Manager number 10, come on down.
It seems that three things are almost certain to happen every year in life. The country gets more in debt, the summers feel like they are getting shorter and Chelsea will have a different man in the dugout come August. Just last June I wrote an article on who will be next in the hot seat even though the manager we did have just won a FA Cup and Champions League double. For the people who didn’t read that article I like to see who are the contenders for the job, bookies odds and my personal view on who will get the job.
Jose Mourinho – 1/3:
Bookies, Chelsea fans and media’s hot favourite to come back “home”. Jose has always said he has unfinished business in England and has gone on record to say his next job will be in this country. Whether Real Madrid win the Champions League or not it seems as if Jose will leave them this summer which would make him easier to snap up. Imagine the lift the whole club would get if he were to come back, all horrible past memories of this season would just disappear in minutes. However, I think too much has to happen for him to be able to come back and work with Roman again. Emenalo would have to be sacked; Jose would want full control of team matters and transfers and possibly Lampard given a new contract too. This would also mean Roman admitting that he was wrong, possibly for the first time in his life.
David Moyes – 10/1:
Moyes has done a decent job with a shoestring budget whilst selling off their best assets at Everton for 11 years now so people believe he has earned a shot with a better club. Now to me that doesn’t mean he is a natural fit to manage a club on the other end of the scale in terms of finances but what he does have in abundance is knowledge of the English game and respect among his piers.
Guus Hiddink – 20/1:
A fans favourite thanks to the job he done in the backend of the 08/09 season steering Chelsea to another FA Cup success and losing one game in total in all competitions. Currently manager of Anzhi in Russia and has stated he will retire at the end of the season but may be tempted to have a proper crack at the job. If he is not to return as manager I think a job up stairs would suit him down to the ground with his experience and contacts in the game.
Gianfranco Zola – 20/1:
The link between him and this club does not need to be explained. Has started life to management very well with Watford and they still have a chance to be promoted. I personally would not like to see him get the job, 1. Because he is doing a decent job with Watford and he should build something and 2. His name does not deserve to be chewed up and spat out by this club.
Fabio Capello – 20/1:
Ex England manager currently managing Russia so has some sort of affiliation with Roman already. A disciplinarian who backs his players to the end as we saw with JT but it seems unlikely he will be working in SW6. Has not been managing Russia long and seems in good stead to qualify for the World Cup next year. Also seems willing to fall out with hierarchy to back his players and if that happens at Chelsea you are out the door.
Manuel Pellegrini – 25/1:
Has done brilliantly with Malaga under financial restraints guiding them to a Champions League quarterfinal despite having to sell their best players last summer. A man who has done the rounds especially in Spain and a man who is highly respected worldwide. May want to walk away from the financial mess at Malaga and at 59 may not get another job offer like this.
Gus Poyet – 25/1:
Unfortunately due to a certain incident whilst at Tottenham a lot of Chelsea fans are have an agenda against Gus. He says it was a dig at then Chelsea manager Ranieri for wanting to get rid of Gus but there is no doubt it hurt the fans who loved him. That incident aside he was a fantastic player for Chelsea and seems as if he isn’t too shabby as a manager either. He has helped made Brighton into a steady Championship club whilst playing entertaining football. The only down side is that if he was to get the job he may bring his assistant manager with him who is none other than Mauricio Taricco!
My View:
The thing is this is not as simple as just making a prediction because of certain Champions League circumstances.
If we do qualify for the Champions League next season then I think it will be Pellegrini and at 25/1 it’s definitely worth a punt. If we don’t qualify for the Champions League next season then I think Moyes will be on the touchline come August.