Now it's Laudrup

[abramovich]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/a ... ge_id=1779

Chelsea are considering a sensational offer to former Real Madrid and Barcelona star Michael Laudrup to become their first team coach next season if Avram Grant is elevated to a more senior administrative role.

Tentative unofficial inquiries have already been made about whether the 43-year-old former Danish international would be available and interested in moving to Stamford Bridge.

Laudrup is currently coaching Getafe in Madrid, who scored a spectacular UEFA Cup victory over Benfica in Lisbon on Thursday night and beat Tottenham 2-1 at White Hart Lane earlier in the tournament.

He took over the club from current Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster and has guided them to the semi-final of the Copa del Rey, where they hold a two-goal advantage over Real Santander going into the second leg.

After a distinguished playing career with Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid and being voted Denmark's bestever player, Laudrup had a spell as assistant coach with the national team before spending four years coaching Brondby, taking the Danish side to a cupleague double in 2005.

After a fall-out with Brondby over his contract renewal, he was linked with a number of clubs including Real Madrid before he moved to Getafe last July where he has attracted the interest of several top European clubs, including Chelsea.

He would have a powerful ally at Chelsea in chief talent scout Frank Arnesen — a fellow Dane who, like Laudrup, was born in Copenhagen.

Laudrup's name has become associated with Chelsea after manager Grant's defeat in the Carling Cup Final against Tottenham, which is expected to see another shake-up of the coaching staff this summer.

Grant and his assistant Henk ten Cate were appointed following the departure of Jose Mourinho earlier in the season, but the Dutch coach is already under scrutiny after his heated argument with captain John Terry the day before the final.

Ten Cate appears to be succumbing to the pressure after bizarrely blaming the British media for his problems.

He said: "The British decided not to publish the story about me and John Terry the next day. But we lost the Carling Cup Final against Tottenham Hotspur and that was what they were waiting for. It was so childish of them and it was not the first incident. When I first arrived here, it was suggested that I was forbidding the players to laugh. I did say something about that to the whole squad.

"I said to the players, there is a time when you can laugh and there is a time when you have to work hard. Those words to the squad were taken out of proportion. 'What does irritate me is when players from a squad deliberately leak stuff from within the changing room."

Speaking to De Telegraaf newspaper in Holland, Ten Cate added: "We are doing well yet the pressure here is enormous. As a manager you can't look ahead. You can't afford to lose a game."

[Guest]

I really really hope that if/when we change our manager we only go after those with a long history of success with multiple clubs.

To me, that means a Ottmar Hitzfelt, Carlo Anchellotti or someone like that.

[Blue Sun Tzu]

I really really hope that if/when we change our manager we only go after those with a long history of success with multiple clubs.

To me, that means a Ottmar Hitzfelt, Carlo Anchellotti or someone like that.

I'm not sure about that. In the same way that I believe that we should buy players of potential who have yet to win major trophies in favour of those who have won it all in another shirt - a Drogba rather than a Sheva, a Lampard rather than a Veron - I believe that the same may be said for a manager. There are obviously honourable exceptions, Makalele and of course Jose, but in general I would rather have the personnel who prove themselves for the first time at Chelsea. With candidates such as Ottmar Hitzfelt and Carlo Anchellotti there would always be the suspicion that they would be coming for one last pay-day rather than professional ambition. It's all a question of hunger.

Admittedly, this would suggest that I prefer Avram can't over JM; nothing could be further from the truth. This is because of the underhand way in which Avram Can't got the job, based of his personal (arse-licking~?!) relationship with Roman rather than any perceived managerial potential.

As far as Laudrup is concerned, I do not know enough about his performance at Getafe. However I like the cut of his cloth.

[evissy]

Very interesting rumour. Always liked the Laudrups. His achievments with getafe seem good too.. I prefer a new generation coach over Hitzfelts and Ancelottis. VanBasten, Klinsmann, Gullit, Rijkaard etc..

[Jimboola69]

Great stuff.

Chelsea are considering a sensational offer to former Real Madrid and Barcelona star Michael Laudrup to become their first team coach next season if Avram Grant is elevated to a more senior administrative role.

So basically they are just flying a kite!

And it is nice that as Arnesen is a Dane then he will be an ally to Laudrup...just like I always think alike to any Englishman!!!!

I guess at least this time Danish Frank will be happy to not be named in a Dutch Mafia. They at least have his nationality right this time.

He has done pretty well as a young manager. I am not sure that our next appointment will be of such a profile.

[Iceman]

This petition to get Grant out is doing the rounds from the fans chat page on the official website. I have signed it. Pass it on to as many CFC supporters you know. It is going to be sent into the Board. Anything is worth a try.

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/CFCMan/petition.html

[Alan]

Signed it.

[coombsie]

Pleased to have signed, hope its not too late

[Nibs]

I've just signed it, but as "Chippy".

[Guest Brian M]

I've just signed it, but as "Chippy".

Classic!

[valim]

for mee sing him today better than avram and his low staf

[evissy]

signed

[dkw]

im sorry, but anyone who signs that petition is wrong. what the hell is athe point of a petition. whats it gonna achieve. if roman isnt happy with him, he`ll go. if he is happy he stays. and theres absolutely sod all we can do about it. do you really think a petition signed by a couple of thousand fans will make a sh*te of difference? the defeat on saturday is embarrasing, but do you really think it was all grants fault? i want him out as much as anyone now. at first i was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but its plain to see its a job too far for him. but i also blame plenty of the players on the pitch saturday. but i dont want them out. im not gonna sign a petition to get them sold.

[Valerie]

im sorry, but anyone who signs that petition is wrong. what the hell is athe point of a petition. whats it gonna achieve. if roman isnt happy with him, he`ll go. if he is happy he stays. and theres absolutely sod all we can do about it. do you really think a petition signed by a couple of thousand fans will make a sh*t of difference? the defeat on saturday is embarrasing, but do you really think it was all grants fault? i want him out as much as anyone now. at first i was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but its plain to see its a job too far for him. but i also blame plenty of the players on the pitch saturday. but i dont want them out. im not gonna sign a petition to get them sold.

Now there's a thought....

[abramovich]

At this point in time the petition is pointless. I understand the emotional state of CFC supporters after the recent humiliation(especially those living in UK and having to deal with that on a daily basis) but sacking Grant now won't help anybody and will only destabilize the situation further.

If AG somehow manages to win at least one of the two big trophies left and proves his doubters wrong he'll get to stay for another season as a reward for it. If he doesn't which is quite likely given the level of competition and the ever mounting pressure, he'll make way for a new man in the summer,anyway.

[BLUENUT]

Laudrup - another manager with no track record

[geezer]

This story could be about to gather pace with the below extract from Sky sports:

Getafe president Angel Torres believes manager Michael Laudrup is likelier to switch to an English club rather than join Barcelona.

The former Barca and Real Madrid ace is currently managing Getafe and has impressed during his tenure at the club.

Laudrup has until the end of next season on his Getafe contract, although he has been linked with moves to Chelsea and Spanish giants Barcelona.

While Torres would love to keep hold of Laudrup's services, he believes he could well end up managing in the Premier League sooner rather than later.

"Laudrup is an excellent man who deserves our help and respect," said Torres.

"We'll help him but it is pointing more in the direction of England than to Barcelona, even though I would like him to stay with us."

[abramovich]

Just finished watching Getafe vs Bayern in UEFA quarterfinals. I must say i was very impressed with the Spanish club and the way they played. Very well organized, great on the ball, defended and attacked brilliantly.

Got 1-1 draw at Munich, in the second leg at home had a player sent off after 7 minutes of play(!), scored first in 44th, held on until 89th only for Ribery to equalize in the dying seconds, went 3-1 at the beginning of extra time and conceded two due to bad goalkeeping mistakes at the very end.

It ended 3-3 after 120 minutes and Bayern went through to the semis but it felt like Getafe were robbed.

Laudrup has done quite well with the team that has no star players whatsoever.

[geezer]

Laudrup has done quite well with the team that has no star players whatsoever.

Bit like a certain Mr Mourinho at Porto then?

[Maksimov]

Laudrup has done quite well with the team that has no star players whatsoever.

Bit like a certain Mr Mourinho at Porto then?

Without the big trophies, but yes...A BIT like Jose. I think Laudrup's done a great job, mind you. He won a load of trophies while he was the manager of Brøndby, though. They did play in UEFA Cup with some moderate success and along with those matches, I think his time as Denmark's assistant manager must've given him experience of big matches as a manager, something he knows plenty about from the player's point of view.

[fester]

I really really hope that if/when we change our manager we only go after those with a long history of success with multiple clubs.

To me, that means a Ottmar Hitzfelt, Carlo Anchellotti or someone like that.

I'm not sure about that. In the same way that I believe that we should buy players of potential who have yet to win major trophies in favour of those who have won it all in another shirt - a Drogba rather than a Sheva, a Lampard rather than a Veron - I believe that the same may be said for a manager. There are obviously honourable exceptions, Makalele and of course Jose, but in general I would rather have the personnel who prove themselves for the first time at Chelsea. With candidates such as Ottmar Hitzfelt and Carlo Anchellotti there would always be the suspicion that they would be coming for one last pay-day rather than professional ambition. It's all a question of hunger.

Admittedly, this would suggest that I prefer Avram can't over JM; nothing could be further from the truth. This is because of the underhand way in which Avram Can't got the job, based of his personal (arse-licking~?!) relationship with Roman rather than any perceived managerial potential.

As far as Laudrup is concerned, I do not know enough about his performance at Getafe. However I like the cut of his cloth.

In many respects Jose "had potential" when he joined us. He had done GREAT things at Porto, but Porto are a small club in European terms. He proved himself at Chelsea in almost every respect (bar a second CL triumph).

I believe that Avram is a stop-gap while Chelsea seek out the right manager to take us forward. Avram will move upstairs with a new manager and HTC as head coach. I prefer chosing a manager with "potential" that will be at the club for 10+ years and produce a team that pays entertaining football (ala Arsenal) and achieves success.

I suspect that the time since Jose departure has been spent seeking such an individual. However, I also wouldn't be surprised if Ramos moved from N17 to SW6!