Blues stuck in a crisis, admits Cech
Chelsea keeper says players to blame for Napoli defeat that threatens manager Villas-Boas
CHELSEA goalkeeper Petr Cech admits the club is in the midst of a crisis and says “silly mistakes” were to blame for the defeat to Napoli that has nudged manager Andre Villas-Boas ever closer to the sack.
Tuesday’s 3-1 reverse in Italy leaves the Blues’ Champions League hopes hanging by a thread and continues a dire run of form that has led to widespread calls for Villas-Boas to be fired.
Chelsea have failed to win any of their last five games in all competitions and have dropped out of the Premier League’s top four, having taken just three points from a possible 12.
Compounding the disarray are disputes between Villas-Boas and some players, with the manager admitting some do not back his plans and the likes of Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Michael Essien omitted at Napoli.
“We can see the crisis is still ongoing,” said Cech (inset). “Unfortunately, our poor run continues and the result from Naples obviously didn’t help. It ended up exactly the way we didn’t want it to. But everyone who was on the pitch is to blame. We make silly mistakes and we pay for it.”
Villas-Boas remains adamant he is staying at Chelsea for the remaining two years of his contract, having swept into Stamford Bridge last summer on the crest of a treble success at Porto. Failing managers do not stay at the club long, but the 34-year-old rejected suggestions he could walk into another top job, replacing former Blues boss Claudio Ranieri at Inter Milan, if he were dismissed.
“I have the utmost respect for the work of Ranieri,” he said. “I think we’ll both continue to work with our current team, to believe in our work and try to get results. Market rumours are part of football, but I want to build Chelsea’s future and I’m working on that.”
The debate: Should Chelsea sack AVB?
JAMES GOLDMAN
YES
CHELSEA owner Roman Abramovich was daring enough to embrace change in the summer by hiring a manager who had a long-term vision for his club. Unfortunately for the Russian oligarch he chose the wrong man for the job and should wield the axe again before Andre Villas-Boas drags his club further into the mire.
A tactical change of approach and an overhaul of personnel has been long overdue at Stamford Bridge.
The Portuguese, however, has been guilty of attempting too much too soon and consequently alienated the club’s senior pros and implemented a gameplan which suits nobody.
Ready made candidates to replace him are hardly plentiful, but that’s no reason to persist with someone so clearly out of his depth.
FRANK DALLERES
NO
Let’s get one thing straight: you don’t win the treble unless you’re a very talented manager indeed. Much less at the age of 33, in your first full season in charge of any club, and in a good European league.
Andre Villas-Boas did that less than 12 months ago. Harry Redknapp, the unanimous choice to lead England, has not won three major trophies in the entirety of his 29-year managerial career.
It has not gone well at Chelsea, but given the task – transforming the team’s style, phasing out washed up stars, while remaining at the top – it is no surprise. Any manager would have struggled.
The truth is hiring any manager is a risk. So is sacking them. But Villas-Boas has already achieved enough to deserve an extended crack of the whip.