34-year-old gaffer from Porto appeared, and some thought 2004 was repeating itself.
Now Chelsea are where they are. Fans are left to cross their fingers and hope Abramovich’s Russian roulette will end well this time, that he might learn his lesson. Chances are however the media machine will whirl when AVB gets fired, a name will emerge from the darkness bringing ephemeral success or continued ad hoc improv, and the cycle will repeat itself all over again.
Canada
Canada’s friendly against Armenia on February 29th will be televised.
Vancouver Whitecaps’ still weak on set-pieces.
England
David Cameron politicks on the back of various racist incidents in English football.
Tevez says he’s sorry, he really means it this time, to Manchester City.
Gary Cahill says Chelsea’s defense is a mess.
Rooney not in training ahead of Europa League tie against Ajax.
Wolves fail to bag Curbishley.
Stan Kroenke to Arsene Wenger’s rescue.
Tottenham’s Adebayor confident he’ll be fit for the North London derby.
Italy
Wesley Sneijder confident about his future with Inter.
Jonathan Wilson on Serie A’s resurgent interest in a back three.
Ranieri doesn’t feel under threat at Inter.
France
Ben Lyttleton on Ligue 1′s hits and misses so far.
Germany
Bastian Schweinsteiger just like Iniesta, Xavi?
Spain
Johan Cruyff confident Pep Guardiola won’t leave Barcelona in the lurch.
Bits and bobs
No Indian Premier League after all?
David Conn on how the Glazers have now cost United half a billion pounds.
And that, give or take, is the story so far…
