The Chelsea Problem

    It is no secret to the footballing world that Chelsea is in crisis. The latest chapter sees man-ager Liam Rosenior becoming the sixth casualty under Todd Boehly’s BlueCo ownership, with Calum McFarlane stepping in as interim boss. 

    It was clear to most that Rosenior was not ready for the role, and the Englishman was hired only as a yes-man to the Chelsea board. In his final 5 games, not only did Rosenior fail to win any, but his Chelsea side failed to score a goal.

    There was also a growing understanding that Liam Rosenior failed to implement any authority over the players. Constantly trying to be kind, too many one-to-ones, and being too much of a friend, creating a detachment from the players and the coach. This approach contrasted heavily with the more authoritative figures Chelsea have had in the past, such as Hiddink, Mourinho and Ancelotti.

    Blaming it all on Liam Rosenior is hugely unfair; the blame clearly lies with the board. BlueCo’s ownership of Chelsea has had one clear trait throughout its time: poor decisions. The constant sacking of managers who are building teams, such as Pochettino, Tuchel, and Maresca. The lack of smart transfers: Chelsea has spent over a quarter of a billion pounds on players from Brighton. They seem to sign only players under 25 and regularly fail to add experience to the team, leaving them without leaders when they’re needed. Every successful team has an experienced leader. Liverpool under Klopp had Milner and Henderson, Guardiola had Kompany, Fernandinho, and now Bernardo Silva at Man City; Chelsea had Thiago Silva when they won the Champions League. 

    The owners only want yes-men, hiring managers who will bow down to what they ask. Their lack of patience is painfully evident. Thomas Tuchel was a UCL winner with Chelsea, but was sacked for not listening to the board. Pochettino was building an identity for Chelsea, and he was sacked, too. He was followed by Maresca, who won the Conference League and a glorified pre-season trophy, leading to his sacking because he wasn’t doing as well as the board had dreamt of. 

    Calum McFarlane will now lead Chelsea until the end of the season, but with them sitting 8th in the league, it is hard to see Chelsea qualifying for the Champions League, and expectations must remain realistic. However, with the shakiness above him, it is hard to see even the best manager in the world being able to deliver meaningful change.

    Eventually, the revolving door at Chelsea must stop. When six managers have come and gone within four seasons, it is clear that the problem is embedded within the structure of the club.