As a pundit, I, maybe like some others in the field, come to expect to write on certain topics with some regularity. Rumored transfers, training ground bust-ups, and players deserving of an international cap or two are common fodder, though I think we've reached (or well passed) the point of adding the perpetually hot seat at Chelsea to this list of usual topics. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Yet, even with the normalcy of these proceedings firmly in mind, the madness or even insanity of such occurrences should not be minimized or trivialized. While some of the sackings we've seen from Stamford Bridge were hardly unexpected, such as the dismissals of Villas-Boas or Scolari, while others, such as the firing of Carlo Ancelotti, largely defied reason.
It would almost be beautiful to say that the unceremonious dismissal of Roberto Di Matteo was merely unreasonable, but such a label would be far to kind to Roman Abramovich. Rather, the sacking of a man who steered Chelsea away from the indignity (at least by Chelsea's standards) of merely qualifying for the Europa League and towards the dizzying heights of an unexpected Champions League/FA Cup double scarcely a few months ago is nothing less than maniacal and utterly shameful.
Yes, Chelsea had been off-form in their recent performances against the likes of West Brom in the league and Juventus in Europe, but despite that, they still sit third in the Premier League, well within reach of the Manchester duo, and somehow, in spite of a couple of losses in their tricky Champions League group, they still have a shot of advancing to the round of 16. Needless to say, such a state of affair hardly equates with a club in crisis, regardless of stature. As the nature of this sport goes, sometimes a time is winning every time out, and sometimes a team loses a couple of games. It happens.
Forgive me if this approach is far too pragmatic or grounded, but I have a feeling I'm not the only one who is of such a mentality as it pertains to Roberto Di Matteo's highly unwarranted unemployment; surely many Chelsea fans agree as well. Di Matteo's Chelsea CV should have earned him a better fate than this, even with Roman Abramovich's penchant for less than cerebral decisions taken into consideration, yet strangely it hasn't. At least for Di Matteo, though it may come as only a small consolation now, his name will be forever revered in the royal blue part of London, perhaps, dare I say, only trailing Jose Mourinho's legendary status at the club.
Now Rafa Benitez will take the helm, and unpopularly so. Accordingly, Chelsea fans must wonder how this season that began with such promise both domestically and continentally will culminate; will the players rally around one another and Benitez, or will things fizzle out as the red and blue Manchester contingents disappear off into the distance. Benitez certainly inherits a squad capable of keeping pace in the Premier League, but doing so at this point might be a different matter. As usual, Abramovich's failure to be one with reality will be to blame.
No comments:
Post a Comment