Unmanageable club. Like Palermo, only moreso.

If Guardiola is the man Abromovich wants, will he be interested?

If you believe everything you read... Abramovich failed to convince Guardiola last summer. I can't see how anything has changed for the better now.

Rumour is that it's Benitez, at least until the end of the current season, presumably on the theory that he's the only one who knows how to operate Torres. Interestingly, my employers have 'next permanent Chelsea manager' at 28/1 in the next Prem manager to leave market. Eighth-favourite.

He left Barca saying he needed a break. Barca would be rightfully annoyed if the break disappeared and he went and took a job straight away



The only operating Torres needs is pointing towards the door. If Abramovich brings in Benitez solely to try and make Torres work then he needs a slap.

Torres was always a difficult fit for Chelsea, but even considering the problems no one would really have expected him to be as abject as he has been. Benitez will probably be a managerial version of Torres. Benitez will be as popular with Chelsea fans as Roy Hodgson was at Liverpool. In fact I think we'll make the Liverpool-Hodgson relationship look like bliss.

I said that I didn't want Di Matteo to be given the job because I didn't think he would be given enough time if we did go through a difficult time. I didn't figure we'd be this ridiculous.

My only hope is that Roman is recognising his huge mistake, that Jose really doesn't like it at Real and Roman is bringing him home.

[url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/table/2012/nov/21/chelsea-managers-premier-league-statistics?CMP=twt_guChelsea manager's Premier League stats[/url.

Benitez. To season's end.

Or so someone down yon end of the office has said...

Apparently so.

It's a good opportunity to wind Roddy up by calling him a Fat Spanish Waiter whenever Chelsea lose.

I agree. Abramovich's problem seems to be that he wants a complete overhaul of the way Chelsea play, but won't give anyone enough time to do it. Combined with the amount of player changes going on/needed it just can't be done without bumps in the road. With the last 2 appointments they've shown that they are not willing to back the manager when things get a bit sticky only a few months in.

Unless people go in with their eyes open to get 3 years' pay for 6 months work they'd have to be mad to take the Chelsea job.

Benitez would be mad to refuse it, even if its only until the end of the season. He's been out of work for a while, it would put him back in the shop window. And Hiddink showed that managers can enhance their reputation doing a short term job.

I can see that, I was more meaning that I can't see why anyone would take the permanent Chelsea job unless it was with the full expectation that they'll be fired in 6 months and have their contract paid up. No matter what promises a new man might be made about patience and backing, it's been clearly shown that they'll carry the can as soon as things get a bit wobbly. Chelsea is up there with Liverpool and England as the biggest poisoned chalices in English football.

Chelsea have had more managers than throphies in their history. Ridiculous.

Good luck to Rafa though. World class coach.

I'm failing to understand the obession with Guardiola. I could have managed that Barca team to every trophy under the sun. Get him to replace Hughes at QPR, see how good of a manager he is then!

I'm hit and miss with Rafa going to Chelsea, though if he does go there, I'm looking forward to the meltdown that will engulf the Chelsea fanbase.

He won three consecutive La Ligas and two Champs Leagues in the space of four years (both in his first season). It's okay saying he had Iniesta, Messi and Xavi but these players need molding together as evidenced by the fact that Messi, despite being the best player in the world, has pretty much done nothing with Argentina. You mentioned QPR and how would he do there, well that may be valid criticism but how would Mark Hughes do at Barcelona if he was there? Would he have won three consecutive La Ligas and two Champs League? Managing a team of world class players is very different to managing a team of journeymen professionals.

That's without going into the way his teams have approached and evolved the game. I'm not saying he's the best in the world but it does seem pretty obvious why there's an obsession with Guardiola, especially in the UK where retaining possession has been an issue at international level for decades. Decades.

You have to be fair Guardiola. Despite all the talent at Barcelona, they were going nowhere under the last two years of Rijkaard's management.

Under Abramovich, Chelsea have won 10 trophies with 7 managers.

Before Abramovich, Chelsea had 25 managers for 9 trophies.

In the 9 years since Abramovich came, Liverpool have had 3 trophies with 4 managers.



He's should F off back to Liverpool where he will always be held with affection. He's not wanted by Chelsea.

Roman Abramovich has brought league titles, FA Cup wins, the Champions League, magnificent players, great managers, a chance to dream.

For that I love the guy.

But getting rid of Mourinho, appointing Grant, appointing Benitez, what a ******* ****.

Love it lad. I hope Stamford Bridge calls Pienaar an African c*nt in unison. Would be lovely to see the toffees get on their high horse again.

Think Chelsea could have appointed much worse than Benitez, but he really isn't the right person for a short fix. Maybe he'll get the best from Torres and that's all Roman wants. He apparently wanted the league, then the champions league, then sexy football, then the champions league, and now he wants what? Perfection? A smooth journey all the way?

Surely all the Chelsea fans should get behind there manager now, just like Liverpool fans where suppose to get behind Roy.

Pal, they've had CL winners and WC winners manage their club, they will turn against anyone if they get a couple of dodgy results.

You shouldn't be posting on a sports forum, you should be learning English. THEIR, WERE, SUPPOSED. One short sentence, three mistakes.

My objection to scouse whining, mainly from Roddy, was that even if he was performing at a 7/10 level, Roddy would be so bitter he'd be claiming it as a 4. He's still doing it now, even after Hodgson has gone on to England.

Hodgson was simply one of the best available managers to Liverpool who Liverpool fans wouldn't take to, no matter what he did.

If Chelsea fans were polled in the week before which possible candidate they didn't want then IMO Benitez would be the overwhelming number one choice. And Chelsea have just completely ignored their clear animosity to him and appointed him.

Where CFC fans go from here I don't know. Personally, I am disgusted at the CFC board and Roman for making this appointment. I am disgusted at CFC for their shoddy treatment of a good man who delivered to us a CL final win in amazing circumstances. I don't like Benitez, CFC should have never appointed him, but he's our boss and I will try to give him a chance, even though he is a fat, scouse **** who should have never got the job in the first place.

But if Benitez does a 10/10 job, I won't do a Roddy and still claim it as a 6 because of my dislike for him.

Chris Foy is reffing us for the first time since the QPR away game when he Ovrebo'd us. This week just keeps getting better.

speaking of refs www.thefa.com/News/governance/20 ... nburg.aspx

speaking of refs www.thefa.com/News/governance/20 ... nburg.aspx

Quote ="flipper"speaking of refs www.thefa.com/News/governance/20 ... nburg.aspx'" So Clattenburg's awesome performance during the game carried on after it. If Mikel used foul and abusive language towards him after the game then he should have given him a straight red for foul and abusive language towards an official. From the perpsective of Clattenburg possibly making a racist remark to Mikel. If he didn't do it then this is the right result. My only issue is that practically every newspaper article and statement by oppo managers on this issue since has set the stage for a whitewash even if Clattenburg did call Mikel a monkey. I don't know what Ramires's grasp of English is. But then again, I don't know how good Suarez and Evra were communicating in Spanish either. I'm reading that we're being slagged off for not apologising to Clattenburg. Well when he apologises to us for the not carding and sending off Evens, for wrongly booking Torres and sending him off, and the lino apologises for not seeing their player being offside all the time during their winning goal then Ramires should apologise for his error. But as we won't get an apology, they can shove theirs too.

Quote ="flipper"speaking of refs www.thefa.com/News/governance/20 ... nburg.aspx'" So Clattenburg's awesome performance during the game carried on after it. If Mikel used foul and abusive language towards him after the game then he should have given him a straight red for foul and abusive language towards an official. From the perpsective of Clattenburg possibly making a racist remark to Mikel. If he didn't do it then this is the right result. My only issue is that practically every newspaper article and statement by oppo managers on this issue since has set the stage for a whitewash even if Clattenburg did call Mikel a monkey. I don't know what Ramires's grasp of English is. But then again, I don't know how good Suarez and Evra were communicating in Spanish either. I'm reading that we're being slagged off for not apologising to Clattenburg. Well when he apologises to us for the not carding and sending off Evens, for wrongly booking Torres and sending him off, and the lino apologises for not seeing their player being offside all the time during their winning goal then Ramires should apologise for his error. But as we won't get an apology, they can shove theirs too.

I thought the allegation was implausible simply because of the complete absence of any televised pictures of Mikel and Ramires looking outraged.

It was very clear during the Suarez incident that Evra was very upset about something. Surely Ramires and Mikel would have reacted in a similar manner if Clattenberg had called Mikel a monkey?

And, in view of Anton Ferdinand's lack of reaction, I dont think that Terry would have been charged if it hadnt been clear from the pictures that he had actually spoken the words.

But with Clattenberg there were no pictures of him using the word monkey, and a complete lack of any apparent reaction from Mikel and Ramires until after the game.