Riccardo

As depressing as it may be, I generally agree with pretty much everything that Charlie Methven says tbh

Like so many cases of venereal disease, he caught it in Paris.

Think JT could actually be an excellent interim choice. This season is already a write-off, except for the cup. He is a great motivator which is exactly what is needed to have a go at the cup. He is very popular with the fans and will bring some feel goods. Also, he should be able to teach these players a thing or two about what it means to play for the club.
And if things go well, you never know what the future holds.

However which way we finish this season, there is one match Rosenior must win. Depending on the circumstances prevailing at the time, all of his shortcomings could be ignored if he pulls this one off. That is the match penciled in on the fixture list for 18 May, the penultimate league match of the season. Potentially, fates could be sealed and coffins could be nailed.

I have been trying to piece together the story behind Maresca's departure and have come up with a 'theoretical explanation'. I am not trying to defend Maresca, everyone has their own opinion of him and his football, but I am trying to piece together a narrative that illustrates the royal sh*t show Eghbali and Co. are running. I am too lazy to quote any sources - my claims are based on complete conjecture, so make of it as you will (with a pinch of salt).
Go back to the beginning. Do you see the pattern?
Tuchel; elite level - walked after not being happy with Boehly (and friends?) sticking their grubby fingers in his pie.
Potter; fish out of water - euthanised.
Lampard; interim - enough said.
Poch - pseudo elite level - at the end of the season he sat down with the board and thought, "Yeah, nah. I am not going to achieve anything with these guys".
Maresca - wannabe elite level - he didn't get sacked, he walked.
Maresca is not an idiot. Before coming here he would have done his due diligence and knew what he was getting into before coming here. He would have had his agents speak to the agents of Poch and Tuchel to get the lowdown on why they left, and they would have said the same thing. Too much interference from the top and their job was untenable.
When negotiating his contract I reckon Maresca would have tried to include something to give him more control if he performs well. I don't know how strong these terms would have been. In his first season he achieves the goals of getting the club back in the the Chamipons League, winning the Conference League, and also winning the Club World Cup, so he thinks he is in some position to negotiate to gain more managerial control.

At the start of the season he gets his agent to speak to the club, and the club refuse his requests, perhaps delaying talks to the end of the season. In the meantime, the medical department is giving him directions for substitutions and Eghbali (and Co.) is telling him he needs to play younger players more to keep up their book value. Maresca doesn't always follow these directions, but is getting results, 2nd or 3rd on the table, so not too many qualms.

Discussions between his agent and the club are going nowhere, he gets frustrated and appoints Mendes as his new agent in October. Mendes gets Maresca meetings with City and Juventus for Eghbali (and Co.) to take notice and talk (even though they do not amount to anything). Eghbali (and Co.) sees through this ploy. Sometime after the Barca game Eghbali meets with Maresca and rips through him, probably telling him that he has no chance of increasing his managerial control.

Then the bullsh*t starts happening, results and performances start going south. Maresca starts making some (more) questionable tactical decisions during games, either based on a resentful obsequiousness of the club's directives so he can stuff poor results in the face of Eghbali (and Co.), or as a form of self-sabotage to try and get sacked.

In the "48 hours" before the Everton game, Maresca gets a dressing down in the boardroom once again, and it explodes. He threatens to quit, Eghbali (and Co.) remind him of his contractual obligations and the penalties if he walks. The bullsh*t continues. Eghbali (and Co.) are smart enough to know it is no good holding on to a disgruntled employee so they begin sounding out alternatives.

More bullsh*t happens, and come the Bournemouth game, Maresca asks Caballero to talk to the press while he gets on the phone with Mendes to tell him he wants out and to negotiate an exit from the club. The club knows they have to negotiate an exit package, even though the contract might strictly say otherwise, as they need to control the narrative of Maresca's departure otherwise they don't stand a chance in hell of attracting anyone half-decent. Pay him so he shuts up. NDA's, $ and terms take a couple of days and Maresca is unceremoniously removed from Clearlake's payroll on Jan 1.

The club now, I reckon, finds themself in a bit of a pickle.
There really isn't anyone decent available - at least not anyone decent who is willing to let others call the shots (hence why it won't be Xavi).
They could poach another manager from another club mid-season, but last time they tried that it didn't pan out too well. You are hardly ever in a good negotiating position mid-season, and again, of the names being bandied about, who would seriously want to? Iraola? Howe? Farioli?
Interim manager for the rest of the season? Who? Someone internal? FSW? Allardyce?
So it comes to Rosenior. I highly doubt he is anything else but a plan B, otherwise he'd be in by now. Eghbali (and Co.) have known that Maresca's tenure at Chelsea has been at risk since mid-December, and they have had all that time to get their ducks in a row. A manager at another Clearlake owned club shouldn't be too much trouble to poach even though they would have to find a replacement. The board have got the PR department to work on this one, saying that they are "really impressed with Resenior's work at Strasburg", to ease the fanbase's concerns when it eventuates.

We can all see how this is going to end up. Should we even bother?

I have been trying to piece together the story behind Maresca's departure and have come up with a 'theoretical explanation'. I am not trying to defend Maresca, everyone has their own opinion of him and his football, but I am trying to piece together a narrative that illustrates the royal sh*t show Eghbali and Co. are running. I am too lazy to quote any sources - my claims are based on complete conjecture, so make of it as you will (with a pinch of salt).
Go back to the beginning. Do you see the pattern?
Tuchel; elite level - walked after not being happy with Boehly (and friends?) sticking their grubby fingers in his pie.
Potter; fish out of water - euthanised.
Lampard; interim - enough said.
Poch - pseudo elite level - at the end of the season he sat down with the board and thought, "Yeah, nah. I am not going to achieve anything with these guys".
Maresca - wannabe elite level - he didn't get sacked, he walked.
Maresca is not an idiot. Before coming here he would have done his due diligence and knew what he was getting into before coming here. He would have had his agents speak to the agents of Poch and Tuchel to get the lowdown on why they left, and they would have said the same thing. Too much interference from the top and their job was untenable.
When negotiating his contract I reckon Maresca would have tried to include something to give him more control if he performs well. I don't know how strong these terms would have been. In his first season he achieves the goals of getting the club back in the the Chamipons League, winning the Conference League, and also winning the Club World Cup, so he thinks he is in some position to negotiate to gain more managerial control.

At the start of the season he gets his agent to speak to the club, and the club refuse his requests, perhaps delaying talks to the end of the season. In the meantime, the medical department is giving him directions for substitutions and Eghbali (and Co.) is telling him he needs to play younger players more to keep up their book value. Maresca doesn't always follow these directions, but is getting results, 2nd or 3rd on the table, so not too many qualms.

Discussions between his agent and the club are going nowhere, he gets frustrated and appoints Mendes as his new agent in October. Mendes gets Maresca meetings with City and Juventus for Eghbali (and Co.) to take notice and talk (even though they do not amount to anything). Eghbali (and Co.) sees through this ploy. Sometime after the Barca game Eghbali meets with Maresca and rips through him, probably telling him that he has no chance of increasing his managerial control.

Then the bullsh*t starts happening, results and performances start going south. Maresca starts making some (more) questionable tactical decisions during games, either based on a resentful obsequiousness of the club's directives so he can stuff poor results in the face of Eghbali (and Co.), or as a form of self-sabotage to try and get sacked.

In the "48 hours" before the Everton game, Maresca gets a dressing down in the boardroom once again, and it explodes. He threatens to quit, Eghbali (and Co.) remind him of his contractual obligations and the penalties if he walks. The bullsh*t continues. Eghbali (and Co.) are smart enough to know it is no good holding on to a disgruntled employee so they begin sounding out alternatives.

More bullsh*t happens, and come the Bournemouth game, Maresca asks Caballero to talk to the press while he gets on the phone with Mendes to tell him he wants out and to negotiate an exit from the club. The club knows they have to negotiate an exit package, even though the contract might strictly say otherwise, as they need to control the narrative of Maresca's departure otherwise they don't stand a chance in hell of attracting anyone half-decent. Pay him so he shuts up. NDA's, $ and terms take a couple of days and Maresca is unceremoniously removed from Clearlake's payroll on Jan 1.

The club now, I reckon, finds themself in a bit of a pickle.
There really isn't anyone decent available - at least not anyone decent who is willing to let others call the shots (hence why it won't be Xavi).
They could poach another manager from another club mid-season, but last time they tried that it didn't pan out too well. You are hardly ever in a good negotiating position mid-season, and again, of the names being bandied about, who would seriously want to? Iraola? Howe? Farioli?
Interim manager for the rest of the season? Who? Someone internal? FSW? Allardyce?
So it comes to Rosenior. I highly doubt he is anything else but a plan B, otherwise he'd be in by now. Eghbali (and Co.) have known that Maresca's tenure at Chelsea has been at risk since mid-December, and they have had all that time to get their ducks in a row. A manager at another Clearlake owned club shouldn't be too much trouble to poach even though they would have to find a replacement. The board have got the PR department to work on this one, saying that they are "really impressed with Resenior's work at Strasburg", to ease the fanbase's concerns when it eventuates.

We can all see how this is going to end up. Should we even bother?

I have been trying to piece together the story behind Maresca's departure and have come up with a 'theoretical explanation'. I am not trying to defend Maresca, everyone has their own opinion of him and his football, but I am trying to piece together a narrative that illustrates the royal sh*t show Eghbali and Co. are running. I am too lazy to quote any sources - my claims are based on complete conjecture, so make of it as you will (with a pinch of salt).
Go back to the beginning. Do you see the pattern?
Tuchel; elite level - walked after not being happy with Boehly (and friends?) sticking their grubby fingers in his pie.
Potter; fish out of water - euthanised.
Lampard; interim - enough said.
Poch - pseudo elite level - at the end of the season he sat down with the board and thought, "Yeah, nah. I am not going to achieve anything with these guys".
Maresca - wannabe elite level - he didn't get sacked, he walked.
Maresca is not an idiot. Before coming here he would have done his due diligence and knew what he was getting into before coming here. He would have had his agents speak to the agents of Poch and Tuchel to get the lowdown on why they left, and they would have said the same thing. Too much interference from the top and their job was untenable.
When negotiating his contract I reckon Maresca would have tried to include something to give him more control if he performs well. I don't know how strong these terms would have been. In his first season he achieves the goals of getting the club back in the the Chamipons League, winning the Conference League, and also winning the Club World Cup, so he thinks he is in some position to negotiate to gain more managerial control.

At the start of the season he gets his agent to speak to the club, and the club refuse his requests, perhaps delaying talks to the end of the season. In the meantime, the medical department is giving him directions for substitutions and Eghbali (and Co.) is telling him he needs to play younger players more to keep up their book value. Maresca doesn't always follow these directions, but is getting results, 2nd or 3rd on the table, so not too many qualms.

Discussions between his agent and the club are going nowhere, he gets frustrated and appoints Mendes as his new agent in October. Mendes gets Maresca meetings with City and Juventus for Eghbali (and Co.) to take notice and talk (even though they do not amount to anything). Eghbali (and Co.) sees through this ploy. Sometime after the Barca game Eghbali meets with Maresca and rips through him, probably telling him that he has no chance of increasing his managerial control.

Then the bullsh*t starts happening, results and performances start going south. Maresca starts making some (more) questionable tactical decisions during games, either based on a resentful obsequiousness of the club's directives so he can stuff poor results in the face of Eghbali (and Co.), or as a form of self-sabotage to try and get sacked.

In the "48 hours" before the Everton game, Maresca gets a dressing down in the boardroom once again, and it explodes. He threatens to quit, Eghbali (and Co.) remind him of his contractual obligations and the penalties if he walks. The bullsh*t continues. Eghbali (and Co.) are smart enough to know it is no good holding on to a disgruntled employee so they begin sounding out alternatives.

More bullsh*t happens, and come the Bournemouth game, Maresca asks Caballero to talk to the press while he gets on the phone with Mendes to tell him he wants out and to negotiate an exit from the club. The club knows they have to negotiate an exit package, even though the contract might strictly say otherwise, as they need to control the narrative of Maresca's departure otherwise they don't stand a chance in hell of attracting anyone half-decent. Pay him so he shuts up. NDA's, $ and terms take a couple of days and Maresca is unceremoniously removed from Clearlake's payroll on Jan 1.

The club now, I reckon, finds themself in a bit of a pickle.
There really isn't anyone decent available - at least not anyone decent who is willing to let others call the shots (hence why it won't be Xavi).
They could poach another manager from another club mid-season, but last time they tried that it didn't pan out too well. You are hardly ever in a good negotiating position mid-season, and again, of the names being bandied about, who would seriously want to? Iraola? Howe? Farioli?
Interim manager for the rest of the season? Who? Someone internal? FSW? Allardyce?
So it comes to Rosenior. I highly doubt he is anything else but a plan B, otherwise he'd be in by now. Eghbali (and Co.) have known that Maresca's tenure at Chelsea has been at risk since mid-December, and they have had all that time to get their ducks in a row. A manager at another Clearlake owned club shouldn't be too much trouble to poach even though they would have to find a replacement. The board have got the PR department to work on this one, saying that they are "really impressed with Resenior's work at Strasburg", to ease the fanbase's concerns when it eventuates.

We can all see how this is going to end up. Should we even bother?

I joined the forum simply to say this guy is a dead a ringer for Noah tannenbaum from the sopranos, the half black half Jew that Tony goes ballistic when he sees him with his daughter 😂

Happy new year and up the Chels!

I have been trying to piece together the story behind Maresca's departure and have come up with a 'theoretical explanation'. I am not trying to defend Maresca, everyone has their own opinion of him and his football, but I am trying to piece together a narrative that illustrates the royal sh*t show Eghbali and Co. are running. I am too lazy to quote any sources - my claims are based on complete conjecture, so make of it as you will (with a pinch of salt).
Go back to the beginning. Do you see the pattern?
Tuchel; elite level - walked after not being happy with Boehly (and friends?) sticking their grubby fingers in his pie.
Potter; fish out of water - euthanised.
Lampard; interim - enough said.
Poch - pseudo elite level - at the end of the season he sat down with the board and thought, "Yeah, nah. I am not going to achieve anything with these guys".
Maresca - wannabe elite level - he didn't get sacked, he walked.
Maresca is not an idiot. Before coming here he would have done his due diligence and knew what he was getting into before coming here. He would have had his agents speak to the agents of Poch and Tuchel to get the lowdown on why they left, and they would have said the same thing. Too much interference from the top and their job was untenable.
When negotiating his contract I reckon Maresca would have tried to include something to give him more control if he performs well. I don't know how strong these terms would have been. In his first season he achieves the goals of getting the club back in the the Chamipons League, winning the Conference League, and also winning the Club World Cup, so he thinks he is in some position to negotiate to gain more managerial control.

At the start of the season he gets his agent to speak to the club, and the club refuse his requests, perhaps delaying talks to the end of the season. In the meantime, the medical department is giving him directions for substitutions and Eghbali (and Co.) is telling him he needs to play younger players more to keep up their book value. Maresca doesn't always follow these directions, but is getting results, 2nd or 3rd on the table, so not too many qualms.

Discussions between his agent and the club are going nowhere, he gets frustrated and appoints Mendes as his new agent in October. Mendes gets Maresca meetings with City and Juventus for Eghbali (and Co.) to take notice and talk (even though they do not amount to anything). Eghbali (and Co.) sees through this ploy. Sometime after the Barca game Eghbali meets with Maresca and rips through him, probably telling him that he has no chance of increasing his managerial control.

Then the bullsh*t starts happening, results and performances start going south. Maresca starts making some (more) questionable tactical decisions during games, either based on a resentful obsequiousness of the club's directives so he can stuff poor results in the face of Eghbali (and Co.), or as a form of self-sabotage to try and get sacked.

In the "48 hours" before the Everton game, Maresca gets a dressing down in the boardroom once again, and it explodes. He threatens to quit, Eghbali (and Co.) remind him of his contractual obligations and the penalties if he walks. The bullsh*t continues. Eghbali (and Co.) are smart enough to know it is no good holding on to a disgruntled employee so they begin sounding out alternatives.

More bullsh*t happens, and come the Bournemouth game, Maresca asks Caballero to talk to the press while he gets on the phone with Mendes to tell him he wants out and to negotiate an exit from the club. The club knows they have to negotiate an exit package, even though the contract might strictly say otherwise, as they need to control the narrative of Maresca's departure otherwise they don't stand a chance in hell of attracting anyone half-decent. Pay him so he shuts up. NDA's, $ and terms take a couple of days and Maresca is unceremoniously removed from Clearlake's payroll on Jan 1.

The club now, I reckon, finds themself in a bit of a pickle.
There really isn't anyone decent available - at least not anyone decent who is willing to let others call the shots (hence why it won't be Xavi).
They could poach another manager from another club mid-season, but last time they tried that it didn't pan out too well. You are hardly ever in a good negotiating position mid-season, and again, of the names being bandied about, who would seriously want to? Iraola? Howe? Farioli?
Interim manager for the rest of the season? Who? Someone internal? FSW? Allardyce?
So it comes to Rosenior. I highly doubt he is anything else but a plan B, otherwise he'd be in by now. Eghbali (and Co.) have known that Maresca's tenure at Chelsea has been at risk since mid-December, and they have had all that time to get their ducks in a row. A manager at another Clearlake owned club shouldn't be too much trouble to poach even though they would have to find a replacement. The board have got the PR department to work on this one, saying that they are "really impressed with Resenior's work at Strasburg", to ease the fanbase's concerns when it eventuates.

We can all see how this is going to end up. Should we even bother?

I have been trying to piece together the story behind Maresca's departure and have come up with a 'theoretical explanation'. I am not trying to defend Maresca, everyone has their own opinion of him and his football, but I am trying to piece together a narrative that illustrates the royal sh*t show Eghbali and Co. are running. I am too lazy to quote any sources - my claims are based on complete conjecture, so make of it as you will (with a pinch of salt).
Go back to the beginning. Do you see the pattern?
Tuchel; elite level - walked after not being happy with Boehly (and friends?) sticking their grubby fingers in his pie.
Potter; fish out of water - euthanised.
Lampard; interim - enough said.
Poch - pseudo elite level - at the end of the season he sat down with the board and thought, "Yeah, nah. I am not going to achieve anything with these guys".
Maresca - wannabe elite level - he didn't get sacked, he walked.
Maresca is not an idiot. Before coming here he would have done his due diligence and knew what he was getting into before coming here. He would have had his agents speak to the agents of Poch and Tuchel to get the lowdown on why they left, and they would have said the same thing. Too much interference from the top and their job was untenable.
When negotiating his contract I reckon Maresca would have tried to include something to give him more control if he performs well. I don't know how strong these terms would have been. In his first season he achieves the goals of getting the club back in the the Chamipons League, winning the Conference League, and also winning the Club World Cup, so he thinks he is in some position to negotiate to gain more managerial control.

At the start of the season he gets his agent to speak to the club, and the club refuse his requests, perhaps delaying talks to the end of the season. In the meantime, the medical department is giving him directions for substitutions and Eghbali (and Co.) is telling him he needs to play younger players more to keep up their book value. Maresca doesn't always follow these directions, but is getting results, 2nd or 3rd on the table, so not too many qualms.

Discussions between his agent and the club are going nowhere, he gets frustrated and appoints Mendes as his new agent in October. Mendes gets Maresca meetings with City and Juventus for Eghbali (and Co.) to take notice and talk (even though they do not amount to anything). Eghbali (and Co.) sees through this ploy. Sometime after the Barca game Eghbali meets with Maresca and rips through him, probably telling him that he has no chance of increasing his managerial control.

Then the bullsh*t starts happening, results and performances start going south. Maresca starts making some (more) questionable tactical decisions during games, either based on a resentful obsequiousness of the club's directives so he can stuff poor results in the face of Eghbali (and Co.), or as a form of self-sabotage to try and get sacked.

In the "48 hours" before the Everton game, Maresca gets a dressing down in the boardroom once again, and it explodes. He threatens to quit, Eghbali (and Co.) remind him of his contractual obligations and the penalties if he walks. The bullsh*t continues. Eghbali (and Co.) are smart enough to know it is no good holding on to a disgruntled employee so they begin sounding out alternatives.

More bullsh*t happens, and come the Bournemouth game, Maresca asks Caballero to talk to the press while he gets on the phone with Mendes to tell him he wants out and to negotiate an exit from the club. The club knows they have to negotiate an exit package, even though the contract might strictly say otherwise, as they need to control the narrative of Maresca's departure otherwise they don't stand a chance in hell of attracting anyone half-decent. Pay him so he shuts up. NDA's, $ and terms take a couple of days and Maresca is unceremoniously removed from Clearlake's payroll on Jan 1.

The club now, I reckon, finds themself in a bit of a pickle.
There really isn't anyone decent available - at least not anyone decent who is willing to let others call the shots (hence why it won't be Xavi).
They could poach another manager from another club mid-season, but last time they tried that it didn't pan out too well. You are hardly ever in a good negotiating position mid-season, and again, of the names being bandied about, who would seriously want to? Iraola? Howe? Farioli?
Interim manager for the rest of the season? Who? Someone internal? FSW? Allardyce?
So it comes to Rosenior. I highly doubt he is anything else but a plan B, otherwise he'd be in by now. Eghbali (and Co.) have known that Maresca's tenure at Chelsea has been at risk since mid-December, and they have had all that time to get their ducks in a row. A manager at another Clearlake owned club shouldn't be too much trouble to poach even though they would have to find a replacement. The board have got the PR department to work on this one, saying that they are "really impressed with Resenior's work at Strasburg", to ease the fanbase's concerns when it eventuates.

We can all see how this is going to end up. Should we even bother?

I have been trying to piece together the story behind Maresca's departure and have come up with a 'theoretical explanation'. I am not trying to defend Maresca, everyone has their own opinion of him and his football, but I am trying to piece together a narrative that illustrates the royal sh*t show Eghbali and Co. are running. I am too lazy to quote any sources - my claims are based on complete conjecture, so make of it as you will (with a pinch of salt).
Go back to the beginning. Do you see the pattern?
Tuchel; elite level - walked after not being happy with Boehly (and friends?) sticking their grubby fingers in his pie.
Potter; fish out of water - euthanised.
Lampard; interim - enough said.
Poch - pseudo elite level - at the end of the season he sat down with the board and thought, "Yeah, nah. I am not going to achieve anything with these guys".
Maresca - wannabe elite level - he didn't get sacked, he walked.
Maresca is not an idiot. Before coming here he would have done his due diligence and knew what he was getting into before coming here. He would have had his agents speak to the agents of Poch and Tuchel to get the lowdown on why they left, and they would have said the same thing. Too much interference from the top and their job was untenable.
When negotiating his contract I reckon Maresca would have tried to include something to give him more control if he performs well. I don't know how strong these terms would have been. In his first season he achieves the goals of getting the club back in the the Chamipons League, winning the Conference League, and also winning the Club World Cup, so he thinks he is in some position to negotiate to gain more managerial control.

At the start of the season he gets his agent to speak to the club, and the club refuse his requests, perhaps delaying talks to the end of the season. In the meantime, the medical department is giving him directions for substitutions and Eghbali (and Co.) is telling him he needs to play younger players more to keep up their book value. Maresca doesn't always follow these directions, but is getting results, 2nd or 3rd on the table, so not too many qualms.

Discussions between his agent and the club are going nowhere, he gets frustrated and appoints Mendes as his new agent in October. Mendes gets Maresca meetings with City and Juventus for Eghbali (and Co.) to take notice and talk (even though they do not amount to anything). Eghbali (and Co.) sees through this ploy. Sometime after the Barca game Eghbali meets with Maresca and rips through him, probably telling him that he has no chance of increasing his managerial control.

Then the bullsh*t starts happening, results and performances start going south. Maresca starts making some (more) questionable tactical decisions during games, either based on a resentful obsequiousness of the club's directives so he can stuff poor results in the face of Eghbali (and Co.), or as a form of self-sabotage to try and get sacked.

In the "48 hours" before the Everton game, Maresca gets a dressing down in the boardroom once again, and it explodes. He threatens to quit, Eghbali (and Co.) remind him of his contractual obligations and the penalties if he walks. The bullsh*t continues. Eghbali (and Co.) are smart enough to know it is no good holding on to a disgruntled employee so they begin sounding out alternatives.

More bullsh*t happens, and come the Bournemouth game, Maresca asks Caballero to talk to the press while he gets on the phone with Mendes to tell him he wants out and to negotiate an exit from the club. The club knows they have to negotiate an exit package, even though the contract might strictly say otherwise, as they need to control the narrative of Maresca's departure otherwise they don't stand a chance in hell of attracting anyone half-decent. Pay him so he shuts up. NDA's, $ and terms take a couple of days and Maresca is unceremoniously removed from Clearlake's payroll on Jan 1.

The club now, I reckon, finds themself in a bit of a pickle.
There really isn't anyone decent available - at least not anyone decent who is willing to let others call the shots (hence why it won't be Xavi).
They could poach another manager from another club mid-season, but last time they tried that it didn't pan out too well. You are hardly ever in a good negotiating position mid-season, and again, of the names being bandied about, who would seriously want to? Iraola? Howe? Farioli?
Interim manager for the rest of the season? Who? Someone internal? FSW? Allardyce?
So it comes to Rosenior. I highly doubt he is anything else but a plan B, otherwise he'd be in by now. Eghbali (and Co.) have known that Maresca's tenure at Chelsea has been at risk since mid-December, and they have had all that time to get their ducks in a row. A manager at another Clearlake owned club shouldn't be too much trouble to poach even though they would have to find a replacement. The board have got the PR department to work on this one, saying that they are "really impressed with Resenior's work at Strasburg", to ease the fanbase's concerns when it eventuates.

We can all see how this is going to end up. Should we even bother?

I have been trying to piece together the story behind Maresca's departure and have come up with a 'theoretical explanation'. I am not trying to defend Maresca, everyone has their own opinion of him and his football, but I am trying to piece together a narrative that illustrates the royal sh*t show Eghbali and Co. are running. I am too lazy to quote any sources - my claims are based on complete conjecture, so make of it as you will (with a pinch of salt).
Go back to the beginning. Do you see the pattern?
Tuchel; elite level - walked after not being happy with Boehly (and friends?) sticking their grubby fingers in his pie.
Potter; fish out of water - euthanised.
Lampard; interim - enough said.
Poch - pseudo elite level - at the end of the season he sat down with the board and thought, "Yeah, nah. I am not going to achieve anything with these guys".
Maresca - wannabe elite level - he didn't get sacked, he walked.
Maresca is not an idiot. Before coming here he would have done his due diligence and knew what he was getting into before coming here. He would have had his agents speak to the agents of Poch and Tuchel to get the lowdown on why they left, and they would have said the same thing. Too much interference from the top and their job was untenable.
When negotiating his contract I reckon Maresca would have tried to include something to give him more control if he performs well. I don't know how strong these terms would have been. In his first season he achieves the goals of getting the club back in the the Chamipons League, winning the Conference League, and also winning the Club World Cup, so he thinks he is in some position to negotiate to gain more managerial control.

At the start of the season he gets his agent to speak to the club, and the club refuse his requests, perhaps delaying talks to the end of the season. In the meantime, the medical department is giving him directions for substitutions and Eghbali (and Co.) is telling him he needs to play younger players more to keep up their book value. Maresca doesn't always follow these directions, but is getting results, 2nd or 3rd on the table, so not too many qualms.

Discussions between his agent and the club are going nowhere, he gets frustrated and appoints Mendes as his new agent in October. Mendes gets Maresca meetings with City and Juventus for Eghbali (and Co.) to take notice and talk (even though they do not amount to anything). Eghbali (and Co.) sees through this ploy. Sometime after the Barca game Eghbali meets with Maresca and rips through him, probably telling him that he has no chance of increasing his managerial control.

Then the bullsh*t starts happening, results and performances start going south. Maresca starts making some (more) questionable tactical decisions during games, either based on a resentful obsequiousness of the club's directives so he can stuff poor results in the face of Eghbali (and Co.), or as a form of self-sabotage to try and get sacked.

In the "48 hours" before the Everton game, Maresca gets a dressing down in the boardroom once again, and it explodes. He threatens to quit, Eghbali (and Co.) remind him of his contractual obligations and the penalties if he walks. The bullsh*t continues. Eghbali (and Co.) are smart enough to know it is no good holding on to a disgruntled employee so they begin sounding out alternatives.

More bullsh*t happens, and come the Bournemouth game, Maresca asks Caballero to talk to the press while he gets on the phone with Mendes to tell him he wants out and to negotiate an exit from the club. The club knows they have to negotiate an exit package, even though the contract might strictly say otherwise, as they need to control the narrative of Maresca's departure otherwise they don't stand a chance in hell of attracting anyone half-decent. Pay him so he shuts up. NDA's, $ and terms take a couple of days and Maresca is unceremoniously removed from Clearlake's payroll on Jan 1.

The club now, I reckon, finds themself in a bit of a pickle.
There really isn't anyone decent available - at least not anyone decent who is willing to let others call the shots (hence why it won't be Xavi).
They could poach another manager from another club mid-season, but last time they tried that it didn't pan out too well. You are hardly ever in a good negotiating position mid-season, and again, of the names being bandied about, who would seriously want to? Iraola? Howe? Farioli?
Interim manager for the rest of the season? Who? Someone internal? FSW? Allardyce?
So it comes to Rosenior. I highly doubt he is anything else but a plan B, otherwise he'd be in by now. Eghbali (and Co.) have known that Maresca's tenure at Chelsea has been at risk since mid-December, and they have had all that time to get their ducks in a row. A manager at another Clearlake owned club shouldn't be too much trouble to poach even though they would have to find a replacement. The board have got the PR department to work on this one, saying that they are "really impressed with Resenior's work at Strasburg", to ease the fanbase's concerns when it eventuates.

We can all see how this is going to end up. Should we even bother?

I have been trying to piece together the story behind Maresca's departure and have come up with a 'theoretical explanation'. I am not trying to defend Maresca, everyone has their own opinion of him and his football, but I am trying to piece together a narrative that illustrates the royal sh*t show Eghbali and Co. are running. I am too lazy to quote any sources - my claims are based on complete conjecture, so make of it as you will (with a pinch of salt).
Go back to the beginning. Do you see the pattern?
Tuchel; elite level - walked after not being happy with Boehly (and friends?) sticking their grubby fingers in his pie.
Potter; fish out of water - euthanised.
Lampard; interim - enough said.
Poch - pseudo elite level - at the end of the season he sat down with the board and thought, "Yeah, nah. I am not going to achieve anything with these guys".
Maresca - wannabe elite level - he didn't get sacked, he walked.
Maresca is not an idiot. Before coming here he would have done his due diligence and knew what he was getting into before coming here. He would have had his agents speak to the agents of Poch and Tuchel to get the lowdown on why they left, and they would have said the same thing. Too much interference from the top and their job was untenable.
When negotiating his contract I reckon Maresca would have tried to include something to give him more control if he performs well. I don't know how strong these terms would have been. In his first season he achieves the goals of getting the club back in the the Chamipons League, winning the Conference League, and also winning the Club World Cup, so he thinks he is in some position to negotiate to gain more managerial control.

At the start of the season he gets his agent to speak to the club, and the club refuse his requests, perhaps delaying talks to the end of the season. In the meantime, the medical department is giving him directions for substitutions and Eghbali (and Co.) is telling him he needs to play younger players more to keep up their book value. Maresca doesn't always follow these directions, but is getting results, 2nd or 3rd on the table, so not too many qualms.

Discussions between his agent and the club are going nowhere, he gets frustrated and appoints Mendes as his new agent in October. Mendes gets Maresca meetings with City and Juventus for Eghbali (and Co.) to take notice and talk (even though they do not amount to anything). Eghbali (and Co.) sees through this ploy. Sometime after the Barca game Eghbali meets with Maresca and rips through him, probably telling him that he has no chance of increasing his managerial control.

Then the bullsh*t starts happening, results and performances start going south. Maresca starts making some (more) questionable tactical decisions during games, either based on a resentful obsequiousness of the club's directives so he can stuff poor results in the face of Eghbali (and Co.), or as a form of self-sabotage to try and get sacked.

In the "48 hours" before the Everton game, Maresca gets a dressing down in the boardroom once again, and it explodes. He threatens to quit, Eghbali (and Co.) remind him of his contractual obligations and the penalties if he walks. The bullsh*t continues. Eghbali (and Co.) are smart enough to know it is no good holding on to a disgruntled employee so they begin sounding out alternatives.

More bullsh*t happens, and come the Bournemouth game, Maresca asks Caballero to talk to the press while he gets on the phone with Mendes to tell him he wants out and to negotiate an exit from the club. The club knows they have to negotiate an exit package, even though the contract might strictly say otherwise, as they need to control the narrative of Maresca's departure otherwise they don't stand a chance in hell of attracting anyone half-decent. Pay him so he shuts up. NDA's, $ and terms take a couple of days and Maresca is unceremoniously removed from Clearlake's payroll on Jan 1.

The club now, I reckon, finds themself in a bit of a pickle.
There really isn't anyone decent available - at least not anyone decent who is willing to let others call the shots (hence why it won't be Xavi).
They could poach another manager from another club mid-season, but last time they tried that it didn't pan out too well. You are hardly ever in a good negotiating position mid-season, and again, of the names being bandied about, who would seriously want to? Iraola? Howe? Farioli?
Interim manager for the rest of the season? Who? Someone internal? FSW? Allardyce?
So it comes to Rosenior. I highly doubt he is anything else but a plan B, otherwise he'd be in by now. Eghbali (and Co.) have known that Maresca's tenure at Chelsea has been at risk since mid-December, and they have had all that time to get their ducks in a row. A manager at another Clearlake owned club shouldn't be too much trouble to poach even though they would have to find a replacement. The board have got the PR department to work on this one, saying that they are "really impressed with Resenior's work at Strasburg", to ease the fanbase's concerns when it eventuates.

We can all see how this is going to end up. Should we even bother?

I have been trying to piece together the story behind Maresca's departure and have come up with a 'theoretical explanation'. I am not trying to defend Maresca, everyone has their own opinion of him and his football, but I am trying to piece together a narrative that illustrates the royal sh*t show Eghbali and Co. are running. I am too lazy to quote any sources - my claims are based on complete conjecture, so make of it as you will (with a pinch of salt).
Go back to the beginning. Do you see the pattern?
Tuchel; elite level - walked after not being happy with Boehly (and friends?) sticking their grubby fingers in his pie.
Potter; fish out of water - euthanised.
Lampard; interim - enough said.
Poch - pseudo elite level - at the end of the season he sat down with the board and thought, "Yeah, nah. I am not going to achieve anything with these guys".
Maresca - wannabe elite level - he didn't get sacked, he walked.
Maresca is not an idiot. Before coming here he would have done his due diligence and knew what he was getting into before coming here. He would have had his agents speak to the agents of Poch and Tuchel to get the lowdown on why they left, and they would have said the same thing. Too much interference from the top and their job was untenable.
When negotiating his contract I reckon Maresca would have tried to include something to give him more control if he performs well. I don't know how strong these terms would have been. In his first season he achieves the goals of getting the club back in the the Chamipons League, winning the Conference League, and also winning the Club World Cup, so he thinks he is in some position to negotiate to gain more managerial control.

At the start of the season he gets his agent to speak to the club, and the club refuse his requests, perhaps delaying talks to the end of the season. In the meantime, the medical department is giving him directions for substitutions and Eghbali (and Co.) is telling him he needs to play younger players more to keep up their book value. Maresca doesn't always follow these directions, but is getting results, 2nd or 3rd on the table, so not too many qualms.

Discussions between his agent and the club are going nowhere, he gets frustrated and appoints Mendes as his new agent in October. Mendes gets Maresca meetings with City and Juventus for Eghbali (and Co.) to take notice and talk (even though they do not amount to anything). Eghbali (and Co.) sees through this ploy. Sometime after the Barca game Eghbali meets with Maresca and rips through him, probably telling him that he has no chance of increasing his managerial control.

Then the bullsh*t starts happening, results and performances start going south. Maresca starts making some (more) questionable tactical decisions during games, either based on a resentful obsequiousness of the club's directives so he can stuff poor results in the face of Eghbali (and Co.), or as a form of self-sabotage to try and get sacked.

In the "48 hours" before the Everton game, Maresca gets a dressing down in the boardroom once again, and it explodes. He threatens to quit, Eghbali (and Co.) remind him of his contractual obligations and the penalties if he walks. The bullsh*t continues. Eghbali (and Co.) are smart enough to know it is no good holding on to a disgruntled employee so they begin sounding out alternatives.

More bullsh*t happens, and come the Bournemouth game, Maresca asks Caballero to talk to the press while he gets on the phone with Mendes to tell him he wants out and to negotiate an exit from the club. The club knows they have to negotiate an exit package, even though the contract might strictly say otherwise, as they need to control the narrative of Maresca's departure otherwise they don't stand a chance in hell of attracting anyone half-decent. Pay him so he shuts up. NDA's, $ and terms take a couple of days and Maresca is unceremoniously removed from Clearlake's payroll on Jan 1.

The club now, I reckon, finds themself in a bit of a pickle.
There really isn't anyone decent available - at least not anyone decent who is willing to let others call the shots (hence why it won't be Xavi).
They could poach another manager from another club mid-season, but last time they tried that it didn't pan out too well. You are hardly ever in a good negotiating position mid-season, and again, of the names being bandied about, who would seriously want to? Iraola? Howe? Farioli?
Interim manager for the rest of the season? Who? Someone internal? FSW? Allardyce?
So it comes to Rosenior. I highly doubt he is anything else but a plan B, otherwise he'd be in by now. Eghbali (and Co.) have known that Maresca's tenure at Chelsea has been at risk since mid-December, and they have had all that time to get their ducks in a row. A manager at another Clearlake owned club shouldn't be too much trouble to poach even though they would have to find a replacement. The board have got the PR department to work on this one, saying that they are "really impressed with Resenior's work at Strasburg", to ease the fanbase's concerns when it eventuates.

We can all see how this is going to end up. Should we even bother?

Two years today we lost this legend. 
A class act on and off the field.
Sleep tight Luca 💙

Didn't he pull JT by the ear and take him house shopping as soon as he (i.e. JT) got his first pro contract? He was an F'n legend. Shame about his stint at Milwall, but would take him (or a clone of him) back in a heartbeat.

Before JT Wisey was my #1 favorite player. Do anyone of you remember Wisey?
 
 
 

I don't think it's quite like that. They're American businessmen. They don't want someone to coach and not get involved.  They want someone to agree with them on everything. So they want their transfer decisions to be agreed with unquestionably especially outward sales.
I am convinced this all centres around the sales of Gallagher and Chalobah and Poch not wanting them periodically dismantling parts of the team in order to cover the costs of some of the crap decisions from the idiots Winstanley and Stewart.

Talk about tugging at the heartstrings. That's got me emotional as well.
 

I agree. Mourinho on 2 year contract then let him go and manage Portugal for the 2026 World Cup. The first thing he will do is stop this losing at home nonsense, and then he will transplant some testicles on some of our players.

Frank himself is the most underrated player of all time if he was wearing a Barcelona shirt the world would be creaming themselves at that …..
and what about this one ……
 
 

I agree. Mourinho on 2 year contract then let him go and manage Portugal for the 2026 World Cup. The first thing he will do is stop this losing at home nonsense, and then he will transplant some testicles on some of our players.

The PGMOL say it’s not handball because he uses his hand to break his fall. 
But, he didn’t fall. He dived to the ground to deliberately stop the ball using his hand. It’s got to be bent.