What The Hell Has Football Come To?
I wrote earlier in the week about Rafael Benitez and how I felt I didn’t think he was doing such a great job at Stamford Bridge.
Writing that made me want to share something I wrote about the situation there a couple of months ago – Benitez has been in the news this week and you have to wonder if Abramovich is about to get trigger happy again. After yet another manager, Roberto Di Matteo, got his marching orders under the Russian Dictator Abramovich — and this is happening in my home city of London and at one of the top Football League clubs: Chelsea — I thought I would look into the goings-on in the Premier League.
I am in amazement at how Abramovich has been acting over the last few years. Di Matteo wins two trophies, one of them being the Champions League, and you cannot get better than that, but what happens? He gets the sack. This led me to have a look at other top clubs, and what I found will surprise you. Don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against Chelsea, but you have to wonder if any manager can satisfy this man. He’s already the owner, so why not also be the coach and manager, and be done with it. Somehow I don’t think he will sack himself. They’ve been in the news over the last couple of months, and now another man, Rafa Benitez, has stepped in and looks like his time might also be up too. I will leave you with this thought: This is the only game where you can get the sack and get a better job. “Bloody amazing!”
ABRAMOVICH APPOINTS HIS NINTH MANAGER IN NINE YEARS…
CHELSEA:
Claudio Ranieri (July 2003-July 2004)
Jose Mourinho (July 2004-Sept 2007)
Avram Grant (Sept 2007-May 2008)
Phil Scolari (July 2008-Feb 2009)
Guus Hiddink (Feb 2009-June 2009)
Carlo Ancelotti (July 2009-May 2011)
Andre Villas-Boas (June 2011-March 2012)
Roberto Di Matteo (March, 2012-Nov 2012)
Rafa Benitez (Nov 2012)
MANCHESTER UTD HAVE HAD NINE MANAGERS SINCE JIMMY PORTER 74 YEARS AGO!
MANCHESTER UTD:
Alex Ferguson (Nov 1986-Present)
Ron Atkinson (June 1981-Nov 1986)
Dave Sexton (July 1977-April 1981)
Tommy Docherty (Dec 1972-July 1977)
Frank O’Farrell (June 1971-Dec 1972)
Wilf McGuinness (Aug 1970-Dec 1970)
Matt Busby (Feb 1945-June 1969)
Walter Crickmer (Aug 1944-Feb 1945)
Jimmy Porter (Aug 1938-May 1944)
ARSENAL HAVE HAD NINE MANAGERS SINCE JACK CRAYSTON 56 YEARS AGO!
ARSENAL:
Arsene Wenger (Sep 1986-Present)
Bruce Rioch (June 1995-Aug 1996)
George Graham (May 1986-Feb 1995)
Don Howe (Dec 1983-Mar 1986)
Terry Neill (July 1976-Dec 1983)
Bertie Mee (June 1966-May 1976)
Billy Wright (May 1962-June 1966)
George Swindin (July 1958-May 1962)
Jack Crayston (Nov 1956-May 1958)
CHELSEA BOSSES UNDER ABRAMOVICH
(All competitions) Win rate % Days in charge
Claudio Ranieri (July 2003-July 2004) 63% 365
Jose Mourinho (July 2004-Sept 2007) 67% 1,205
Avram Grant (Sept 2007-May 2008) 67% 247
Phil Scolari (July 2008-Feb 2009) 56% 223
Guus Hiddink (Feb 2009-June 2009) 73% 105
Carlo Ancelotti (July 2009-May 2011) 61% 692
Andre Villas-Boas (June 2011-March 2012) 48% 256
Roberto Di Matteo (March, 2012-Nov 2012) 57% 262
Rafael Benitez (Nov 2012-present) 52% 101
AVERAGE STAY 419 DAYS
VULNERABLE TIME 250 DAYS
Are money and politics killing our game? I’ll leave that up to you.
[With thanks to Russell Lanning and Wayne Barton for supplying the statistics.]
See you next week – Gordon