Chelsea Sack Andre Villas-Boas

[Sheva. 5,373]

Chelsea have made Ivan Ortega, a fitness coach who previously worked with Fernando Torres at Liverpool, the latest addition to Andre Villas-Boas’s new backroom team.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/8614444/Andre-Villas-Boas-appoints-Ivan-Ortega-formerly-fitness-coach-at-Liverpool-to-Chelseas-backroom-staff.html

[xPetrCechx 13,570]

Chelsea have made Ivan Ortega, a fitness coach who previously worked with Fernando Torres at Liverpool, the latest addition to Andre Villas-Boas's new backroom team.

http://www.telegraph...room-staff.html

when i posted that here with link from goal.com some users said that this is a bullshit...

[Kostas 1,468]

Do we really want someone associated with Torres' injury record at Liverpool?

[TomCFC 357]

when i posted that here with link from goal.com some users said that this is a bullshit...

Knowing Goal, it could have been nonsense. But now a reputable source has confirmed it.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Do we really want someone associated with Torres' injury record at Liverpool?

If it helps with his psyche, then yes.

Might be a welcomed addition to our below-par medical team.. Though I'm curious to see if we replace English with a new hiring or a simple promotion for within the club.

[Kostas 1,468]

According to this link he'll also take care of the likes of Terry, Drogba and Lampard, that means he's not here only for Torres. I guess he may be English's replacement if we don't get Franck Legall.

[Guest justin_3d]

http://www.telegraph...room-staff.html

Villas-Boas and Chelsea are still finalising the make-up of the club’s football operation, with Michael Emenalo in contention for the influential role of technical director or director of football.

[ruggedknot 105]

Insightful interview with Cech , talking about AVB among other things :

http://www.beyondthepitch.net/podcasts/edition/index.cfm/beyond-the-pitch/2011/07/02/petr-cech/

[Domino- 116]

I hope to have that authority to command the locker room

[termninja 5,290]

These may have been posted already, but these are HD photos

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Jose Mario Rocha has been alongside Andre Villas-Boas throughout his short but highly successful management career so far, but their history together goes back further than those single seasons at Porto last campaign and at Academica the year before.

It wasn't only new introductions with the squad this week. There was also reacquaintance. When Rocha was in his first season as a coach at Porto having graduated from studying sport at the city's university, Hilario was his goalkeeper in the Under 19s team. And although he missed out on coaching Paulo Ferreira, the season after Jose Mourinho and his staff left the Portuguese club for Chelsea, Rocha moved up to work with the first team where Jose Bosingwa was in the side.

José Mario Rocha factfile

Edited July 7, 2011 by LDN Blue

[lionsden 4,689]

According to this link he'll also take care of the likes of Terry, Drogba and Lampard, that means he's not here only for Torres. I guess he may be English's replacement if we don't get Franck Legall.

I'm still not convinced his appointment was not motivated by his history with Torres. is he the best personal trainer we could get for the team? funny enough Torres injury record at liverpool was far from impressive so what makes this guy an outstanding candidate for the job. I wonder.

[Kostas 1,468]

I'm pretty sure I pointed that out when the first rumours about us hiring him came to surface.

Even so the blame for Torres' horrific injury record can't layed solely on Ortega. Torres being injury prone is a truth we can't hide from and the well-documented lack or rest along with Benitez's exhausting training methods (which hurt other players apart from Torres) probably contributed more to the injuries he's had than the work of his fitness coach.

[dodojojo 510]

Of course Ortega's relationship with Torres helped with the appointment. To not believe so would mean personal relationships do not help with employment. That's not true in real life either. Having said that, it doesn't mean Ortega isn't a good physiotherapist. I don't think he held onto his job at Liverpool merely by being at Torres' personal beck and call.

Sure, he's probably been brought in help Torres a bit but it doesn't mean he's not professional enough to do his job overall for Chelsea. And I don't know if it'll ever be possible to pin the blame of Torres' injuries on this guy. Torres was fit as a fiddle for Atletico. His injuries may have come down to Liverpool not allowing him to ever recover 100%. And I wouldn't have either if my backup option was David Ngog. Nothing against the guy, but it turns out he just really isn't good enough.

Look what happened last season after the WC injury. I kept hearing how they were going to bring Torres slowly back to health etc. So what happens? He's subbing on the first league game of the season and starting thereafter. I know Torres wanted to play, but with that kind of player and investment, sometimes it's in everyone's best interest for the organization to say, "no, you're going rest and recover and be at your best." The Liverpool doc is then interviewed and he's saying Torres should be reaching his optimal health in October or November. What? Why is he starting games in late August then? Oh, right. David Ngog.

[lionsden 4,689]

No one is yet to provide a convincing case for Ortega's appointment. It's a very simple and direct question - Is he the best trainer we could have gotten? and if so, why?