Soccer News

Managers association slams Chelsea as search for successor begins

By Jonathan Wilson Mar 5, 2012, 18:33 GMT

London - The chief executive of the League Managers Association slammed Chelsea on Monday as the club began its search for a new manager following the dismissal of Andre-Villas Boas.

The Portuguese 34-year-old was sacked on Sunday after a run of poor results that left Chelsea three points adrift of Champions League qualification.

'What's for sure is the club, despite unlimited wealth, haven't yet worked out how to build a successful football club,' Bevan told Radio Five Live.

'Looking for what is an eighth manager in nine years is a serious embarrassment to the owner, the club, the fans and the league.'

Assistant manager Roberto Di Matteo has been named as interim first-team coach until the end of the season.

Three main candidates to replace Villas-Boas have emerged. Chelsea are understood to favour the Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola, although it's unclear why he would want to leave the Camp Nou for a club in such need of major changes of personnel.

He is understood to find the stress of management difficult and at Stamford Bridge that could only be worse than at Barcelona.

Jose Mourinho could be in line for a return to the club he left in 2007. He has reconciled with club owner Roman Abramovich but may find it difficult to enact the cull of older players required given he worked with 11 of the squad in his previous spell at Stamford Bridge.

Then there is Rafa Benitez, who was approached by somebody purporting to represent Chelsea last week.

He is highly respected, has a good record in Europe and is available, but would not be popular with fans after the string of contentious games between Chelsea and his Liverpool side.

His cautious approach, also, may not be to Abramovich's liking.

Former Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, who was sacked in February 2009 after a month less in charge than Villas-Boas managed, believes whoever takes over has an almost impossible task.

'Chelsea's culture is very different, but this move is strange - although it's not so strange to me because of what I went through there,' said Scolari.

'Some things are known, like the relations with the chairman, who has the relationship with some players before the coach.

'Villas-Boas was a champion and he will continue to be. He needed to replace at least seven or eight players, even since I was there, but he failed. It will be hell for whoever succeeds him.'