Let me start by saying that I wouldn’t profess or presume to have any insider information regarding the events that have taken place over the last few weeks, but what I do have, and what every diehard Chelsea fan has, is a background knowledge of the club born of a love for it that cannot be matched by any newshound seeking to satisfy his or her readership through sensationalism in print. This puts people like me [and you] in the perfect position to be judgemental with just cause and the degree to which we back up our judgement can be short and sweet, bitter and twisted, longwinded and lachrymose - it doesn’t matter as long as it is heartfelt and well-founded. Leave it for others to judge persuasiveness of argument or level of justifiable conviction, because what is certain is that the greater the input of those who genuinely care, the more likelihood of speed of closure and the process of moving-on beginning. 

 

So, Shed-Enders, I ask you all to hit this particular nail on the head, get to the nub of the matter, isolate truth from fiction, and in order to set the ball rolling offer my take on what was the most significant reason for the making of this decision at a major crossroads in the club’s history and why it was decided not go in the opposite direction with the greatest manager we have ever had leading the way…

 

We all know that on his arrival Roman Abramovich set out a blueprint for the long term future of the club and it is my belief that every aim therein has been achieved over the last ten years, bar two of the most important - an eventual move to a new stadium (or redevelopment of the ground) and the full implementation of a [self-sustaining] policy for the development of young players. The former objective was undoubtedly put in place with a view to increasing revenue through bigger attendances, the latter to avoid the continual drain on finance brought about by ever-increasing transfer fees and, as a result of their emergence along the way, as a means of counteracting Financial Fair Play regulations. But, in the Great Scheme of Things that blueprints always become, this Roman CFC chariot first had to be filled with trophies and decorated in an attractive style of play. Whilst the cart did not have to be Cartier straightaway, it was still put before these two longer term thoroughbred horses and back in 2004 there was nobody better at cart-filling than a certain Jose Mourinho. The rest, as they say [despite constant Liverpudlian denial] is history. 

 

Indeed, history looked to be on the point of almost complete fulfilment with Jose’s return, another Premiership title won, and news of stadium redevelopment plans making steady progress. Only Academy matters were found wanting, the passage of time not bearing witness to one single young player’s significant breakthrough, let alone his establishment in the first team. Never was the platform for promotion stronger than at the start of the 2015/16 season and never was the need greater for a youngster to climb upon it and perform as we all hoped he would. Enter Ruben Loftus-Cheek stage right, but for Jose ‘right’ was not the operative word and RLC ended up being left on the sidelines, a victim of a series of bad results, bad man-management, call it what you will, it was reflective of the short-termism inherent in any Mourinho spell, the comings and goings of Kenedy being another prime example. For those of us who supported the boss through loads of thick and the onset of thin this season this was, unquestionably, the most indefensible part of his tenure.

 

And maybe I am not the only one who felt that the missing piece in the jigsaw spoilt the whole picture. Maybe that is why Eddie Newton, previously ensconced as the loan player technical coach, is now assistant first team coach under Guus Hiddink. Maybe that is why Guus felt the need to spend two days working with the Under-21 squad and Academy players before taking charge of his first senior training session today. Maybe he took due note of last night’s victory over Middlesbrough, the superb third-minute finish of Casey Palmer, the class of Charlie Musonda in the making of it, and the continuing midfield dominance of captain Charlie Colkett. Pure speculation, I know, but quotes speak for themselves and Guus did feel an immediate need to say pointedly…

 

"The team is not in a great state, the squad is ready for rebuilding. In this coming period it is about working towards the future." 

 

Confirmation of preparation is how I interpret this comment and whilst he will not be the long term overlord or beneficiary of this work it is clear that a rebuild was at the forefront of thinking when he was appointed to replace a Special One who was either unprepared or ill-equipped to perform such a task. No mention of poor results or style of play in these short sentences, just pragmatic reference to structural faults and the need for a rebuild. Who you gonna call? Guus, buster! And who takes over at the end of the season? Well, that is another matter entirely and the subject of another thread, but it is interesting to speculate on how the leading candidate for managerial posts [already vacant or about to be so] in London and Manchester will be reviewing this particular situation.

 

Pep Guardiola has long been coveted by all the top clubs and now he is available there will be no shortage of offers, though it seems ManU will not be even be glancing in his direction. Jose looks to be their manager of choice, even if it wouldn’t be Bobby Charlton’s, but I am not as sad about his sudden rush to be a Red as I thought I would be, bearing in mind the fact that he was not wanted here and clearing up LVG’s mess will be no easy matter. His potential appointment also stops Pep in his tracks, as it is one thing to move to City and face a neutered neighbour, quite another go head-to-head with your noisiest one from hell. What seemed to be an ideal reunion with City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain suddenly has the potential to turn into the type of confrontation Jose revels in and Pep detests. But there is another reason why Pep might be forced to carry out a Faginesque review and that brings me full circle - to youth and its development as a priority.

 

Unlike our departed Portugeeser, the Spaniard has a reputation that is second to none for bringing young players through Academy and loan systems and he is bound to give serious consideration to the state of affairs at both City and Chelsea, where the Under-21s, Under-19s and Under-18s make up the development process for young players. City have far fewer youngsters at these levels and twenty-three Under-18 Academy players compared to Chelsea’s twenty-nine. As far as players out on loan are concerned, they have twelve who are 22 years old or under, estimated to be worth £7.9m, whereas we have twenty-four valued at £39m. The contrast is stark and certainly not the subject of media debate, other than when we are heavily criticised and other top clubs are lauded for their foresight. 

 

Food for thought now, if it hadn’t already been before, these revealing figures will be the subject of much debate in the Guardiola household, along with the pros and cons of setting up home in either London or Manchester, a toxic mix of ideal situation and compromise that Txiki might not have mentioned too often to his friend over the past few months. Ironically, Jose must have mulled things over in similar fashion on his return to us… but last week he had his mind made up for him.

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Edited December 22, 20159 yr by Dorset

The more time moves on and the "passion" and love for Jose de-clouds the more you look at the facts of the situation the easier it becomes to accept the situation, giving RLC 45 minutes, hooking him off and berating his performance was one of the most baffling pieces of management I have ever seen.

 

For all Joses good qualities, bedding youth into his team is not one of them, he lacks the patience and finesse for such a thing, he manages in a short sharp shock fashion designed to get big reactions out of players, but those players must already be of the highest level, which is something suited to ManU at the moment as they are happy to spend money and ignore their youth academy to secure a faster path back to the top of the table.

 

All in all I do not believe Jose were to be the man to take charge of Chelsea for 5+ years and turn over the squad with youth players who have come through our ranks, he made 2 very big blunders with Lukaku and De Bruyne, two players that are currently out performing every player in our squad and were doing so only 1 season removed from leaving us, Jose will tell us Lukaku had an attitude problem, one that has not been evident or mentioned by anyone else, and De Bruyne who was maybe a bit too eager to play by his own admission but some careful management and actual playing time something he were supposed to be doing would have resolved that. It seems either you were either one of his or you weren't. And worryingly also I was starting to see a very familiar pattern emerging with Kennedy and RLC, two players given minimal chances and upended by Jose favored players despite being in the worst of form, for reasons unbeknownst to anyone but himself.

 

I sit here now and think had he played Kennedy over Hazard in certain games and RLC over Fabregas NOT that we would have nailed on won the games but the man would still have a job because change were occurring instead we had a stubborn style of manager playing out of form players and refusing to budge on the subject. For as upset as I am to see a beloved figure and legend at this club go, he did not give himself a strong case to be kept on.

 

But more related to your great post those starts are very interesting reading especially for a man such as Pep who only likes to stay in jobs for 3-4 years, can and does a man like that have the longevity to stay in a job like ManC or ManU where he is unlikely going to be able to manage his way in his own time frame? I had read a quote about how Pep feels his style of management wears players out after a few years which is a part in why he feels the need to change jobs.

interesting post dorset.

 

who wouldn't want guardiola? a few, but not many. I'd love to see it personally but I don't think we have any chance.

 

I accept that he would probably prefer not to be in such close proximity to jose if they both end up in manchester, but I'm not sold on the reasoning unfortunately. the distance between london and manchester is smaller than the distance between barcelona and madrid after all! I don't think jose would change his approach in any case. in manchester yes they would be local and historical rivals, but one can imagine jose would have a lot to say about guardiola managing at chelsea, especially so soon after he had been sacked by the club. so I don't think chelsea would necessarily be more palatable than city on those grounds.

 

now when it comes to youth I'm also unsure. guardiola put in a huge amount of home grown players at barcelona (and the club brought back ones who had departed), but I don't view him as someone who actively seeks to put in kids the way ferguson, wenger, van gaal, guy roux, or pochettino do. those managers have all gambled on a difficult short term with the hope to profit in the long term.

 

guardiola does not do this. at barcelona a number of the home grown players were already in the first team. guardiola deserves credit for helping them establish themselves, but he is an egalitarian. He won't favour a young player- he only picks the players he believes are already his best options. now as his conception of football differs to many, that means that unexpectedly players change positions and sometimes a young player will oust an established one because he does what guardiola wants him to do more effectively. I'm not saying that he wouldn't put young players in for us- I find it hard to believe we don't have at least 3 midfielders he'd prefer to use than ramires for example, but it isn't something he has done much of at bayern. furthermore, at barcelona he found out that he didn't want to spend longer than 3 years at a club as the first team coach. he was the barca b manager and knew those players well. he also knew that there were first team cliques he wanted to disband.

 

in other words I think his reputation as someone who plays the kids is owed to a perfect storm of different factors. above all he wants to win. I don't think he is excited by the idea of bequeathing newly discovered youngsters to the manager who succeeds him in all honesty, so I therefore don't believe it would influence him much in a decision between us and other clubs with poorer youth talent available. above all though I think city have been talking to him for too long for us to change his mind at this late stage. 

 

now I know you said it was a matter for another thread, but I am interested so I'll ask anyway:

 

who would you want in the event that we can't get guardiola? 

Don't get me wrong here but mourinho's ego was important than anything else. He might have orchestrated his move to ManU.

Don't get me wrong here but mourinho's ego was important than anything else. He might have orchestrated his move to ManU.

 

It's gonna kill me to see him there

interesting post dorset.

 

who wouldn't want guardiola? a few, but not many. I'd love to see it personally but I don't think we have any chance.

 

I accept that he would probably prefer not to be in such close proximity to jose if they both end up in manchester, but I'm not sold on the reasoning unfortunately. the distance between london and manchester is smaller than the distance between barcelona and madrid after all! I don't think jose would change his approach in any case. in manchester yes they would be local and historical rivals, but one can imagine jose would have a lot to say about guardiola managing at chelsea, especially so soon after he had been sacked by the club. so I don't think chelsea would necessarily be more palatable than city on those grounds.

 

now when it comes to youth I'm also unsure. guardiola put in a huge amount of home grown players at barcelona (and the club brought back ones who had departed), but I don't view him as someone who actively seeks to put in kids the way ferguson, wenger, van gaal, guy roux, or pochettino do. those managers have all gambled on a difficult short term with the hope to profit in the long term.

 

guardiola does not do this. at barcelona a number of the home grown players were already in the first team. guardiola deserves credit for helping them establish themselves, but he is an egalitarian. He won't favour a young player- he only picks the players he believes are already his best options. now as his conception of football differs to many, that means that unexpectedly players change positions and sometimes a young player will oust an established one because he does what guardiola wants him to do more effectively. I'm not saying that he wouldn't put young players in for us- I find it hard to believe we don't have at least 3 midfielders he'd prefer to use than ramires for example, but it isn't something he has done much of at bayern. furthermore, at barcelona he found out that he didn't want to spend longer than 3 years at a club as the first team coach. he was the barca b manager and knew those players well. he also knew that there were first team cliques he wanted to disband.

 

in other words I think his reputation as someone who plays the kids is owed to a perfect storm of different factors. above all he wants to win. I don't think he is excited by the idea of bequeathing newly discovered youngsters to the manager who succeeds him in all honesty, so I therefore don't believe it would influence him much in a decision between us and other clubs with poorer youth talent available. above all though I think city have been talking to him for too long for us to change his mind at this late stage. 

 

now I know you said it was a matter for another thread, but I am interested so I'll ask anyway:

 

who would you want in the event that we can't get guardiola? 

 

Having burnt enough of my boats in recent months to know it is now impossible for me to sail away from the youth development issue without loss of face, my first choice for Jose’s replacement was always going to be someone who [i thought] would carry out this objective as a priority. The same goes for my second choice and I’m hoping Roman sees it that way too, for if [as is being reported in Germany] it is true that Guardiola has signed a three year deal to go to City, I can only assume that the board have got their soundings horribly wrong, or Pep was never top of the wanted list in the first place. The distinction is an important one to make because, if planning has been poor, the worry is that we will look for a big name replacement in haste and probably repent at leisure with no evolution taking place. In that case I would much prefer Guus to stay on, with a view to Steve Holland and Didier working together in a longer term partnership, perhaps bringing in someone like Steve Clarke to strengthen the defensive side of the coaching set-up.  

 

However, if Pep was never in the frame and someone else always has been, I don’t want to believe it’s Diego Simeone, as he will have other priorities and would prove to be just as confrontational as Jose, without the guarantee of silverware. Regrettably, Eddie Howe is at least another good season or two away from confirming his undoubted ability and Roman wouldn’t have been looking in his direction anyway, so this leaves a distinctly bare cupboard, apart from one interesting choice - Ronald Koeman, part of Guus’s coaching staff during the 1998 World Cup and his successor as head coach of PSV in the 2006/7 season. Also, if I remember rightly, he was one of the few Dutch past masters not to jump on a bandwagon full of them when Guus was in charge of the national team and they went on the slide, saying he didn’t want the job, disrespectful, etc, etc. His record at Southampton has been good as well, bringing young players in from a very good Saints Academy and surviving Brendan’s pillage.

 

Your turn to commit now, g3, first and second choices please…              

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Edited December 24, 20159 yr by Dorset

personally I think Guardiola is nailed on for Man City given the in situ Barcelona links already in senior positions at Man city , but he may think twice if his arch rival is at Man Utd.

Hypothetical how would you feel after just winning the league you discovered conversations were held between your club and your arch rival over his availability/plans for the summer of 2016 .............think you would be mightily upset and see that as a massive slight .... but that would never happen now ..................or did it at a very discreet location with private jets laid on for various people to avoid the public eye .............

However, if Pep was never in the frame and someone else always has been, I don’t want to believe it’s Diego Simeone, as he will have other priorities and would prove to be just as confrontational as Jose, without the guarantee of silverware. Regrettably, Eddie Howe is at least another good season or two away from confirming his undoubted ability and Roman wouldn’t have been looking in his direction anyway, so this leaves a distinctly bare cupboard, apart from one interesting choice - Ronald Koeman, part of Guus’s coaching staff during the 1998 World Cup and his successor as head coach of PSV in the 2006/7 season. Also, if I remember rightly, he was one of the few Dutch past masters not to jump on a bandwagon full of them when Guus was in charge of the national team and they went on the slide, saying he didn’t want the job, disrespectful, etc, etc. His record at Southampton has been good as well, bringing young players in from a very good Saints Academy and surviving Brendan’s pillage.      

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That's a pretty good suggestion on a few levels and I don't think we would have issues securing Koeman. I think Southampton are presently a good outfit, but I think they're at a point where a change might be needed at the top to get a different approach to push them further up. This is not a slight at Koeman's approach, I think Southampton is in the same position that Everton was before opting to acquire Martinez. They had a stable manager at the helm in Moyes, but they need a different philosophy to make the next step forward.

 

The other aspect that would make Koeman an ideal candidate is his attitude. I'm not convinced that the club would want another manager confrontational manager for a couple years. I think our brand and image needs a bit of rebuilding and stability. I think it would be in the interest of the club to keep out of the gutter press and concentrate more on the product at display on the pitch. Koeman is a much calmer candidate and he reminds me a bit of Ancelotti in that aspect.

 

Finally, concerning the product on the pitch and philosophy that we could expect, I think we would see much more fluidity in our play. Watching Southampton play last year showed that Koeman appreciates the open flow and a build-up from the back. I think this could spell the end for certain of our veterans, but, as we have seen for a couple of months now, our back-line is showing its age and has been cracked weekly. I don't believe we would need much adjustments up front. Apart from Costa, I think most of our attacking players fit the mold of play that Koeman employs. I also think we would see more fluidity in their game as they would have more freedom. Koeman's track record with youth is pretty respectable as well. He seems to be able to push the players to their next level like seen in Southampton and also PSV.

That's a pretty good suggestion on a few levels and I don't think we would have issues securing Koeman. I think Southampton are presently a good outfit, but I think they're at a point where a change might be needed at the top to get a different approach to push them further up. This is not a slight at Koeman's approach, I think Southampton is in the same position that Everton was before opting to acquire Martinez. They had a stable manager at the helm in Moyes, but they need a different philosophy to make the next step forward.

 

The other aspect that would make Koeman an ideal candidate is his attitude. I'm not convinced that the club would want another manager confrontational manager for a couple years. I think our brand and image needs a bit of rebuilding and stability. I think it would be in the interest of the club to keep out of the gutter press and concentrate more on the product at display on the pitch. Koeman is a much calmer candidate and he reminds me a bit of Ancelotti in that aspect.

 

Finally, concerning the product on the pitch and philosophy that we could expect, I think we would see much more fluidity in our play. Watching Southampton play last year showed that Koeman appreciates the open flow and a build-up from the back. I think this could spell the end for certain of our veterans, but, as we have seen for a couple of months now, our back-line is showing its age and has been cracked weekly. I don't believe we would need much adjustments up front. Apart from Costa, I think most of our attacking players fit the mold of play that Koeman employs. I also think we would see more fluidity in their game as they would have more freedom. Koeman's track record with youth is pretty respectable as well. He seems to be able to push the players to their next level like seen in Southampton and also PSV.

 

I dont know, I am thinking about it and i am not too sure - hear me out

 

1. Everton: While Martinez surely has improved the style @ Everton, Can we truly say that the Martinez era is more successful than the Moyes Era keeping in mind that Martinez seems to have a better crop of players. Their league position seems to be the same and their worries of having their top players stolen by richer club still remains with them no close to the top 4 than they were before - the only difference is their more attractive style of play. Which brings me to

 

2. Koeman: he has SouthHampton playing attractive football and just like any midtable team manager who has lost a lot of players to other teams, there is not much he can do. I dont see another manager coming in and with the same squad that South HAmpton do, take them further up in the table. Without any investments I think this is their peak.

 

Having said that if we can get Koeman to assist Hiddink this year and then take over Chelsea in the long term I do not have any objections.

I have reservations about simeone as well. I think his achievement of breaking the duopoly of barcelona and madrid- this barcelona and this madrid is probably the most impressive league campaign I've ever seen. I think it ranks above jose winning the CL with porto or the unbeaten league seasons of wenger and conte. I can't be overstated. I'm not concerned about confrontation, but I am unsure how well he could replicate that work in a country he doesn't know, in a language he doesn't speak and with a club with whom he has no history.

 

I am not generally a fan of the line that you need to speak the language fluently to be a success and I said the same when we appointed carlo. I think he and pochettino since have proven that to be a flawed idea. That being said, I do think simeone's management of atletico relies heavily on a lot of direct communication and emotional connection- with the players but also with the fans. so that is a question mark.

 

 

I must be spoilt because koeman does not excite me- I cannot help but concede that he's done a great job with southampton given the circumstances and that coming from the dutch league his managerial upbringing demanded replacing players sold with kids. but even with those considerations it seems like we'd be a club in mid table making a mid table appointment. but it is just a feeling and I don't like the fact there is very little upward mobility for managers in the english game beyond a certain point. if he isn't given the opportunity how can he disprove my baseless worries?

 

I don't see any outstanding candidates after guardiola. conte could be good perhaps. wouldn't want allegri. also wouldn't want someone taking their first job as I think we're going to be in too vulnerable position for that kind of a risk. carlo is taken. I could see abramovich going for someone like jogi low- something that I think could be disastrous. tuchel or emery perhaps. pochettino if he could be prised if a levy could be paid.

 

I think it is probably still simeone after all. then it is a much of a muchness. as I say, in 2004 there was one outstanding candidate. in 2013 there was one too. I don't see one now.

Well at least trading in one multiple CL winner who has publicly ridiculed their medical staff with no apology, resulting in a separating of ways, for another will hopefully ease the transition.  Wonder if that, mixed with failing massively compared to his predecessor, is one of the reasons Pep will no longer be at Bayern.

Edited December 24, 20159 yr by Barry Bridges

“The reason I have not extended my contract [with Bayern] is simple: I want to manage in the Premier League. I want to experience a new city and I want to work in England. 

 

… I haven’t decided on a new club yet. I have some offers from England, but I’ve not signed anything yet. I want to experience the atmosphere and look forward to the stages there. I’m 44, it’s the right moment to go there. If I were 60 or 65, I would have stayed with Bayern, but I think I am too young.”

 

… I need a challenge. I want new stadiums, cities and restaurants to know. Three years is enough in a club. I’m not a coach who stays at a club for 30 years. My career is a long way from over, and when I have a new club it will be the club that makes the announcement. At the moment, I cannot say anything else because nothing is fixed.”

 

Pep Guardiola (January5th 2016)

 

As quotes go, perfect timing by Pep in his quest for the perfect Premiership position, wherever that may be. And like Goldilocks and her porridge - not too hot [on clarity] not to cold [on putting a dampener on any outcome] but just right when it comes to tasty speculation. Hopefully, our Daddy Russian Bear wont be too displeased, or dissuaded by these comments, but you kinda think that Mummy Man City Bear might be a little bit miffed that the extra sugar and syrup she’s been ladling on at boardroom level in recent years hasn’t resulted in a clearer declaration of Etihad Stadium-bound intent. No damage done reputation-wise either as, nice bloke that he is, Guardiola no doubt took the feelings of present incumbent Manuel Pellegrini into consideration too, though if the following quote from the Argentine manager is anything to go by, he already seems resigned to his fate:- 

 

“I don’t think my position in the future is linked to titles. For me, as a manager, it’s important to win the title because it’s my job. Personally, my way of thinking is that if I have the option to renew here for five years more and don’t win the title, or to win the title and be sacked, I’d prefer to win the title and be sacked. For a manager, your work is to win the title, so the other [stuff], it doesn’t matter what happens.”

 

Manuel Pellegrini (January5th 2016)

 

Talk about falling on your own sword! Speculatively speaking, I think this sort of death dive would be worthy of a straight red on any level playing field - if you hand me the title, I’ll gladly go over in the box [seat] which I’m in at the moment - but in this instance the blatancy of it all wont even be the subject of retrospective action, as we’ve all seen it for what it was and he has since got up, dusted himself off and doesn’t have a mark on him, or not so you’d notice. Other possibly affected individuals might have been expected to suffer in silence, as their jobs are also threatened by the Catalan’s outspoken desire to manage in the Premier League, but in truth there isn’t that much need for silence over this issue. Guus, having already announced a temporary tenure, ain’t that bovvered, whilst LVG is so used to speculation spilling out at every press conference he attends his stare of disdain has become a permanent fixture. This leaves Arsene - and Arsene never leaves.

 

So, who benefits from this sort of preliminary pronouncement? Of course, it’s the Fourth Estate and the Media, and that is why the timing is perfect for Pep, as he prepares to enter the Premiership arena. They will all love him like no other on arrival, having used as many column inches, invented as many exclusives and interviewed as many know-it-all pundits as they possibly can. Sky Bet are odds-on to make City hot favourites early doors and even The Times has gone for a quick pressing game, seeing reckless challenge to sane assessment as an acceptable tactic at this stage of a very long game. Here, under the heading ‘Why City are in pole position to capture manager in demand’ the position with regard to their leading two contenders for Guardiola’s services is cut to that quick as follows:-

 

Manchester City

 

The overwhelming favourites to land Guardiola, who knows Txiki Begiristain, City’s director of football, and Ferran Soriano, the chief executive, from Barcelona. City lack “super club” status, but their style of play, vast coffers, impressive set-up and ambition appeal to the Catalan.

 

Chelsea

 

Roman Abramovich will fight hard to entice Guardiola, whom he has tried to appoint in the past, and hopes an eye-watering contract and huge transfer funds could sway his thinking. But Chelsea’s likely absence from the Champions League next season could be decisive.

 

Quite frankly, when measured against any yardstick, these assessments simply don’t stack up [never mind weigh up] in favour of the northern club. Where is the challenge in joining Man City when ‘their style of play, vast coffers, impressive set-up and ambition’ are already in place and there for all to behold? Moreover, it is a distinct possibility that Pelligrini could oversee the winning of a quadruple this season, so even the supposed “super club” side of any Pep-offered incentive may well be rendered ridiculous by the time he is [allegedly] due to confirm an [allegedly] already made decision. Manuel may act like he knows nothing, but even he can’t fail to recognise the difference a sudden glut of trophies might make, whatever ’other stuff’ is in the offing.  

 

Indeed, it is the other stuff [of dreams] that could easily influence Pep ultimately, and any suggestion that Chelsea are merely attempting to sway thinking with ’an eye-watering contract and huge transfer funds’ is absolute bunkum when you consider what the club we are doing battle with can offer in a straight financial fight. No, I would contend that we have put a lot more than money on the table, and by so doing Roman has upped the stakes, inviting Guardiola to come to the Bridge and turn his long held dream of a full implementation of a self-sustaining policy for the development of young players into a reality that has proved beyond the compass of those managers that have gone before. 

 

Wishful thinking it may be, but for me the Catalan’s comment - ‘I need a challenge. I want new stadiums, cities and restaurants to know’ - speaks volumes. It is more than just a mere ’me,me,me’ statement of intent. It is a recognition of a unique challenge, above that offered by a cushy Citeh alternative and maybe even way beyond any Champions League comfort blanket as well. 

 

London’s calling - how big a challenge do you really want Pep?

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