1 hour ago, Nibs said:

From the list, I love Ancelotti, but now he is 65, feel that's too old and that time has passed.

Too old? That's harsh. He is either going to stay with Real or manage Brazil next. But I would take him - our young team would benefit so much from an old geezer like him. Just for 2-3 seasons at the helm to settle everything down.

51 minutes ago, Qaz said:

(and people wonder why England never win anything).

Would you like to add Southgate to our list of potential new managers?

44 minutes ago, TheCeleryKing said:

Too old? That's harsh. He is either going to stay with Real or manage Brazil next. But I would take him - our young team would benefit so much from an old geezer like him. Just for 2-3 seasons at the helm to settle everything down.

Yeah, maybe a bit harsh, especially as it's Carlo as I hold in such high esteem.

But I do think manager's get burned out and lose that hunger, just as players do. Look at Jose. I do like the idea of as younger (BUT good - as opposed to young and clueless) coach, like Alonso, with fresh ideas and looking for a challenge and boy are CFC forever a challenge!

47 minutes ago, TheCeleryKing said:

Would you like to add Southgate to our list of potential new managers?

😂

Wanted De Zerbi, that ship has sailed, out of the two Italian ‘stubborn managers’, at least he would have tried to install that ‘sh*t-house’ proper chels winning mentality. Marseille are 2nd in Ligue 1, his ideas are translating to another club, only 45 years old, more experience than Maresca ‘at the same age’. It just made sense, but of course…. he’s not a ‘yes’ man.

We’re talking ‘margins’ when debating managers now, as there simply isn’t outstanding candidates out there who could take the bull by the horns and just make it happen.

Sack this coach. The next coach hired should have conditional targets that if he fails, will be sacked without compensation, so we don't have to keep paying out failures.

Been what, 4, 5 years since we could beat a Arsenal, or Liverpool, or city in the league right?

Need someone who can pull off such results. That bloke at West Ham won at Arsenal today, maybe him?

3 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Been what, 4, 5 years since we could beat a Arsenal, or Liverpool, or city in the league right?

Need someone who can pull off such results. That bloke at West Ham won at Arsenal today, maybe him?

Last PL win against Liverpool = 2020/21 season (1-0 away win on 4/03/2021) = Tuchel was coach.

Last PL win against Manchester City = 2020/21 season (2-1 away win on 08/05/2021) = Tuchel was coach.

Last PL win against Arsenal = 2021/22 season (2-0 away win on 22/08/2021) = Tuchel was coach.

Edited February 23, 20251 yr by Jezz

The managerial change is a silly discussion given how unbalanced the squad is. There is youth all around and barely any leaders. The next step for this club is to focus on experience in the next transfer windows otherwise there is nothing a new manager can do.

If you look closely this season, we took the lead in most matches and only 4 times I think we were behind at HT (first round against City at home and then Liverpool, Ipswich and Brighton, all away matches).

It's a normal trajectory for a very young squad - they're fresh, young, they start of the front foot, but somehow can't keep the same levels of concentration for most of the match and fail to hold on to leads a lot of times. Of all the 36 goals we've conceded this season, 21 were in the 2nd half.

So, before a managerial change, I think some experience and some loud voices on the pitch are way more needed. Three or four top, experienced players in key areas to balance the squad are a must next summer. Otherwise we will keep the same levels of inconsistency.

Fabregas just masterminded his little Como sides win over Conte’s Napoli who were top of the league.

Needs more time but this seems written in the stars.

23 minutes ago, Term_X said:

Fabregas just masterminded his little Como sides win over Conte’s Napoli who were top of the league.

Needs more time but this seems written in the stars.

I don't think he's ready and from what I've read I'm not too sure his preferred style would translate to the PL.

That being said, if fan sentiment/unrest does force the board to make a change at the end of the season, I think there's a reasonable chance they go for Cesc. Ex-player who'll get the fans back onside, who's style of football seems to align with the preferred style of the board.

I don't know nearly enough about his managerial chops to comment too much on how he likes to set up, nor what his in-game management is like. But I've seen the phrase "positional play" used a few times by people discussing his Como side, which is a very Pep-y term as I understand it.

All Pep disciples are rigid in their tactics.

Great in theory but only if they have the right players at their disposal. Which will never be the case here under these directors.

On 19/02/2025 at 18:00, Term_X said:

Wanted De Zerbi, that ship has sailed, out of the two Italian ‘stubborn managers’, at least he would have tried to install that ‘sh*t-house’ proper chels winning mentality. Marseille are 2nd in Ligue 1, his ideas are translating to another club, only 45 years old, more experience than Maresca ‘at the same age’. It just made sense, but of course…. he’s not a ‘yes’ man.

We’re talking ‘margins’ when debating managers now, as there simply isn’t outstanding candidates out there who could take the bull by the horns and just make it happen.

Genuinely no idea why we didn't go for him

Part of the reason I'm not so keen on sacking Maresca is that there's hardly any good managers that would come to us, and I don't trust the board to choose correctly.

5 hours ago, cfr95 said:

I don't think he's ready and from what I've read I'm not too sure his preferred style would translate to the PL.

That being said, if fan sentiment/unrest does force the board to make a change at the end of the season, I think there's a reasonable chance they go for Cesc. Ex-player who'll get the fans back onside, who's style of football seems to align with the preferred style of the board.

I don't know nearly enough about his managerial chops to comment too much on how he likes to set up, nor what his in-game management is like. But I've seen the phrase "positional play" used a few times by people discussing his Como side, which is a very Pep-y term as I understand it.

Dennis Wise still a director at Como? Can we get him to do a deal with the mafia to buy our club... or just get him back as the sporting director and sack everyone else?

21 minutes ago, bluetrooper said:

Dennis Wise still a director at Como? Can we get him to do a deal with the mafia to buy our club... or just get him back as the sporting director and sack everyone else?

Or at the very least facilitate a couple of horse heads in the directors box to "encourage" BlueCo to sell the club back to Roman !

Still Eddie Howe.

On 23/02/2025 at 14:00, Drogba1 said:

Genuinely no idea why we didn't go for him

Part of the reason I'm not so keen on sacking Maresca is that there's hardly any good managers that would come to us, and I don't trust the board to choose correctly.

I think Term_X hit the nail in the head. De Zerbi is not a manager that would just follow orders from the owners and SD's. No way he would last a season without falling out with them.

2 hours ago, forbzy said:

I think Term_X hit the nail in the head. De Zerbi is not a manager that would just follow orders from the owners and SD's. No way he would last a season without falling out with them.

He pretty strongly hinted he left Brighton for much the same issues.

“We have agreed to end my time at Brighton so that the club and I can continue to work in the way that suits each of us best, following our own ideas and visions, as well as our work and human values.

If he wouldn't tolerate this at Brighton, it's unlikely he would tolerate it at a club with even more resources.

It's pretty clear that everyone from the owners to the sporting directors to Maresca himself are egotists who are only interested in success if they can do it in a way they retain 100% of the credit for doing so. IMO it's a very poisonous mindset that may eventually bring some success but ultimately causes catastrophic issues once the winning dries up.

Edited March 17, 20251 yr by SydneyChelsea

On 19/02/2025 at 10:33, dansubrosa said:

The only thing that scares me about him is that he reminds me of Potter when he was at Brighton. One of the brightest, young managers in the league and it didn’t work out.

Potter wasn't given a chance. He was sacked far too early.

30 minutes ago, Gordon Bennett said:

Potter wasn't given a chance. He was sacked far too early.

Potter had plenty of time to show why he should never have been appointed.

We were bumping along at one goal scored per game, same as he did at Brighton, and same as he is doing now at West Ham.

I sympathised with Potter a little bit because he inherited a bunch of players who didn't wanna be here and then when it got to January he was given a load of inexperienced players without getting rid of the older players so he was stuck with a squad of 35 players. Maresca has been handed a more settled squad coming off the back of a good end to the season, the longer he's had them the worse we've got.

On 17/03/2025 at 08:02, Gordon Bennett said:

Potter wasn't given a chance. He was sacked far too early.

Potter revisionism in 2025, we are truly in the trenches.

We should have kept AVB.

Iraola rumored to replace Ange at Spurs.

I do like the way Cesc has the young no name Como team playing. We could do worst than Magic Hat.