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Chelsea: Roman Abramovich running out of managers - Wilkins

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments363

Carlo Ancelotti and Ray Wilkins

Ex-Chelsea assistant boss Ray Wilkins believes club owner Roman Abramovich is running out of managerial options.

The Blues have had nine managers since Russian Abramovich took over in 2003.

Interim manager Rafa Benitez has failed to win any of his first three games, while ex-Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has been linked with the role.

Wilkins, who worked under Abramovich for two years, said: "He is running out of options. If Guardiola was to come in and got sacked, where do you go?"

The 56-year-old former Chelsea midfielder was appointed in 2008 to work as Luiz Felipe Scolari's assistant but was then dismissed by Abramovich in November 2010 while alongside Carlo Ancelotti, who was then sacked at the end of that campaign.

Andre Villas-Boas replaced the Italian but he also found himself out of a job just nine months into his reign before being replaced by Roberto Di Matteo.

Despite winning the FA Cup and Champions League, Di Matteo was dismissed in November with Benitez handed a short-term contract to replace him.

Wilkins believes current Brighton boss and former Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet would be an ideal manager for the club as options run low.

"[Current Real Madrid coach and former Chelsea manager] Jose [Mourinho] may not come back. Gus Poyet would be a good choice, he is cutting his teeth at Brighton and was a legend at Stamford Bridge," Wilkins told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek programme.

"It is an interesting one, the options are now being closed down rather rapidly."

Meanwhile, Wilkins does not agree with claims Chelsea's players are not performing because of the fact Benitez, who led Liverpool to the Champions League title in 2005, has only been appointed on a short-term basis.

Wilkins pointed to Guus Hiddink's short reign in 2009 when he won the FA Cup and reached the Champions League semi-finals, adding: "Guus came in for four months, won the FA Cup and reached the semi-finals of Champions League. The players will work hard for him [Benitez]."

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363 comments

  • Comment posted by User0138791583, at 11:59 2 Dec 2012

    Abramovich has made Chelsea simultaneously European champions and the laughing stock of English domestic football. It's now getting to the point that, unless he hires ex-Chelsea players who actually love the club and want it to succeed (co*Di Matteo*ugh) anyone else he hires will see it as nothing more than a high-paid temp position that they have no reason to achieve in since they won't last.

  • Comment posted by D1679325310653, at 11:49 2 Dec 2012

    Chelsea fans are never happy. They've chased off owners and managers alike. They are a good fit with abramovich because he too is never happy, chasing off successful managers.

    In reality, they (fans and owner) both deserve each other in a sick, maccabre dance where they try to chase each others influence off.

  • Comment posted by thewhitewizard, at 12:32 2 Dec 2012

    Abramovich is a clown. Simple as that. He has no grasp whatsoever of the real world and even less grasp of the world of football. The tide has now turned against him (not before time) and all his money will not now be able to turn it back in his favour. His overwhelming wealth brought him some joy but no class. The beginning of the end has begun. Rejoice all across the land. Simple as that fools.

  • Comment posted by passerino, at 12:45 2 Dec 2012

    Guardiola would have to be mad to risk his stellar reputation by working for an owner who wants to manage the team himself. Guardiola is not mad. He's probably just waiting for SAF to retire.

  • Comment posted by mactheknife, at 11:43 2 Dec 2012

    Well said Butch.

    Chelsea have not quite been the same since Ray's bizarre sacking two years ago. Chelsea is currently a circus and many fans worst fears of how the Abramovich reign would unfold is currently coming into fruition.

    Chelsea are currently soulless and that RA can never buy.

  • Comment posted by doctorcontext, at 12:51 2 Dec 2012

    Pep will never join Chelsea - he'll want a set-up with proper youth systems and continuity, like Baca's lifestyle football.
    Exactly the opposite of RAs buy-it-now strategy.

  • Comment posted by twsco, at 15:43 2 Dec 2012

    It is predicted that by the year 2025, you will on average, be no more than 6 feet away from an ex Chelsea manager.

  • Comment posted by Jesus the Teddy Bear, at 13:00 2 Dec 2012

    he's not running out of options, there are plenty of managers out there. Mark Hughes, Phil Brown, Steve Kean and those are just of the top of my head.

  • Comment posted by travellinshooz, at 14:30 2 Dec 2012

    Can't see Pep coming to Chels, to work under Stalin, reckon even recent signings are regretting their choice to come here. RA's way of operating a football club has caused fans and players to hang their heads. Where's the motivation needed to win when the club spirit has been wrecked by treacherous dealings.

  • Comment posted by User0049302410, at 12:22 2 Dec 2012

    I'm of the opinion, that while all of this ''foreign money/managerial merry go round'' goes on, the quality of football played in the Premier League continues to spiral downwards!

  • Comment posted by Monster Munch, at 11:52 2 Dec 2012

    Our politicians hark on about creating a class-less society, they need to get Abramovich on board, he has created a class-less football club!

  • Comment posted by User0999955045, at 13:32 2 Dec 2012

    This CFC fans says...

    Abramovich, if you know so much about management then why don't you manage the club yourself?

    I don't care about your money, I care about self-respect, which you obviously don't. Take your money and go!

    To those CFC fans who prostitute themselves by standing up for Abramovich and his money, you can go too!

  • Comment posted by algyzira, at 11:39 2 Dec 2012

    Time to change the owner, not the manager. That could work.

  • Comment posted by User0242313730, at 11:48 2 Dec 2012

    He can afford the money but I doubt his support to the club will support a major embarresment to his ego. If his ego can no longer be fed he will probably pull the plug and the club would go into a very steep decline.

    More likely championship than champions league.

    He has his trophy now, maybe his next 'toy' project is to destroy the club... for fun certainly looks that way from here...

  • Comment posted by JohnS, at 17:02 2 Dec 2012

    With the salary on offer, there will always be big name managers willing to take the job on. Not like they have money worries once sacked.

  • Comment posted by georgiesthebest7, at 20:36 2 Dec 2012

    Tough times for Chelsea fans, an owner who ignores them, a manager they detest and now players who it seem can't raise their game for them!
    No Christmas cheer at the Bridge this year??

  • Comment posted by baribus, at 15:25 2 Dec 2012

    Abramovich should just accept it and take over management himself. He is the stereotype of a rich person being arrogant, self centered, egotistical and cold hearted. He simply refuses to accept that his signing of Torres is a complete failure and will even sack a champions league winning Chelsea legend because he wouldnt obey the team selection that RA instructed. This train wreck is so amusing!

  • Comment posted by mick, at 16:52 2 Dec 2012

    Abramovich lives in a fantasy world where winning the champions league every year is a reality!!!
    He will keep hiring n firing mangers untill he gets fed up and sells the club.
    As for Guardiola? for gods sake ANYONE in charge of THAT Barcelona side would win trophies,, all you had to do was say ,,"Here`s the ball guys ,, go win!
    He was found out when he had no "Plan B" when things went wrong!

  • Comment posted by redfootball, at 12:28 3 Dec 2012

    I think the Chelsea situation is hilarious. They are now a laughing stock and their owner a figure of fun. Cant speak English yet is making decisions about Chelsea football club-you couldnt make it up! And now Grant may be brought in as "advisor" -its just so funny.

  • Comment posted by D1679559705200, at 20:42 2 Dec 2012

    192. Del
    The right manager has been and gone 9 managers ago ! get real.

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