Chelsea Sack Andre Villas-Boas

[Styles 9,790]

I doubt he would be happy with anything other than a starting position in the first eleven every week. It's a cliché Drogba character assessment, but it's close to the truth. Sturridge or potentially Lukaku can be insurance if Torres still hasn't got his act together.

It is a cliche because Drogba didn't kick up a fuss when he was benched in favour of Torres. Remember the secod leg at Old Trafford when Torres stunk up the game in the first half and Drogba came on and gave us hope? Football is a squad game and he will start plenty next season. Sturridge has done well but I still wouldn't have him in favour of Drogba and Lukaku doesn't even deserve a mention at this point in his career.

[termninja 5,290]

2 votes for NO are from Ancelotti and Hidink

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Hope so..

It's like I said before, he's the start of a new direction in this club. This is the first time under RA we've gone for a young manager who hasn't won the big one yet (or it's international equivalent for LPS). With this gamble we can only hope RA & the board will give AVB the necassary time to transform this club into something that's building for a long-term future in terms of style of play, the players & overall objectives of the club.

The "obsession" will always be there. However the appointment of a manager like Villas-Boas shows that can be forsaken in the immediate future if we're to capture it, and many more, later on.

[Styles 9,790]

Quick question about Drogba. Has anybody else wondered whether at this stage in his career Drogba actually wants to start every game? Maybe he is happy with saving his energy sometimes and not always having to play 90 mins.

[ulsterchelsea 3,189]

So he had fallen out with Mourinho?, wow just think how weird it would be if he took the Chelsea job and Chelsea were to play Real Madrid in the champions league.

Real and Porto a cert at some point in the CL now

[warnie_666 1,081]

Make that 3. I aint gonna jizz my pants just yet. When Mou joined it was thought to be a new revolution and that Chelsea by next decade will be the biggest club and will paint the world blue and will be the biggest brand, etc etc. What happened? Mou got fired, we hired and fired 4 managers in 5 seasons after that. Won only 3 titles while Manchester united won 4 and a champions league.

Untill Roman and his chums learn from their mistakes I don't see a new revolution. If the board keeps interfering after every successful season like they have in past then it will be more of the same.

Our squad under mourinho was built to dominate the next decade and it all went tits up when we fired the best manager on the planet.

[BLionheart 516]

Hopefully.

But i think this will be determined upon whether roman and the board are willing to give AVB much more authority , including transfers and coaching staff or he is another "just a coach" .

The departure of Malouda , Anelka , Kalou , Ferrera , Zhirkov and Drogba is highly recommended , we will get around 40 - 45 millions for them , will decrease the wages and more importantly will move a step closer towards changing our game play .

Add another 55 millions to those 45 and use those 100 millions to get a decent playmaker (Modric / Pastore) , and 2 pacy tricky wingers (neymar / Sanchez / Hazard / Hulk / Mata)

[Term-X 7,891]

Quick question about Drogba. Has anybody else wondered whether at this stage in his career Drogba actually wants to start every game? Maybe he is happy with saving his energy sometimes and not always having to play 90 mins.

Sounds like wishful thinking...

[Ramox 246]

2 votes for NO are from Ancelotti and Hidink

I was one of the 2 no vote.

AVB will be good coach, but i fear from Abramovich, and i fear he will control some big transfers what he did in Sheva and Torres business. He should give a free hand for AVB. If he will, yes we can, but if no.... :\

[Styles 9,790]

Sounds like wishful thinking...

I'm just giving Drogba some credit. I'd rather assume the best than think he will create hell if he doesn't start every single game.

[Blue Armour 3,835]

Quick question about Drogba. Has anybody else wondered whether at this stage in his career Drogba actually wants to start every game? Maybe he is happy with saving his energy sometimes and not always having to play 90 mins.

Off-topic: Exactly he's even said in interviews that he can perform better as a sub because opponents are usually worn out when he enters the pitch...He's also said he's no longer interested in travelling abroad to another club as those days are behind him....

[wisey11zola25 142]

The revillaution boagins!

Boas awoahhhh!

Boas awoahhhh!

He's only 33

He's boss at the Chelsea'

Boas awoahhhh!

Boas awoahhhh!

He'll get Moutinho!

He's the Next Mourinho!

[Blue Armour 3,835]

As for a revolution or not...The question is what kind of tactics he's going to employ...

He says he's an admirer of Pep...so does that mean he's going to implement necessarily free flowing football? It may work fine in Porto or in Europe but the championship is a different matter

Scolari tried doing something similar with us and failed...but then again he was an old grouse...

As for a squad overhaul...don't see it happening really... 1 or 2 old players leaving and 2-3 new ones coming in....that's my guess...

Then again as long as its a quality squad at the end of the day,it should suit AVB fine...

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

I just hope Roman will give him power to controle everything a manager is supposed to controle.Transfers,youth development,staff...Things our ex-managers weren't been enabled to do.

Maybe this big release clause will prevent him being sacked the way Carlo was.

[neel 257]

As long as he wants to play football I am happy.

[Blue Armour 3,835]

As long as Abramovich remains happy with him, I'll be happy

[nadavTKL 1,787]

Well, if that's the case, he would have gotten mad when Villas-Boas bolted for Academica. He joined Porto the next year.

You right... my mistake

[neel 257]

To me changing managers is not a big deal . every other European Clubs have been changing managers every now and then in last 30-40 years. Only Utd , Arsenal and Liverpool are the exception. Out side england we don't see a "manager's dynasty" kind of things. exceptions are there like Trapaottoni at Juve , Carlo at Milan Cruyeff at Barca. But changing managers is not the worst thing. And at chelsea I think there are valid reasons behind sacking managers in the past. Do not blame Roman much.

[bababoom 4,478]

I'm hoping for a revolution. We need some new players, and we need to get rid of some of the old, like Malouda, Kalou, Anelka etc. I hope we start playing good football, and every match all the players give 110% unlike some parts of last season. And lastly i hope that Abramovich will give Villas-Boas time to develop a new team, his own team and not the team giving to him, if it means not winning the League for a couple of years then so be it.

[GodZola 630]

I said yesterday that AVB would not of been my choice as I would of preferred Jose but I will add that I am more confident about his appointment than I have been about all the managers we've had since Jose's departure & yes that does include a double CL winner in Ancelotti who I had reservations about his lack of success in winning league titles.

This guy does excite me & the last manager that did that was when Jose was installed so I hope that's a good omen.

Imho if AVB is to be a success then a number of factors have to change starting with Roman letting him run things HIS WAY & I mean from top to bottom which is exactly what Jose wanted before things went wrong under Romans interference. Next is his ability to manage big ego's & not be like Ancelotti & be afraid to drop them when they clearly need a kick up the 'arris' to get them back on track. I think we will all be interested in who he decides to bring in & sell, for me this is key to us improving our style & getting us back to winning & therefore the confidence will come with it. Lastly I will be intrigued to see what formation he chooses & how often he will change it.

His first job will be to get Torres playing like the world class player he is, AVB knows that if we give him the service (which was distinctly lacking last season) then we will be one step further up the ladder to success. Torres needs an arm round him, some of the other players need their confidence returned, others fitness issues, I think he will go in & will have a plan already mapped out - he is that methodical.

For me he ticks all the boxes bar a tiny negative in experience, the one thing that worries me as always is Romans meddling, however I think we have the right man at last but will reserve some judgement until I see how he sets about my concerns above.

Thumbs up though & for the first time in 5 seasons I am really looking forward to it with so much optimism.