PODCAST: Chelsea fan and comedy writer Ivor Baddiel on the Y Word

Chelsea players guilty of over celebrating a penalty

It's the plague of modern football: over celebrating a penalty.

The players are caught up in the hype of a "vital Champions League away goal in a key match", when in reality it was just an early equaliser in a quarter-final first leg.

Chelsea players were guilty of pumping fists and hugging long-lost family when they swamped and jumped on the shoulders of Eden Hazard as they drew level at PSG.

Celebration must be felt inside to look authentic - and these guys seemed to have learned to celebrate like this for TV, Twitter and Press photos!

Come on, it was only a penalty. Over-celebrating a spot kick looks silly. Chelsea players last night. pic.twitter.com/0B8N2q1GOs
— Jonny Gould (@jonnygould) April 3, 2014

Why The Happy One's second coming will be good for Chelsea

Quick to remind you! It was 6 trophies last time

They say "never go back" in life - and especially in football. But it's a maxim far from Jose Mourinho's thinking as he embarks on a new four-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

And Kevin Hatchard has four reasons why Mourinho's return will be successful like before.

1 – Mourinho is one of the most successful managers of his generation. Mourinho’s critics are enjoying beating him with a Real Madrid-branded stick, but it says a lot for his glittering CV that his time in the Spanish capital is being derided by many as a failure. In the shape of Leo Messi-inspired Barcelona, he was up against arguably one of the greatest teams of all time. Despite this calibre of opposition he won the La Liga title (setting a points record of 100 in the process) and the Copa del Rey (Real’s first success in the competition for nearly two decades). 

Mourinho, Moyes & Pellegrini: the new men at the top

Much has been made of Real’s failure to win the Champions League under Mourinho, but Los Merengues reached the semi-finals in each of his three seasons. In the six seasons that preceded Mourinho’s tenure, Real failed to progress beyond the last 16.

Mourinho’s La Liga title win means he has now won domestic championships in four different leagues, and three of those competitions (Serie A, Premier League, La Liga) are widely regarded as elite. The last time Mourinho failed to deliver at least one league title during a spell at a club was when he was at Uniao de Leiria, and in fairness I don’t think even the most ardent Leiria fan expects to be cheering their boys to title glory any time soon.

Sir Alex Ferguson has quite rightly been lauded for his magnificent, trophy-laden career, but it’s worth considering that Mourinho has delivered the same number of Champions League/European Cup wins in 13 years as Fergie did in more than double that time. To further enhance that achievement, Mourinho has reached the pinnacle of European football with two different clubs, and in the space of two seasons he won both the UEFA Cup and the Champions League with Porto.

Three European trophies, seven league titles and six domestic cups – Mourinho’s a winner, it’s as simple as that.

2 – Chelsea have one of the strongest squads in Europe, and the resources to make it stronger. Mourinho will inherit an outstanding squad that has won major European trophies in each of the past two seasons, and the £18million capture of German international forward Andre Schurrle shows that Blues owner Roman

Twice a Premier League champion, 2004 to 2007

 is willing to invest in the squad further.

Petr Cech remains one of the most reliable keepers in the Premier League, while promising Belgian stopper Thibault Courtois is set to accrue a third consecutive season of experience whilst on loan at Atletico Madrid. As a unit Chelsea’s defence was far from convincing last season, but the individual players are talented. Ashley Cole and Cesar Azpilicueta are both excellent attacking full-backs, while Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic are solid defenders, although perhaps not a solid partnership.

Perhaps Mourinho’s biggest conundrum lies in central midfield. Frank Lampard earned a new contract with a magnificent, record-breaking season. He may be a first-team regular – not because he’s a trusted lieutenant of Mourinho, but because he smashed in 15 Premier League goals last season. David Luiz put in some stirring, all-action displays at the heart of Chelsea’s midfield last term – he broke up play, started attacks and scored some spectacular goals. Luiz is a far better proposition in midfield than he is at centre-back, where his lapses of concentration can be more easily punished. That said, reports suggest Mourinho is not a fan of the extravagantly coiffeured Brazilian, and he may be a high-profile departure.

If Mourinho adopts a 4-2-3-1 formation, he is spoilt for choice in the attacking midfield department. When Mourinho holds the morning assembly, they’ll be the group with their hands up most insistently, desperately trying to catch the teacher’s attention. If Mourinho sticks with what he’s got, Juan Mata (12 PL goals and 12 assists last season), Oscar (4 PL goals, 5 assists), Eden Hazard (9 PL goals, 11 assists) and Ramires (5 PL goals) are all in the mix, with Schurrle, Victor Moses and the returning Kevin De Bruyne all keen to make their mark. Mourinho says young Belgian international De Bruyne is ready to play for Chelsea, and after an outstanding loan spell at Werder Bremen (9 Bundesliga goals, 10 assists), it’s hard to disagree.

On the subject of Belgians who’ve had excellent seasons out on loan (what a link - this stuff isn’t just thrown together, you know), Romelu Lukaku’s in contention for a striking spot after excelling at West Brom. The former Anderlecht man showcased his impressive mix of pace, power and composure, scoring 17 Premier League goals. At Chelsea (Didier Drogba) and Inter (Diego Milito) Mourinho used powerful target-men, and I see no reason why Lukaku can’t fill that role. With Fernando Torres and Demba Ba also in contention, and a big-money signing a near-certainty, Chelsea won’t be short of firepower.

3 – The fans are on board from the start. When Rafa Benitez was appointed as Chelsea boss midway through last season, sales of plain paper and marker pens went through the roof in the West London area. Benitez was greeted by a barrage of crudely penned banners and signs, displaying displeasure at his arrival. Despite such needless vitriol, Benitez went on to secure a top-four finish and a major European trophy, but the poisonous atmosphere at some home games hardly helped the team’s performances. Many of Chelsea’s best displays under Benitez came away from Stamford Bridge, and he won just one of his first five PL home games. Conversely, Mourinho will be accorded messianic status at Stamford Bridge, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Chelsea’s home record significantly improve.

4 – Mourinho has a proven track record in English football. In his first two seasons in England, Mourinho won two Premier League titles, racking up a club-record 29 top-flight wins in each campaign. In that first season Chelsea broke the Premier League points record, collecting a gigantic 95. In his three full seasons in England, Mourinho also won two League Cups and an FA Cup.

To conclude, Mourinho says he’s willing to see out his four-year contract at Stamford Bridge, and is even happy to stay beyond that. His career path to date suggests he won’t necessarily stay in West London for that long, regardless of his level of success. He might not be there for a long time, but it seems to me that Chelsea fans are in for a good time.

Do you agree with Kevin? Drop us a comment now.

Jose's Bridge too far?

Jose's Real time represented his first career crisis

The old football maxim, Never Go Back springs to mind. Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool? Kevin Keegan at Newcastle, Pamela Anderson at Baywatch. Careers go south quickly, you know!

On the face of it, Jose's second coming looks to be a great return. He was the man who made Fergie buckle at Manchester United with two successive Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups.

But I say, Jose II of Chelsea has found "any port in a storm".

Overlooked for the jobs at Old Trafford, Manchester City, Bayern Munich – and firmly shown the "mutual consent door" at the Bernabeu, Mourinho's cultivated a reputation for itinerance in an era of continuity.

It's only Chelsea that suited Mourinho. A marriage of convenience in a less than ideal world, some say. There was no other elite club for him. 

Respected for his track record? undoubtedly. But gazed on lovingly from the lofty heights of the boardroom? Not so much.

Young Jose could do no wrong

The Special One's glister is tarnished. Without a trophy in his last season at Madrid and having fallen out with senior players and media too, this isn’t the Mourinho who stormed into the Bridge nine years ago having won the Champions League with Porto.

And one of the biggest names in football agrees.

“Mourinho will never win a prize again,” Johann Cruyff told the Sun. “I think that because of the way he acted in Madrid. He blamed everyone and everybody when something went wrong in Madrid.

“And he is playing games with people who are working there. Mourinho himself played an unbelievably negative part in his Madrid years. First he moved out general manager Jorge Valdano and later he did the same with director of football Zinedine Zidane.

“And in the end he dropped Iker Casillas, the captain of the Spanish national team.

“This behaviour does not work in football, it only works in paralysing the dressing room. That’s why it didn’t work out in the end in Madrid and that’s why I think Mourinho will not succeed any more.”

Jose was famed for his thorough tactics at Chelsea and Inter and instilled a belief in his players that it was impossible to concede goals.

But he let Robert Lewandowski score four against his Real defence in the Champions League semi this season. Young Jose wouldn’t have let that happen.

Young Jose was fired up to prove everyone wrong. But midlife Jose is coasting now and his arrival at the Bridge is a massive payday based on his decade of decoration - not his masterplan for the years ahead.

But the 50-year-old believes he has plenty of gas in the tank, "I feel the people at Chelsea love me and in life you have to look for that".

The meaningful love he needs is from Roman Abramovich. Five-and-a-half years ago, Roman lavished millions on Jose to get him out of the door. Now, after a parade of the world's greatest managers in the Stamford Bridge dugout, Jose suddenly fits the bill again.

And if he can engender a togetherness absent in Madrid, Jose may prove his detractors wrong with a very good squad that he's inherited.

Have a free £25 bet with William Hill (T&C's apply)

Di Matteo dismissal: Statements from both club and manager

How cool is RDM?

Roman Abramovich sacked Roberto di Matteo before 9 o'clock this morning. A dip in Premier League form and the threat of an early Champions League exit was enough for the oligarch to operate the oft-used managerial trapdoor once more.

It's scant loyalty for extraordinary achievement; Di Matteo exits Chelsea with head held high after delivering Abramovich his Holy Grail; the Champions League title.

And in an equally eye-raising decision, Rafa Benitez, who rejected the chance to join Chelsea last season and unpopular with their fans, becomes interim boss to the end of the season.

Here's some newspeak on Di Matteo's departure: followed by Roberto's afterwards.

"Chelsea Football Club has parted company this morning with manager Roberto di Matteo.

The team's recent performances and results have not been good enough and the owner and the Board felt that a change was necessary now to keep the club moving in the right direction as we head into a vitally important part of the season.

Even neutral hearts skipped a beat at di Matteo's win

The club faces a difficult task ahead in qualifying for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League as well as maintaining a strong challenge for the top of the Premier League while competing in three other cup competitions. Our aim is to remain as competitive as possible and challenge strongly on all fronts.

The owner and the Board would like to thank Roberto for all he has done for the club since taking over in March. Roberto helped guide us to an historic Champions League victory and a seventh FA Cup. We will never forget the huge contribution he has made to this club's history and he will always be welcome at Stamford Bridge."

Di Matteo's statement:

Roberto Di Matteo said: "It was an honour for me to be appointed manager of a club that I loved playing for and one that is so close to my heart. I am extremely proud of the successes and trophies that we were able to bring to the club in recent months.

“Lifting Chelsea's first Champions League trophy, in Munich, was the best achievement in club history and without doubt the highlight of my career to date, both as a player and manager. It is a memory I will treasure for the rest of my life.

“I have a deep and unreserved passion for Chelsea Football Club and I would like to sincerely thank all of the staff, my players and of course the Chelsea fans, for their tremendous and unconditioned support in the intense time I have been the manager at the Bridge. I wish all of them every success for the rest of the season and beyond.”

League Managers Association CEO Richard Bevan, said: “The LMA shares Roberto’s disappointment following Chelsea's decision to relieve him of his managerial duties. What cannot be questioned is Roberto’s passion for the club and the honesty and integrity he has shown throughout his time in charge. His record of a Champions League title and FA Cup triumph, speaks for itself, and he can be incredibly proud of what he has achieved in such a short space of time.

"Roberto has received a huge number of messages of support from across the game; from other managers, coaches, administrators at other clubs, Chelsea supporters and the Chelsea players themselves. I know he is extremely appreciative of receiving so much support and solidarity, and it demonstrates the high regard and respect that those in the game have for Roberto.”

Graeme Le Saux previews this season's FA Cup

Graeme Le Saux won the FA Cup with Chelsea in 2000

That's my girl!

I interviewed the former Chelsea and England left-back Graeme Le Saux about his experiences of winning, and indeed losing Cup Finals and I got to ask him why he thought Chelsea had dominated the competition in recent years.

Graeme also recently came out of retirement to play for Wembley in the preliminary rounds. What was it like to play professional football again in his 40's?

listen to ‘Graeme le Saux previews this season's FA Cup’ on Audioboo

How the Clattenburg controversy will end up

Obi proved a difficult customer

Chelsea have made an official complaint to the Football Association regarding alleged "inappropriate language" made by referee Mark Clattenburg towards midfielder John Obi Mikel.

 

The European Champions won't pursue similar allegations involving another first team player, said to be Juan Mata.

 

The Blues formally complained to the FA after a "thorough internal investigation".

A second charge by Mata's been dropped by Chelsea

So here’s what’s going to happen:

The independent panel charged with looking into this won't be able to decide between conflicting evidence, so Clattenburg will be found not guilty.



It’s four English speaking officials versus a main witness whose mother tongue is Portuguese and whose English is far from fluent. It’s staggering Chelsea think they can prove anything on the balance of probability and that their legal counsel should recommend going forward.

But there could still be collateral damage for Clattenburg. It may well cost him the chance of refereeing at the World Cup as our FA’s representative.

 

There's no chance of him being found guilty. I believe Chelsea are pushing ahead just to save face. With thanks to Chris Davies of the Sunday People. 

United will quell the Noisy Neighbours

I don't have to stick my head above the parapet and pick the deposed champions and second favourites in this season's title race. But I'm gonna.

There's a serene determination to Sir Alex Ferguson's preseason that other protagonists cannot reach.

He always looks the same in victory. This from 1993.

Setting the priority to winning the title was the canniest management the old hand could muster. Having lost it in dramatic last seconds, United's squad, weaker than previous incarnations and lighter in midfield, have been swiftly set the challenge of overturning the Noisy Neighbours.

listen to ‘The #epl title race? #mufc have the firepower to edge #mcfc’ on Audioboo

No grand gestures about winning a fourth Champions League, no challenges on all domestic fronts, Fergie knows full well his squad will have to use every sinew of its dynamic and capability to go just for the big one.

And Robin van Persie's £24m arrival from Arsenal provides Manchester City with much food for thought. Not only did they lose out to United for last season's top scorer, but he preferred Old Trafford as a football destination.

United boast an enviable strike force as RVP links up with Rooney, Welbeck and Chicharito. There's goals there.

Compared to the volatility of the City regime, here's why Fergie's single focus is so clever.

City will want to retain the title and show significantly more Champions League mettle.

Fergie's calm in a confusing high-end world looks favourable to the regime of Roberto Mancini, who's rarely more than 90 minutes from the next crisis.

City were conspicuous by their absence in the transfer market as Brian Marwood failed in bids to sign anyone but Jack Rodwell. But now the Evertonian has a big stage to clear injury hurdles and realise his potential.

Last year's headline-makers.

People are talking up Chelsea's chances, but I think the best they can hope for down the King's Road is third. Hero Roberto Di Matteo who steered them to an unlikely cup double before taking the reins full time, has been asked to improve on their sixth placed finish, undoubtedly caused by the priorities of glory.

He'll jump that low hurdle with an array of expensive signings but whether the uncompromising impatience of Roman Abramovich will afford him a further season is open to question.

Andre Villas-Boas has struck career gold by joining Tottenham. His seven-month Stamford Bridge car-crash might've left his reputation in tatters, but Daniel Levy recognised he had an able young coach who scaled Mourinhoesque heights at Porto, and now he has a super-talented squad bequeathed to him by the vanquished Harry Redknapp

Arsenal have gone seven years without a trophy yet they're the nation's most consistent Champions League performers and title also-rans.

RVP's gone but Arsene Wenger's replaced him with world class talent in the form of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud.

Remembering their disastrous start to last season but very strong finish to claim bronze, why can't the Gunners contemplate a title tilt?

There's nothing wrong with Wenger's stubborn resolve, most recently shown in holding out for big money from Fergie for his wantaway Dutch creation.

Newcastle United have come a very long way under Alan Pardew - and as long as Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba keep scoring, they can still dream of finishing high up, but any misfiring or injury layoff will see them fall behind. There's just not enough about Coloccini, Ben Arfa et al to sustain them in the higher echelons without the goals.

Can Everton break their usual routine of a slow start to rousing finish? If so, the Toffees could bid for the top four again. They've a settled squad and will do more than repel the losses of Cahill and Rodwell.

The two most improved teams in the league will be Aston Villa and Stoke City. Paul Lambert will galvanise a good squad and the returning Darren Bent will score when playing. Ron Vlaar and Matthew Lowton will be linchpins in a new look defence.

Tony Pulis just keeps doing things the right way. Stoke have been roundly criticised for uncompromising ugly football, but while they strengthen their squad with better players, confidence and quality will grow. Sometimes this season, they'll win games playing cutting edge football - habit forming. Etherington, Walters and Crouch give them a solid look.

If you photograph them from below, they look fierce.

The biggest managerial gamble in the Premier League belongs to Liverpool, who secured Brendan Rodgers from Swansea. Jose Mourinho gave him a glowing endorsement as a staffer at Chelsea, but spells at Watford and Reading proved less than stellar.

Swansea's football wasn't all his vision and though Steven Gerrard's praised him for his man management qualities, the Reds look shorter than ever in the big club stakes. Andy Carroll's not wanted, so what kind of message is that to send to your main man particularly after a good season-end and EURO 2012.
I'm one of the jurors who's out on Rodgers.

WBA may struggle in games under Steve Clarke. He may be found wanting as he steps up from coach to manager but he'll produce tough-to-beat teams. His attrtional football will keep them up.

Samneric

West Ham have arrived back in the big-time with one of the most-respected and experienced managers in the game. Sam Allardyce may be from another planet to the jellied eel culture of east London, but he'll make the Hammers competitive in the league.

Michael Laudrup is a gamble for Swansea, who might succumb to second season syndrome. He comes with a reputation for great football at a small club in Spain but that assumes an Iberian square peg fits a Welsh hole. At least, they continue to stay faithful to their reputation for playing football the right way.

Southampton and Reading should be content to stay up but one of them will return from whence they came.

The Premier League will continue to captivate us, provide headlines and gather momentum abroad even though the Olympics promises a wider sports agenda for the avid fan.
Underpinned by an even bigger pot of rights gold from next season, English football seems in rude health indeed.

MY FINAL TABLE:

1. Manchester United
2. Manchester City
3. Arsenal
4. Chelsea
5. Tottenham Hotspur
6. Everton
7. Newcastle United
8. Fulham
9. Stoke City
10. Aston Villa
11. Liverpool
12. Sunderland
13. West Ham United
14. WBA
15. Swansea City
16. Wigan Athletic
17. Queen's Park Rangers
18. Reading
19. Southampton
20. Norwich City

John Terry NOT GUILTY of racial abuse

John Terry's been found NOT guilty of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand. Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle said the case was not about 'whether Mr Terry was a racist in the broadest sense of the word'.

He said he'd heard a great deal of evidence to show that he was not.

The 31-year-old left court within minutes of the verdict, making no comment as a group of Chelsea fans waiting outside cheered as he walked by.

Mr Terry was accused of calling Ferdinand a "f****** black c***" during a Premier League match between Chelsea and QPR last October.

Concluding his statement, Riddle said: 'Weighing all the evidence together, I think it is highly unlikely that Mr Ferdinand accused Mr Terry on the pitch of calling him a b**** c***.

Terry vehemently denied he was racist and claimed the video took him out of context. “I thought Anton was accusing me of using a racist slur against him. I responded aggressively, saying that I never used that term. I will fight this charge tooth and nail”, he said. Amid all the TV camera angles there've been, this uncensored close-up of Terry was the clearest evidence of a strong case to be answered.

Terry was no ordinary person at the dock, and although he shouldn't have been treated any differently from anyone else facing charges of racism, he was in a position of responsibility to behave inside boundaries. Despite his repeated horridness, incredibly some fans continue to look upto him.

OVER TO THE FA NOW

But the collateral damage of this case could still hang over his life and playing career. The Football Association have 'noted' the case and may still punish Terry in some way.

Football can and should punish him on the basis that he doesn't deny using those choice of words on a pitch in front of thousands of fans and millions on TV.

Society simply can't afford to tolerate this kind of alleged behaviour from a player of his standing and level.

No one will believe football's story of standing against racism and other forms of prejudice if the authorities don't act.

The 39th Game: the debate rages again

As Manchester United jet across the world satisfying a Premier League hunger beyond these shores, the spectre of a 39th Game must surely be back on the agenda.

United lead the way with a mind-numbing pre-season schedule of 22,000 airmiles with friendlies in South Africa, China, Norway, Sweden and Germany.

Premier League CEO Scudamore loves globalization

Champions Manchester City travel 16,000 miles to Austria and China. Everton are in Indonesia, while Spurs, Chelsea, Liverpool and Villa are in the USA.

Chief Executive of the Premier League, Richard Scudamore is the most powerful proponent of globalising the Premier League with the 39th Game, but it's an idea in the traditions of Millwall. No one likes it, he don't care!

And when I canvas my fellow football-loving pals, I'm firmly in a minority of one in thinking this is a good idea.

But it's got to be a logical progression for the most widely watched league in the world.

Supporter groups in England are unsurprisingly against it.

After all, the NBA and NFL come to London, so is the Premier League missing a trick? In an inter connected world, isn't it an essential mechanic of a global game?

And if we don't do it, won't other European leagues biting at our heels do it first? Barcelona and Real Madrid are real Box Office and oh yeah, their national team is the greatest ever! The Premier League must stay ahead of the game and embrace an enlarged and growing fanbase - or somewhere else will grab them.

As the recession showed, travelling support for England was curtailed to Poland and the Ukraine, but for clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool, local support is literally only half the story.

And for teams like Queen's Park Rangers, boasting new signing Ji Sung Park, South Korea presents a massive new fanbase opportunity (although curiously his homeland isn't part of their mammoth 20,000 mile trek this time).

I really believe it's one-eyed for the Premier League not to consider the 39th Game and having created the global demand, our clubs need to respect and honour it with meaningful competition, not just friendlies.

We had an audio debate in the @sportsmediauk newsroom - and Marcus Stead wrote this passionate piece against it.

Click here for the current Top Story Soccermongery's all about your feedback, so write away, right away!

Italian Football Podcast: previewing EURO 2012 & Prandelli interview

On the eve of EURO 2012, I've made a 15-minute podcast on Italian football.

In the show, I talk to reporter Tommi Mattei from the Italian squad's base in Coverciano ahead of their departure to Poland and Ukraine, there's also an interview with Italy coach Cesare Prandelli as he outlines his hopes for the tournament and we gauge his opinion on Roberto di Matteo's remarkable Champions League win with Chelsea.

I'm hoping to get a sponsor from this so if you like it, please leave a comment and Share! Thanks.

listen to ‘Italian Football Podcast: previewing #euro2012, interview with Cesare Prandelli & talking #loscudetto & #cfc's #ucl win’ on Audioboo

Football's close season? There isn't one.

With England preparing with friendlies ahead of Euro 2012, play-offs extending into the last days of May and the transfer market in full flow, Jonny explains "what happens next!" (Clue: it's Eden Hazard).

listen to ‘#football's close-season? There isn't one!’ on Audioboo

Chelsea's unexpected last chance Champions League saloon!

When Carlo Ancelotti's double winners crashed out of last season's Champions League, his fate was sealed as seemingly were those of Drogba, Lampard and Terry. But after an astounding volte face by owner Roman Abramovich, Chelsea stand on the edge of their finest hour:

listen to ‘#cfc drink from the unlikeliest of all last chance Champions League saloons’ on Audioboo

Next Chelsea boss? It's got to be Roby!

Di Matteo replaced Villas-Boas as caretaker boss

The identity of Chelsea's next boss is staring out under the noses of the billionaire Russian and his tubby apparatchiks. Roberto Di Matteo's lifted the team out of lethargy to the outer perimeter of glory - and he'd be my choice for the hotseat.

Yet Roman Abramovich always opts for the coach with the prevailing wind of hype under his wings - and what does he do with this hot air? He acts on it. Granted the Siberian got it spectacularly right with Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti (and hopelessly wrong when he sacked them both) - but what of the rest?

Grandad Scolari was hired merely because he put England to the sword thrice with Brazil and Portugal. His command of English made Fabio Capello sound like Brian Blessed. Ray Wilkins fronted the media for most of his tenure and when the former Kuwait chief did plop out a few words, he'd not bothered to find out how Chelsea was pronounced!


But quarter-English Baron Villas-Boas, with a full eighteen months management under his belt (fresh from a league and Europa double with Porto), got the nodski because his youth and career path resembled that of the Special One.

Sleeping Booted. So inappropriate for Chelsea

Could Roman make the same mistake again and launch an audacious bid for Pep Guardiola and his like? If so, then taking the Barca boss out of his comfort zone offers no guarantee of Champions League glory down Fulham Broadway anytime soon.



No, Chelsea must appoint Roberto Di Matteo. Iconic scorer of famous Blues goals as a player, he's clearly a man who cares not just for the club but also for the playing group too. Recall his riproaring celebration at the final whistle of Chelsea's Champions League triumph over Napoli. He nearly decapitated Fernando Torres as he sauntered off the pitch, jumping on the Spaniard's back like he was playing the joker in It's a Knockout.

He even got a bear hug from Frank Lampard, a clinch not employed since proposing to Christine Bleakley in the summer.

"Sacked mid-season at West Bromwich Albion!", I hear the cries. That counts for little. The spin should be that he has managed in the Premier League more to the point.

And remember, Rafa Benitez was sacked by Real Valladolid and Osasuna before tasting European success at Valencia and Liverpool. Alex Ferguson was dismissed by St. Mirren in his second job. Whatever happened to him?

Di Matteo's not ruling himself either, although sensibly he only wants to talk about "winning games in a results business". A down-to-earth approach that puts him in good stead for getting the job permanently.

Fergie and Rafa were both sacked early in their careers

Di Matteo's also played recently. He has the respect of the senior players and critically, they play for him. The Chelsea board need to apply completely different criterion and one of them is to get off their high-horse and stop buying the equivalents of a Rolex Daytona.

Think Swatch, Roman! Give it to a man who'd live and breathe Chelsea. Give it to Roby.

Also on Soccermongery: Villas-Boas chewed and spat out by Chelsea and John Terry court verdict will prove a snapshot of our society's health.

  

Click here for the current Top Story Soccermongery's all about your feedback, so write away, right away!

How the mouthy have fallen! The week in football

Turns out WBA did for both of them!

You'd be forgiven for thinking Arsenal's team was made up of eleven Englishmen after their heroic failure to reach the last eight of the Champions League the previous week. So it was left to Chelsea to fly the flag for the Premier League.

Up a slightly less steep hill than the Gunners but nevertheless still in a tight spot, Chelsea completed a remarkable fightback to overturn a 3-1 first leg deficit to win 4-1 over Napoli in extra time at the Bridge.

Since taking the reigns from the deposed Andre Villas Boas, caretaker Roberto di Matteo's galvanised the Blues and critically, it's been the Chelsea pensioners of Terry, Lampard and Drogba who steered them to glory with a goal apiece.

This poses a problem for the next Chelsea boss because even though the thirtysomething trio can still do it at the highest level, ultimately they need replacing. Like Villas-Boas tried before, the new man will have to grasp the nettle. 

Paternity leave beckons

But it should be Di Matteo: he's no ordinary stand-in coach even if he's not Roman Abramovich’s first choice. There’s been grandiose talk of a Mourinho return, Fabio Capello (he who stood down over John Terry), and even Pep Guardiola.

But for me Roby's the man: for a starter, he’s a Chelsea ledge. Scorer of famous goals in Cup Finals and more than served his apprenticeship as an English club manager, and you just can't create that exuberant celebration after beating Napoli that showed he cares so much for the club and the group of players.

He almost gave Fernando Torres whiplash, jumping on the Spaniard from just outside his peripheral vision. If he's overlooked in favour of a bigger star, then Roman’s Empire may just continue to go round in circles.

Special mention for Steven Gerrard: on his 400th appearance for Liverpool, he thumped a hat-trrick to flatten neighbours Everton which also marked David Moyes' decade in charge at Goodison. Moyes has guaranteed the Mersey Blues have continually punched above their weight, but this time it's back to the drawing board for those soft-centred Toffees!

The expectation at Anfield is unbearable. History is a huge burden on the back of this current crop especially as manager Kenny Dalglish was responsible for so much of it. How quickly the League Cup win's been forgotten. It's the Champions League that matters.

Meanwhile, if you're in need of entertainment at your football conference, look no further than Dave Richards after a day of embarrassment for the Premier League chairman.

I can’t believe Richards apologised for being a Yorkshireman for what he called his “broad comments” during a speech in Qatar.



What a complete dill!

Richards said, "England gave the world football. It gave the best legacy anyone could give. We gave them the game. We were its governance. We wrote the rules, designed the pitches and everything else. Then 50 years later some guy came along and said you're liars and they actually stole it. It was called Fifa. Fifty years later, another gang came along called Uefa and stole a bit more."

Even the Premier League distanced themselves from their chairman's comments, claiming the old boy wasn't in Qatar in an official capacity.

But event organisers didn’t need to pour cold water on Richards. He did that himself later by falling into a fountain during a trip round a museum! It’s lucky he was helped back to his feet in doublequick time as he might have been mistaken for one of the relics.

Taxi for Richards!

Abramovich's Chelsea circus a far cry from a winning culture

Have a free £25 bet with William Hill  (T&C's apply)

Pained expression: AVB at WBA in last minutes as boss

It was in June 2011 that Chelsea returned to Porto to hire the brightest young coach in European football.

33-year-old Andre Villas-Boas, with just eighteen months senior management experience, was poached having steered the Dragao-based club to Portuguese and Europa League titles.

Roman Abramovich superimposed the image of Jose Mourinho on the fledgeling coach in the clearest case of cosmic ordering ever scene in football. By leaving Porto for Chelsea with a European title, the instant comparisons with The Special One were either going to be flattering - or flattening. 

Less than nine months later, the Blues owner abandoned Villas-Boas, who'd originally been brought in for the long haul. Remember he'd replaced one of Europe's top coaches, Carlo Ancelotti, who'd steered Chelsea to a sweeping and stylish Double.

Mourinho and friend crushing Barca. Chelsea bound?

But Villas-Boas was swallowed whole by the Chelsea monster. He'll rightly receive massive compensation because being Chelsea boss is a surefire destroyer of reputation in record time. It serves Abramovich right for chasing old trophy glory like a gambler trying to recover his growing losses.

We're told his dismissal was administered with the usual Roman brutality: Villas-Boas was taking training when Abramovich called him in to his nearby Cobham mansion. His services were dispensed with immediately, then apparently the Russian stormed in and told the players they'd be sacked too if they didn't improve.

Sir Alex Ferguson says players lose managers their jobs and Frank Lampard is why the young Blues boss lost the dressing room. Whether you agree with Lampard or not, he should've kept his own counsel and not attracted the tabloid headlines with negative comments.

Perhaps Villas-Boas might've handled Lampard a little better: his relative inexperience as a man, let alone a manager means he'll think twice about how he deals with old-time egos in other dressing rooms - but he should've been given much more time to achieve his goals.



Lampard's Bernard Bresslaw look belies his "huge" IQ

Because he was trying different things at Stamford Bridge. Ancelotti was sacked last summer because it was clear Lampard, Terry and Drogba, the ageing spine of the team, needed reconstruction - and he wasn't addressing it. 

Talk is rife of a sensational return for Mourinho, even iron-fisted Fabio Capello, with his English knowledge and specific experience of the team's big players, has been mentioned.

But whatever the temperament of the man Abramovich picks, he'll have to break up the Lamps and Terry Show and continue the rebuild that AVB had actually started to address quite clearly.

And there were signs it was coming together: David Luiz, Juan Mata and Ramires have talent in spades - the sort of ability that three straight league wins would've further inspired. Putting wayward Fernando Torres to one side, Chelsea were making a reasonable transition. More than a decent of chance of making the Champions League and still in the FA Cup.

The Jose fan club in the dressing room need to take a long hard look at themselves and if they think Mourinho's unlikely return will result in old times rolling, they'll need to think again. There's no way any incoming Chelsea manager will have any truck with troublesome thirtysomethings, who's time is running short.

The man's an island

And Villas Boas will have the last laugh too. While Lamps and Terry drift out of the game, the Portuguese will end up coaching in a top league again.

Click here for the current Top Story Soccermongery's all about your feedback, so write away, right away!

Giggs is Manchester United's best ever

It's advantage Manchester United in their Champions League quarter-final. A one-nil first leg lead secured at Chelsea puts Sir Alex Ferguson's charges in the box seat for a final four place.


Rooney's deft finish caps a brilliant United move

Hungry Wayne Rooney put his two-match ban to one side to strike the winner, but all the plaudits must go elsewhere.

That Ryan Giggs is already a legend is without doubt. But after his virtuoso moment at Stamford Bridge, I think he's got to be classed as United's best ever. He just keeps delivering.

Yes, a greater United figure than Bobby Charlton, Eric Cantona, George Best - even Ralphy Milne.

And what crowns him as United's greatest is his ongoing athleticism, his influence and sheer consistency at the highest level. The marriage of good form and experience that only a 37-year-old could have (late thirties, remember!)

But he also has something in his locker that even another giant of longevity, Paolo Maldini didn't have; that's the individual brilliance to create a winning goal from nothing.

Could Ryan Giggs play to the age of 40?

Yes, Rooney's bicycle kick against Manchester City was fantastic, but United's winner at Chelsea was a team goal of breathtaking precision. Carrick's cross field pass was collected on the run by Giggs, who made space for a defence splicing pass to Rooney who steered the ball into the net giving the post a little "ting" as it crossed the line.

Giggs, Giggs, Giggs!

Fergie believes he can play another couple of seasons yet and who would doubt that? Giggs has signed another year's extension to his contract but you're a long-time retired - and I'm sure the Salford-born Welshman will accept each offer so long as he remains an asset to the team.

The model professional maintains his lithe physique with yoga, topping up his already abundant natural fitness. No "thickening process" for this man, as Fergie described Eric Cantona's body in 1998. Giggs remains thin through thick and thin.

Amid all the bluster and comment claiming this current United crop is far from great, in reality, they're about five weeks from it. As April progresses, a second Treble is possible. For Giggs, it could mean a twelfth Premier League title and a hattrick in the Champions League.

And just like Manchester itself, long may he reign.

Also on Soccermongery: The day in 2009 when Giggs and Becks became greats.

Click here for the current Top Story Soccermongery's all about your feedback, so write away, right away!

Football needs to punish its miscreant stars

Graham Norton gets to grips

The BBC's Graham Norton Show isn't normally the platform to gauge public opinion on football, but the instant reaction of his studio audience should send alarm bells ringing at the Premier League.

Norton's routine covered Ashley Cole, who took an air rifle into training at Cobham which he not only used, but actually shot someone with. Norton's fans booed Cole on two separate occasions, taking the entertainer by surprise.

Ashley Cole's story in The Super Soaraway

Obviously with a big midweek game against Manchester United just days away, Chelsea took no action. But neither did the Premier League or the FA. A case of the Three Monkeys if you ask me.

United also faced no censure as Wayne Rooney crunched Wigan's James McCarthy with his elbow.

Sir Alex Ferguson conceded Rooney had been "a lucky boy" not to be sent off, but the only swift reaction we got from football's authorities was the England striker was to face no punishment.



See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil

Football claims to be a cradle of English culture and values. The FA have run campaigns with titles such as Respect and Get Into Football. But its ideals will soon be regarded as hollow if it doesn't take even the smallest stands against its biggest miscreant stars.

Sponsorship and TV revenue keeps rolling in - but investment from corporations isn't just reliant on ratings. They're also badging a product and if it's perceived to have diminishing morals, then football will lose its financial value.

Sky took a stand against sexism with the resignation of Richard Keys and the sacking of Andy Gray. That sets the tone for a repositioned morality and style to football from here on in.


Rooney: The 4th Monkey



Football, TV and sponsors need each other in equal proportion. It appears in these days of ecomonic austerity, there isn't one stakeholder which is any more powerful than another.

The FA would have been surprised by the public's positive reaction had they had the guts to punish Cole and Rooney. Graham Norton would bear witness to that.

It's nearly twenty years since the formation of the Premier League. It's never been more successful, but it's probably never been more complacent either.

Click here for the current Top Story Soccermongery's all about your feedback, so write away, right away!

Alarm bells at Chelsea?

It might be overstating matters to suggest Chelsea are in crisis following their shock three-nil home defeat to Sunderland.

After all, they were one game short of completing a club record for home clean sheets and remain top of the Premier League.

But did we get a sneak preview of how the Blues might look if they can't replace thirtysomethings, John Terry and Frank Lampard?

Such dominant figures in this Chelsea decade are hard to replace, but at Stamford Bridge where the duo's influence extends well beyond the dressing room, you wonder where Chelsea's future lies - and what they're doing about it.

Add to that a Malaria-recovering Didier Drogba at half-speed - and it was amazing how easily the Blues were brushed aside by Sunderland, full of adventure and talent.

Was the club affected by the ruthlessness of coach Ray Wilkins' instant dismissal during the week? Someone had a word in his shell-like during halftime in a reserve game - and puff, an ex-Chelsea captain and legend is history.

They certainly didn't seem carefree - wherever they may be!

As Arsenal, Manchester United and Aston Villa blood youngsters in readiness for UEFA's financial fairplay rules of 2014, Chelsea need to contemplate the future, rather than the here and now.

Avram Grant, football's most celebrated loser is a Lion Zion Iron!

Handball!

You've got to love Avram Grant. He's a heady cocktail of the dour and doleful. He's lost every big game he's ever been charged with winning. Throw in a sex scandal too and you'd have thought he'd be jeered and ridiculed at every away ground on which he prowls the touchline.

I mean here's man who's been a loser in the finals of the Champions League, the FA Cup and Carling Cup and a Premier League runner-up.

But no. He's celebrated, nay feted!

As his West Ham career falters into gear, Soccermongery reckons he could've bagged an even bigger job on the continent such is his international standing and respect. Losing the Cup Final and finishing rock-bottom with Pompey apparently earned him the right!

So what's his appeal and why after Portsmouth's dog of a season has his stock never been higher?

Well, I'll tell you why. Grant joined Pompey too late. They were already doomed. He had to make do and mend with the squad he inherited. The wave of changes in ownership, financial misgivings and breaches of rules were too strong for the team to counter.

Yet Grant's Portsmouth played with commitment, organisation and vigour - and they won their fair share of matches, even though they crashed and burned in the league.

The FA Cup run showed their spirit proving that you took Grant's team lightly and you'd get beaten. Even in the league, they had their days in the sun. Just ask Wigan, Wolves, Birmingham and Spurs. Memorable wins for Pompey in both competitions.

Grant's rallying call to the Fratton Park faithful about not crushing their spirit even if everything else was taken away, is the stuff of the siege mentality all the big managers specialise in doling out to their players and the press.

I don't know either, mate!

Avram's got a big future - and if he can galvanize the Hammers into playing more spirited football than Gianfranco Zola did, there'll be a good few offers from some interesting leagues for the Israeli to ponder.

Click here for the current Top Story

Soccermongery's all about your feedback, so write away, right away!