Chelsea have - despite criticism from the outside - enjoyed incredible success in recent years and every manager what they are signing up for when they arrive at Stamford Bridge
Liam Rosenior
Liam Rosenior knows what he is signing up for at Chelsea
View 3 Images
(Image: PA)
For the best part of 25 years, Chelsea have done things their way - and been very successful at it. Roman Abramovich transformed the club, turned it into a European super power which won the biggest trophies year in and year out.
To say it has been less smooth under the joint ownership of Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali would be something of an understatement, but they appear to be carrying on Chelsea’s best traditions.
It would be naive to suggest the fans do not hanker for previous times and success. They were singing Abramovich’s name during Chelsea’s draw at Manchester City on Sunday.
But it would also be easy to forget about Carlo Ancelotti being sacked in the tunnel at Goodison Park just a year after winning Chelsea the Premier League and FA Cup Double.
Chelsea went through managers like there was no tomorrow at Stamford Bridge during Abramovich’s reign and there were some pretty strange hires, too.
Avram Grant. Roberto Di Matteo won the Champions League after succeeding Andre Villas Boas (definitely an odd pick) to be interim manager in 2012. Luiz Felipe Scolari did not work. Chain-smoking Maurizio Sarri.
Frank Lampard was under appreciated for what he did. Then you had the mega names like Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel. Lots more.
Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich
Chelsea were a club transformed under Roman Abramovich - despite some pretty turbulent periods
View 3 Images
(Image: Adam Davy/PA Wire)
And what remained the same? They were gone without a second thought if Chelsea were ever in danger of missing out on a Champions League spot.
Now, a few years later, after being labelled the “Billion Pound Bottle Jobs” and also having a very strange transfer and contract policy, they went back to the Abramovich era by sacking Enzo Maresca.
Maresca won the Club World Cup, a European trophy and qualified for the Champions League. He knew what he was signing up for - and if he didn’t then it’s poor preparation.
He was the coach not the manager. It is a structure at Chelsea. The medics should have the final say at all clubs. That is the ideal. It does not always work like that.
Chelsea signed players to long contracts. It is obvious that they buy young, they favour forwards and it is a merry-go-round system which means they have stayed within Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Enzo Maresca waving to Chelsea fans
Enzo Maresca left Chelsea after going public with his grievances
View 3 Images
(Image: Getty Images)
That is not cheating. It is just different. And, in keeping with the Abramovich era, they won. They were crowned champions of the world! It is easy to dismiss that trophy but name one big European club that would not want that.
Chelsea did it - and are rightly proud of it. The days when the manager did everything from training, coaching, buying, selling and chopping up the oranges are long gone.
Chelsea have moved with the times - and won throughout. Liam Rosenior is a hell of a gamble and comes from within the Chelsea “family” of clubs at Strasbourg.
But these owners have a vision. We might not agree with it. We ridiculed them not so long ago. And then they won. And if Rosenior does not win, they he will know what comes next.