2011/12 English Premier League:General Discussion

[Robin de Bodemloze]

2-0

Abramovich wants Guardiola now apparently

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has sent out the message that he wants the best manager in the world and has targeted Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola in the summer after a move for Rafa Benitez fell through.

Having decided to sack Andre Villas-Boas, Benitez was considered on a short term deal until the end of the season, but it collapsed as the former Liverpool boss wanted a minimum of a two-year contract.

ESPNsoccernet sources hinted that Benitez might well have been interviewed last Wednesday for around five hours and that, on Friday, Abramovich's hierarchy had an emergency meeting to decide whether to axe AVB ahead of the match at West Brom.

After deciding to give him one final chance, a 1-0 defeat to the Baggies sealed his fate and Guardiola is now the coach Abramovich believes can sort out the mess at Stamford Bridge as he would command total respect for his achievements with the stellar names at the Nou Camp.

A source told ESPNsoccernet: "Roman wants the best in the world, so Guardiola clearly fits the bill, if he can get him of course. There have been one or two English managers names put forward, like Harry Redknapp and Glenn Hoddle, but Roman and his advisors like the men in vogue and they are usually the foreign coaches."

Guardiola has yet to decide whether he will extend his contract at the Nou Camp for another year, and the interest from Chelsea is sure to delay any decision still further as Abramovich is ready to make him the richest manager of all time.

Of course this being soccernet it could all be bollocks.

[Miroslav Klose]

There is only one man that can save Chelsea.

[Mr. Pink]

AVB was way too inexperienced to be the manager, he's the same age as Lampard/Terry or near enough.

There are successful managers at big clubs who have not had much experience (Guardiola had even less).

I agree class is something that should be adhered too, but this is football at the end of the day!

Both managers were having a go at each other, so why the hell should should pardew take that crap from MON??? MON he got as good as he deserved on and off the field!!

What did MON do?

[snuggans]

why would Guardiola want to move away from one of, if not the deadliest club in the world to work for someone that's going to sack him even if he wins silverware? and i'm not talking about some blasted asian cup trophy or whatever but actual silverware.

the only way i see him accepting something like that is for lucrative amounts of money and because he sees a challenge in managing Chelsea where there is more competition than La Liga.

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Very nice victory if a little bizarre. Great game from Rio and cracking goals from Ashley Young.

Need to sort the passing out though

As for Chelsea - whoever takes that job now must be really short of money or really desperate to prove themselves, or both. Guardiola would be out of his mind to leave Barca in its current state.

[Outlaw]

I don't care who he hires, I just want to see us play attacking football with exquisite passing. Is that too much to ask?

[classical_hero]

Who in their right mind would want to go to Stamford Bridge?

[Adar]

As for Chelsea - whoever takes that job now must be really short of money or really desperate to prove themselves, or both. Guardiola would be out of his mind to leave Barca in its current state.

Hhm...


He's loaded but he have never been the guy who says no to a hopeless project with owners who will fire him regardless of the results.

[Erebus Pasha]

As bad as things were, I would have given AVB until the end of next season...

Also, what a prick Alan Pardew is. Showed no respect towards MON.

Given that Chelsea need a much needed overhaul in their playing staff then yes I agree. Getting rid of AVB doesn't actually solve the problems at Stamford Bridge.

As for the Tyne & Wear Derby - I was amazed that Lee Cattermole managed to stay on the pitch for 90 minutes but then laughed when I found he got a red in a tunnel after the final whistle.

[Mr. Pink]

If I were Chelsea I'd be going after Fabio Capello.

[Ybbon]

There are successful managers at big clubs who have not had much experience (Guardiola had even less).

Guardiola played for years at Barca and had the respect inside the club, AVB was never a professional player.

Generally inexperienced managers don't do well straight away at big clubs, and it was too much of a big job for him - not his fault, Abramovich is clearly very very hard to please and impress so either he needed to get the older players on his side immediately or get rid of them - and that is where his lack of experience told.

Not being an ex-player is not an impediment either, Wenger didn't have much of a career that way but he worked his way up, AVB needed some bad years to go with the good of Porto to round him off and that might have meant the players respected him more.

[Schrödinger]

Woy for Chelsea, he knows how to steady a boat and it would be a good stepping stone to the England job

[Derbiean]

If I were Chelsea I'd be going after Fabio Capello.

Brendan Rogers?

[Ishoss]

Trying to play like Barca with Livermore and Sandro in the centre.

Honestly? What the .

[Mr. Pink]

Brendan Rogers?

Would take Paul Lambert over Brendan Rogers.

Rogers wouldn't be able to do a better job than AVB.

AVB failed because Terry/Lampard/Cole didn't want him, and apparently Chelsea want to keep those 3.

Capello could step in and control and dressing room.

[johnhughthom]

I think the days of the tough, no nonsense, disciplinarian manager are gone.

Roman is probably annoyed he waited too long, and another Russian billionaire has already nabbed his bum chum Hiddink. Personally I don't see a stand out candidate for the job, Klopp maybe.

[avesta]

Highlights + recap of Manchester - Tottenham game today:

http://www.tenmillionslaves.com/up-t...chester-united

[Derbiean]

Would take Paul Lambert over Brendan Rogers.

Rogers wouldn't be able to do a better job than AVB.

AVB failed because Terry/Lampard/Cole didn't want him, and apparently Chelsea want to keep those 3.

Capello could step in and control and dressing room.

Well Capello gets on with them so establishing control of the dressing room should be easy enough if you consider Capello criticised the FA for stripping Terry of the captaincy.

[Treva ★]

There are successful managers at big clubs who have not had much experience (Guardiola had even less).

What? He won a mere six Leagues, two Cups, one European Cup and one Cup Winners' Cup. He's… not had much experience, right…

I think the days of the tough, no nonsense, disciplinarian manager are gone.

Roman is probably annoyed he waited too long, and another Russian billionaire has already nabbed his bum chum Hiddink. Personally I don't see a stand out candidate for the job, Klopp maybe.

Players shouldn't be paid the astronomical salaries they're paid and shouldn't be given all the benefits they're given… and they should never be allowed to choose their coach.

[Robin de Bodemloze]

What? He won a mere six Leagues, two Cups, one European Cup and one Cup Winners' Cup. He's… not had much experience, right…

Managerial experience.