Chelsea Terrace Talk – Irish Examiner Article By Trizia

AND WHO said that Chelsea didn’t win anything this season? Our board have once again won the classless cronies of the year award – even with stiff opposition from Sullivan, Gold and Brady.

Couldn’t they have waited until the day after the end of the season – told Ancelotti privately at a time and place where he could have prepared a statement himself. Didn’t we owe him just that little bit of respect?

Whether you were an Ancelotti fan or not, one thing that we can all agree on is that he was an honourable man who won praise for the way he conducted himself even during the prolonged periods of conjecture over his position – so what a disgraceful, brutal and shameful way to treat a man that made history at Chelsea Football Club. 

I think we all at one time or another this season questioned his decisions or choices, but surely the Double last season and the number of mitigating circumstances this season should have bought him one more year?

He had vital squad players sold last summer, he had Essien, Benayoun, Alex and Lampard return from long periods out and it’s fair to say on the part of Lampard and Essien, to nowhere near the form that we have been used to. He had arguably our most important striker sidelined with malaria. He had a couple of other players demonstrating extensive poor form and he had a high profile striker foisted upon him mid-season into a team not set up to garner the best of his talents. He had his right-hand man summarily dismissed.

Ancelotti himself made mistakes – substitutions and team selections often had many of us scratching our heads and his motivational skills were often called into question – although there is a whole other argument about whether a professional sportsman needs someone to tell him to be motivated. But even taking these failings into account, I believe he performed well enough to earn a bit of loyalty.

The Champions League exit and the prolonged midseason slump did for him in the end. We are all too aware of Abramovich’s obsession with the Champions League and the slump was just too concentrated – it attracted too much procrastination from journalists and fans alike. If we had matched United throughout and just been pipped at the post to the league title, I think many would have been more forgiving —  the result would have been the same. We would have still finished second – but maybe some would have found it more acceptable.

Moving on – where now? Or more pointedly “who”? The smart money is apparently on Hiddink as Director of Football and Marco Van Basten as manager. Van Basten has achieved exactly what within management? He was a failure both at national and club level and personally I find it incredible that he is even a consideration. Andriy Shevchenko was in the directors’ box with Abramovich the other week. Perhaps he is missing the bunkers and fairways of Wentworth?

Other rumours state that Zola will be bought in in some capacity or other to appease the fans. More fool him if he accepts a role within this circus.

I am assuming that given Ancelotti’s sacking the bar has been raised to win a trophy or you’re out – that is quite some demand, but then the pay off will make up for any inconvenience caused I imagine. Meanwhile, the price of our match tickets keep going up.

And what of the players? There are some that owe Ancelotti an apology in my book. They should take some of the responsibility of “our performances falling short of expectations” and perhaps some will but it probably won’t be the right ones.

We as supporters will be expected to carry on with our blind support – which is as it should be to a certain extent – after all we support Chelsea, not a manager, or certain players, but you can’t help than be left with a sour taste watching the same brutal charade being played out every other year.

Perhaps Abramovich should come down from his ivory tower sometimes and speak to the fans, i.e. people who really care about the club and not advisors who all seem to be searching for ways to position their snouts into the already crowded trough that is football. Winning is not the be all and end all of everything, not for most football fans anyway – otherwise we would all support the same three or four clubs.

I am glad to see the back of this season and greet the summer break with a sigh of relief – but some seasons are just like that – no one person is to blame no matter what the club want you to believe.

There will be the usual comings and goings which we have all come to expect within recent years and the majority of us will return next season with renewed vigour and the usual football fans optimistic mantra that “this is going to be our year”.

Thank you to all those that have read my rants and musings over the past season, and to all those that have taken the time and trouble to write to me. It’s always much appreciated. Who knows what next season will bring, but one thing is for certain – I will be there with the boys in blue come what may.