There they were, the usual suspects, peering out from the pages, like cats who had just got the cream. Veritably fat cats too, with fancy names to match, like Ronaldo and Ancelotti. Even Tibbles the Tabby, [that shy boy Gareth] fresh from being not quite over himself, or those Welsh hills, he purred and managed to look ever so slightly pleased with himself. Moreover, just to make matters worse, many pundits and hacks simply purred as well, failing to recognise, or choosing to ignore, the real truth that lay behind the resplendent result from Lisbon that brought all this about in the first place. Their preference was to turn logic on its head, to simultaneously fuel the adulation of some and criticism of others. And much more to the point, as far as we are concerned, at the top of that A.N.Other’s list was a certain Jose Mourinho. 

 

Okay, it was ever thus, but this time the overlap with current debates going on amongst Shed-Enders was so marked the opportunity had to be taken to align them all and I’m going to attempt to do so here, starting with the following quote:-

 

“When you’ve got money, it’s very easy to buy someone worth £50 million, rather than say; ’I’m going to play this 20-year-old English player.’ It’s easier to buy someone when you have money to do it. But at the same time, if you give somebody an opportunity you never know. You can only roll the dice and see how they perform.â€

 

If you don’t know who said this, then I’ll apologise now for not informing you immediately, but it suits me for the moment, because I’d like to get the next quote in before revealing identity. This next offering is a little easier to nail down to one individual, especially if you think Chelsea-obsessed journalist and are aware that these are his second and closing paragraphs, taken from one of today’s newspapers:-

 

“Chelsea’s decision to sack Ancelotti in a corridor at Everton’s Goodison Park in 2011 appeared even more reckless as he became only the fifth manager to lift the game’s most hallowed trophy with more than one club, joining Ernst Happel, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Jupp Heynckes and Mourinho.

 

Money got them to 10, but so did clever management. Ancelotti is Europe’s best.â€

    

As you can imagine, or would expect, there is a lot of journalistic argument in between these paragraphs backing up the last line contention - well, there isn’t actually, as it’s all pretty much an upgrade on the usual dignified, nice guy stuff  we hear about all time whenever Carlo‘s name is mentioned in dispatches - although now it has reached the level of ’aristocratic’ in tendency, apparently. No, I tell a lie, we are also told that it was ‘satisfying’ to see Ancelotti’s managerial skill play such a decisive part [in the win] supposedly evidenced by him telling his players [before the game started] that Atletico’s resilience would break in the end. Brilliant, would never have thought of saying that myself, but then I’ve no experience in these matters, nor any blue blood in my veins, other than the Chelsea kind. Consequently, I bow to the better judgement of the writer, or I would if it wasn’t Paul Hayward of The Telegraph and I therefore know better. 

 

However, it is that infusion and these quotes that made me think back to that Everton game. It followed hard on the heels of our capitulation against United, and many thought it would end in Carlo’s sacking right there and then. When it did finally arrive, Premiership title lost and courtesy of a David Moyes team down to 10 men, the club issued a statement citing the fact that long term objectives had not been met. Many felt this related to trophy-winning, but real Chels fans know it was a direct reference, not only to our earlier exit from the Champions League, but also to our half-hearted attempt at bringing players through from the Academy. The team sheet for the Everton game saw McEachran on the bench, but like Ramires he was brought on far too late to influence matters. In short, at that stage under Carlo we were failing on all fronts.

 

Indeed, token effort was always going to be the extent of Carlo’s special brand of recourse to remit that season - assorted Academy graduates on the bench, but no further involvement on the majority of occasions, and most certainly the likelihood of no acceptance of the situation by the senior players should their place have been in jeopardy. So, the Italian moved on to PSG to do what he does best, and then on to Real Madrid to do it again - coaching the cream of any crop, the privileged - leaving the job in hand at Chelsea to pass, eventually, to someone who might, just might, have the nerve to ruffle a few well-preened feathers and see things through to a ’satisfying’ conclusion that ranks alongside Hayward’s little wallow with the elite, nay aristocratic, coaching skills now on show at the Bernabeau. 

 

Maybe, once the process is completed and in total contrast to the current success of excess, we too can have all our financial doping washed away by a single ’got them there’ comment and Jose can at last be given his Christian name when listed in good company. But in the meantime, let’s tie up the loose end that is the first quote for those that don’t know already… it’s Daniel Sturridge, farmed out to Bolton on loan when Carlo was in situ at the Bridge. So, well said Danny boy, is what I say! Hopefully, Jose heard you, even if Carlo didn’t. Moreover, to those of you who might think I’m rather late boarding this particular bandwagon, let me add a quote of my own [from my last post] which sadly went through without comment of any sort. It takes the form of a personal 26-man squad for next season, the retentions first, followed by my returning loanee preferences and current Academy choices for inclusion, the alternative options linked together, my preference in each case being the first named.

 

Cech Blackman Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Ake, Kalas

Matic, Luiz, Ramires van Ginkel 

Schurrle, Salah, Willian, Oscar, Hazard (17)

 

Courtois, Zouma, Shaw/Bertrand/van Aanholt, Chalobah/Omeruo (4) 

 

Piazon/Hazard (T)/Traore, Baker/Swift/Barkley/Lampard/Loftus-Cheek (2)

 

Costa, Rooney/Dzeko/Mandzukic, Lukaku/Bamford (3)

 

Anybody want to have a go? Jose has already given newcomers a head start by taking David Luiz and Ash (?) out of the equation, providing the first insight into his first team squad priorities for next season. Can you get close to his final list, justifying your inclusions and dismissals from it? Fair enough, perhaps that last bit is too much to ask, especially after seeing Paul Hayward’s prime example of masterful justification, but let’s be honest here…. it may be a tough job proving too much for some, but, somebody's got to do it soon, if only to set a proper example to others.    

Edited May 26, 201412 yr by Dorset

Great post Dorset.

I am awaiting Jose to make a one of his token donkey buys in the close season. Hopefully somewhere in those transfers will be one of his amazing token buys.