Roman's Dilemma - What next for Chelsea?

When you have a single win in your last 5 competitive matches, sacking your manager seems to be a viable option for Roman; something the fans want from day one with a public outcry for “Rafa Out” since he took charge at the Stamford Bridge.

If you keep the emotions out of this and think – will it actually solve the problem for Chelsea? One manager will leave and another will arrive with the same exaggerated expectations of the Russian billionaire to win every possible trophy available on the planet. One or two mistakes on the way and suddenly he will have the sword hanging over his head! Will Roman ever change?

As rumors suggest, Roman has already announced his ultimatum for Rafa and asked him to leave if he doesn’t win against Wigan this weekend. He has tried to persuade Pep Guardiola for the job and is also ready to placate things with Mourinho, if that’s what it takes to keep the Blues going. Whatever be the result, it’s almost certain that a new face in the dugout will arrive very soon for Chelsea.

A new manager, whether at the end of this season or in the upcoming weeks, will be a fresh start for Chelsea all over again. Let’s hope Roman learns from his mistakes and has a better understanding of managing the club affairs in a matured manner.

For starters, we have some suggestions for the Russian billionaire himself.

“Keep faith in the next person you choose”

8 Managers have been sacked under Roman’s reign at Chelsea and this is a trend he needs to change. Some sackings have been justified whereas some have been completely ruthless, something that affects the team’s morale and confidence. If you appoint someone for the job, keep faith in him for at least a whole season or may be two, evaluate his performance at the end of this tenure and make your move. This way, the manager is assured of his future and can focus on the task at hand rather than worrying about his chair.

Roman’s impatience has been widely criticized among the football fraternity and it might get difficult for him to find worthy managers for the Chelsea job, if he doesn’t change this.

“Do not let the old guard leave”

With reports emerging out of the media about Lampard’s contract situation, his departure looks imminent at the end of this season, but may change with talks of negotiations going on between the 2 parties. Senior players haven’t been treated that well by Chelsea’s management. Florent Malouda was asked to train with the reserves squad (someone who has 159 caps and 35 goals for the club), Ashley Cole was also on the verge of quitting when he was not offered a proper contract extension. It is understandable that these players have worn out with age but their experience is immense and it can be utilized to construct a robust team on these pillars. Compare that to clubs like Manchester United or Liverpool where aged players have an important role to play in the team’s objectives. They may not play that often but stay around to help the unit. Lampard knows that he doesn’t have a future here but he still manages to score goals for the club, which shows his character as a player. I feel he should be rewarded for his commitment!

“Admit that Torres is a mistake”

50 million is a lot of money! Agreed! And to admit that you blew it off needs courage for anyone, let alone Abramovich. It is tough for Roman to accept that he made a judgmental error with Torres, but for how long is this going to continue? On countless occasions, Torres has slipped up at the wrong time, and as a result, failed to cope with the expectations weighed upon his shoulders after moving to a club of a low tolerance. Torres has lost his confidence in the box, even though he is useful as a support striker; he no longer possesses the finishing skills he was known for. Keeping him in the team means other potent strikers have to warm the bench. He is past his best and it’s sensible to replace him if Roman wants to win with Chelsea. Falcao is on Chelsea’s radar for the summer and Roman would have to eat humble pie and part ways with Torres. Fans have been very patient with him but carrying on with him is a mistake costlier than his 50 million price tag.

“Bring back the loaned players”

Benitez was recently heard complaining about the lack of depth in the current squad. It’s quite ironic when you realize that all potential stars of tomorrow are loaned to other clubs and forgotten. A staggering 23 players are sent on loan to cut short the wage bill and to give them first team opportunity. Lukaku, Courtois, De Bruyne, Piazon, McEachran, Kakuta were all believed to be prodigal and Chelsea had paid hefty transfer fees for them. A total of £81.1 million is the cost of all the players who are loaned at the moment. At present, they seem to be forgotten faces and soon they will vanish from the squad when high profile players are bought in the next window.

Sending young players on loan can be justified for first team opportunities, but sending a established first team player like Essien is by no means fair.

One thing that should be of utmost priority is to stop mindless spending and make use of these players by bringing them to the squad next year. They have gained valuable experience at their respective teams and any further delay in blending them in the squad will frustrate them and compel them to look for opportunities elsewhere.

“Have a long term goal for the Club”

Stop acting like a fireman who fixes a particular problem but does not have a permanent solution for it. Instead, build a foundation at the club strong enough to feed the future of its existence. There are very few academy graduates in the first team – almost none. Roman has built a glass house which looks shiny from outside but does not have a strong foundation. It shatters easily and people start pointing fingers at each other instead of taking responsibility for it. Players who are indigenous are adored by fans and trust them to deliver when the time comes, they are loyal, committed and are key to long term success for the club.

The best way to fix a situation is not always the best solution! Roman has done a lot for this club and fans respect him for that. It is one thing to put your money but it is entirely different thing to follow your passion for the game religiously. He has been ever present for Chelsea and we cannot deny that his authority over the team’s management is going to continue. Even though he does what he wants, he should at least have a clear vision of Chelsea’s future.

A man learns from his mistakes and moves on! He is considered to be stupid only when he doesn’t admit them!

“Even a mistake may turn out to be the one thing necessary to a worthwhile achievement.” – Henry Ford