Just a random Sunday discussion - which of our managers do you reckon has had the best eye for new talent/signings?

Appreciate there's scouts and directors that will have had input too, but presumably the managers have had the final say (most of the time).

My vote would be Ranieri... Cech, Makelele, Lampard and (I think) Drogba too. He had the first go with Abrahmovic's funds and I'd argue nobody since has spent it better.

Drogba was a mourinho signing. Ranieri laid the ground work with Cech, Terry, Lampard, Makelele, Duff, Joe Cole, Robben, etc..  Jose took them onto the next level. 

Ruud Gullit

It's a tough one because it's impossible to know the level of influence any one manager had over transfer dealings.

with limited knolage you would have to give it to Ranieri hands down, Brought terry through, got lampard in, Chec and robben, I have to ignore the likes of Duff and Joe Cole as they weren't exactly hidden gems so to speak. But I'd give him credit on the macalele signing as not many would have splurged so much back then on a 31 year old DM. 

 

He he also had some shockers, Zenden, Veron, Mutu, deluca.

 

which of are managers since then have really signed a non eshtablished player and managed to push them on, maybe zouma and I'll give Robbie D Dave 

I think it has to be Ranieri, Mourinho after him. The number of players we signed under Ranieri that went on to have very good Chelsea careers was very high. Mourinho took those players on to another level though.

Whoever signed Eidur Gudjohnsen

John Neal.

1 hour ago, PloKoon13 said:

Ruud Gullit

Ruud doesn't get enough credit he turned us from mid table into top 4 competitors and won us our first silverware in a quarter century, he was the start of Chelsea's turn around, those were the best years for me him then viali then Claudio by the time Jose came it was dreamland but those years felt more organic it probably saved me as a Chelsea fan I only really got into football and Chelsea around 94 and we weren't very good plus all my mates were Arsenal or spud fans, I'm not all about glory but a young teenagers resolve might not have been that strong if we kept finishing mid table call it what you want but for me key Chelsea years and key signings especially Claudio. 

@loz and @Remodez setting up an early prototype of The Shed End.

Edited October 30, 20168 yr by PloKoon13

If I could find a picture of Bobby Campbell and Glenn Hoddle you'd be in for it!

Found it - God knows why Bobby wanted to wear the kit that day:

1 hour ago, PloKoon13 said:

If I could find a picture of Bobby Campbell and Glenn Hoddle you'd be in for it!

I've been trying to find one of John Neal and Kerry Dixon, then I win.

Problem is with Ranieri we will never know which players he actually signed. I always thought he was more of a head coach position where he manages the players given to him. Also Chelsea signed so many players it was ridicolous so there was always going to be gems out of that big list.

With Gullit players like Zola, Di Matteo, Lebeouf and Vialli joined because he was manager. That was like being in a dreamworld as a kid specially when Zola joined.