20 mars 2011

A Manager To Watch

tidigare publicerad på ChelseaVital:

I guess most of you have noticed that the tabloids and their minions are speculating in Carlo Ancelotti having to leave Chelsea this Summer for Roma.

That is set in stone according to the people who do not know. That only a season after taking Chelsea to the Double, new records and the worst crisis in 20 years (that we finally have behind us, I think).

Unless of course Chelsea will win the only title Roman Abramovich cares about, according to the same know-it-not-alls. Being Champion League Champions at Wembley on May 28.

Personally I think Carlo will stay next season too. Regardless of the Champions League. And I dare say I do not even think it is the holy grail of Roman to win the Champions League. He really wans to win it, We all really want to win it. The players, the fans, the club, the owner. But it is not all for a club of Chelsea`s stature. He is the best available, though not perfect. (But then, who is except ourselves?)

There is also a lot of emphasis on how we win. According to a lot of fans (so called Arsenal - or Barcafans) and to a lot of media talking heads. I do not know if it is my training as a Chelsea supporter from old, but I do not really care how we win or which system we play. I do primarily care about us winning. Period. Still scoring 103 goals in a league season only makes that winning all the sweeter.

Anyway, the most popular rumour IF Carlo is leaving for duller pastures in Rome, then the forefront runner is José Mourinho. JM wants to get back to England. He loves English football and I think he has a very strong love for Chelsea, our fans and the players. Very strong and I do honestly think he dreams of coming back one day, doing a come-back is just about the only thing he has not already accomplished. What Roman thinks I have absolutely no idea, but his actions seems to suggest that he is not all that interested in a manager that can not be "handled", as the modern term seems to be. A manager that demands the control of the team and transfers.

Anyway, first on the list on next manager should Carlo go AWOL for some reason is José Mourinho, that I think we need to realise. And it is far from impossible that JM`s somewhat strained relationship with Jorge Valdano (there is something between JM and sporting directors) and Flo Perez in Real Madrid could easily fail the test already this Summer. Still I think he will stay at Real another season, as he is quite stubborn and really wants to show he can turn that tanker around. (If he wins the CL this year, all bets are off).

There is a lot of talk in the media and on fan site`s about Frank Rijkaard and van Basten. Van Basten had a great start as manager for Holland, but failed as a club manager and he has since then done nothing. Rijkaard left the self-playing pianola Barcelona and has only tried his hands in one club since, a huge failure in Turkey with Galatasaray.

I say maybe, maybe, maybe to van Basten, and an absolute No to Rijkaard. They are not really Chelsea material despite knowing how to act as managers. (Or looking good in suits at the press conferences).

To be honest, there is absolutely no manager available out there that I think is even close to Carlo Ancelotti in quality. Despite what we think of the crisis and not trusting the kids when his job is on the line.

A big failure for Turkey in next week international Euro-qualifier could open up a door though. To a manager we do not need to be introduced to; Guus Hiddink. Maybe my personal favourite manager of all time. He has it all, but age. In a way I would much rather see him as Sporting Director with direct Roman`ear access at Chelsea. But I would never turn him down as manager either. But I think he would serve Chelsea the very best as Sporting Director, in charge of both transfers and the academy and any manager.

But the manager I think we all should look at right now is much younger, and already a Chelsea acquaintance. I see him in 2-3 years time from now. Maybe slightly before that.

No it is not Brendan Rodgers. It is not Gianfranco Zola. It is not Roberto di Matteo. All very competent and great people and established though not fully successfull managers with a background in Chelsea. Not even Gus Poyet, Dennis Wise or Dan Petrescu. Definetely not Mark Hughes.

I am talking about André Villas-Boa.

Who, some of you might ask. Who is that?

André Villas-Boa was José Mourinho`s analyst and assistant in Chelsea and in Inter (or Internazionale as they go by in England). He is 31 years old, or in his case young. And he is the manager of one of the classic European success teams. FC Porto. The same club José came to us from after taking them to the Champions League victory after Ranieri screwed up royally at Monaco. (If there ever was a year the title could been "fairly easily" won that was the year, before the big investments in football all over!).

Villas-Boa is Oporto-born and bred, and a true dragon-fan. (Porto`s nickname from the crest for those unfamiliar with it). His grandmother is English and he is educated at FA`s Lilleshall-facilities as the youngest manager ever.

He left José`s embrace (some say not to mutual agreement!) the Summer of 2009 to take over unknown minions Academica Coimbra. A club in dire need and turning their season around. That brought him back to Porto this Summer and he is already on the verge of taking them all the way in Europa League. Some claim Porto is the hands-on favourites to win that tournament now, despite two other Portuguese teams challenging. Porto did lose the title they had an almost subscription on last season. They lost Bruno Alves and Raul Meireles, two of the most dominant players. They have under Villas-Boa set a new club record with 36 victories and are running amok with the title again.

He is also a prodigy of sir Bobby Robson. (Like JM) Guess who it was that got him into Lilleshall despie being barely 17 years old and not eligible? Right, sir Bobby. He also put in some time learning the trade at Ipswich before returning to Porto and José that was there now.

Villas-Boa is not an old footballer. He belongs to the new breed of managers, managers that totally believe in knowledge and preparation, not their own experience on the pitch. He is considered the best analyst of players and teams in the business. But plays his Porto in a more attacking, to the eye pleasant style than maybe JM preferred before him. Porto have right now a goal difference of 53-7, in 23 played games (no loss). Their 4-1-2-3 (for those who cares) system is very flexible and modern.

This my friends is the guy to keep tabs on for the future Chelsea job, a manager that can become a club icon after Carlo is finished with his job (or maybe sooner). André Villas-Boa, remember him. I for one belong to the ones that started noticing him.