Kostas

Didn't expect this to hit me as hard as it did, given that I didn't know that man personally. RIP Ray.

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-set-to-get-green-light-for-new-60000seat-stadium-on-stamford-bridge-site-a3433636.html This seems to be picking pace. @We Hate Scouse heard anything you could share?

Why the hell did no-one inform me about his contract situation? Anyway as he's been slowly falling out of favour over the past 3 seasons can't blame him for leaving. China is a bit too cynical for my taste but he's given this club enough to get a free pass on that. Hope I'll manage to find a Chelsea kit with his name on within the next few years.

Trust me I'm beating myself over it but 50+h weeks don't allow for much recreational time. Especially bitter since the Everton game is meant to have been our best football since early 2010. Wonderful sum-up btw, thank you for it. I wonder though if there's some further context or nuancies missing from your #2. Was it as simple as a 180 by Conte following getting trashed by Arsenal (which could suggest things are not going as much according to whatever summer's "plan" was as I'd prefer, not that adaptability isn't important but still) That ESPN interview seems to suggest that's the case. Were there any key injuries adding to that decision?

Do we have a function to view the most "liked" posts in a thread? I've unfortunately not been able to watch a single 90 this season and have yet to form my mind one way or the other about him. Alternatively, could anyone describe the main pro and contra camps (it's never too early for those to form)?

Overly delayed biannual post telling you to piss off and not compare me to that talentless prick Also, KTBFFH

Yeah I realised that the friends list got turned into a following/folowers list and can't say I'm a fan of that. Also, by missclicking on the mobile site I removed all the people I follow Surely there's gotta be some middle way between ditching everyone and not getting Tapatalk notifications. Do note that my in-forum notifications for posts by people I follow were and are already off.

[emoji1] [emoji1] I definitely wouldn't unfriend you over this! I haven't suffered through all those Juve posts for nothing! (I would however look into blocking the transfer rumors subforum since I've never seen one thats worth my time) I'm also sure it's not the settings as that doesn't happen for any of my other forums and I haven't changed anything recently, I have looked though trust me. I'm sure there's something@Jim or whoever else is responsible for the backend could do to look into this. BTW, it's quite neat how this app doesn't show which ones of you are mods and I can keep pretending that we're equals.

Hey guys Think there must be some problem with Tapatalk integration cause during the past week I've had every posting of my TC friends show up in the Tapatalk notifications list, as if I was subscribed to every topic they lost in. Now don't get me wrong, I got much love for you guys but that feed is meant for actually topic subscriptions. Plus I have no idea who the hell is Jackson Martinez is and I don't want anyone to think I'm in any way interested in him :

I have to say that I respect the endurance of the people still arguing about Mourinho as opposed to his sacking in this thread. If we can't even agree on whether he is one of the best managers in the world or a pretender who got lucky winning the CL twice no wonder this discussion is moving in circles. Maybe 2 different post sacking threads would work better? One for the optimistic "our post 2012 project can continue" and one "we sacked our best manager ever, who are we as a club"? Is City's football supposed to be anti-Mourinhoesque? I always suspected he was a bot. I mean, why else would someone care so much about the most random online drivel enough to both go looking for it and bringing it over to the board?

Thank you! This is along very similar lines to the ones I've been thinking. The perpetual relapse and search for a new project and associated Mesiah seems to indicate a larger dynamic.I'm beginning to wonder whether, aside from the obvious innumerable failings of our club, the idea of a project (manifested in that long-term manager we never had) is really now a false thing to believe in (or even aspire to?). Whether that's due to the ever increased professionalization of the sport or the money in it now, your guess is as good as mine but you can't deny that attachment to long-lasting managers is really the exception rather than the rule. As much as I hate the revisioning of Mourinho's time at Real, the most sycophantic thing about it is how those who blame him for being a short-term solution willfully ignore that he's alongside DelBosque the only manager to have survived 3 seasons in decades. Bayern haven't had a manager who stayed over 3 seasons in 11 years. In the PL, aside from unambitious clubs like Arsenal (seen any sane Arsenal fan around recently?) and Everton in the Moyes years the trend has been the same. ManUtd under Fergie is the model but they've been erratic at best since he retired, they may very well be on the market alongside us in May. ManCity have been underperforming relative to their investment and squad and are coming near the end of a circle, their parting with Mancini was still much more peaceful than what we usually experience. Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea have all had hot managerial prospects, but their light shined for a season max. Was there a more promising manager when we hired AVB? Was there a more correct decision than getting rid of him? Put it another way, do the other top clubs go through quasi-existential crises when they sack managers, or do we blow the issue out of proportion? Edit: Came across similar charts from the FT

Sounds like a position based on principle(/ethics?) rather than purely utilitarian concerns. Am I on the right track?Greece is actually getting increasingly worse :/ Glasgows been treating me fine through

Thanks! Can't say if it will be for too long this time around. Must admit I was very surprised to see your vote in this thread's poll, especially given how you tended to support players/managers for a longer period than most, care to give me a quick rundown of your rationale?

Super Frank or JT as player-manager would be acceptable. Keep hipster managers away from this club.

A CL final or a relegation would have worked just as fine. I feel like I'm too old to be bothered about managerial BS anymore. That's modern football I guess.. It could only get worse if JT moves to the MLS or something instead of retiring here.

Fucks sake Chelsea, a man can't take a 4 year hiatus without the club imploding..

Sir, yes sir!

Do you see the world in absolutes? I know I don't. To attempt to give you an answer: Certainly to a degree. Yes he is. No, those words are too strong. Also, to tackle something I saw earlier in the thread. I could understand the sort of denial that is needed to say that the move makes no difference to someone but arguing that Lampard had no say in it is absurd. He's a multi-millionaire not a modern slave. Offtopic: Glad to see so many of you still active(ly lurking ) :tophat: Guess there's a certain sort that sticks around and another that bails.

Sup' I see it's Term against the consensus again, not surprised that things haven't changed. I'm even less surprised by how, among familiar faces, I am again on the same side of the debate. On topic: I definitely need to give this time to sink in but I can't possibly agree with a "nothing has changed" sentiment. I'm disgusted and dissapointed. Most of all, as my time-period as a Chelsea fan concides perfectly with Lampard's stay at Chelsea, I am sad.

Thanks Sounds like he's gotten a fair bit more defensive. Can't say that I mind but it's not as exciting as signing a top class box-to-box player.

Anyone feeling charitable enough to point me to the best read regarding how he's developed since he left Chelsea? Call me weird but I can't muster much enthusiasm for a 2009 signing.

2nd straight game that Torres was my Motm. Of all the changes I expected under Mourinho I did not see that coming.

Doesn't deserve being dumped to the vermin. Wish him all the best.

I don't necessarily disagree, nor do I treat the following with anything less than extreme skepticism, but I think this might be an interesting read for you.