Chelsea sack Andre Villas-Boas

Chelsea have sacked boss Andre Villas-Boas. The team has struggled this season under the rookie Portuguese boss.

Villas-Boas’ assistant Roberto Di Matteo will take control of the team until the end of the season.

Statement

A club statement read: “Andre Villas-Boas has parted company with Chelsea Football Club today. The board would like to record our gratitude for his work and express our disappointment that the relationship has ended so early.

“ Unfortunately the results and performances of the team have not been good enough and were showing no signs of improving at a key time in the season.

“ The club is still competing in the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup, as well as challenging for a top-four spot in the Premier League, and we aim to remain as competitive as possible on all fronts.

“ With that in mind we felt our only option was to make a change at this time. With immediate effect Roberto Di Matteo has been appointed first-team coach on an interim basis until the end of the season.”

Disappointing

Chelsea are on a terrible run at the moment. The Blues have won just five games out of the last 16 and have dropped out of the Premier League’s top four. This sort of run has become unacceptable at a club the size of Chelsea.

Rookie

Chelsea understood that they were hiring a rookie boss when Andre Villas-Boas arrived from Porto. He had enjoyed success both at home and abroad with the Portuguese club and was regarded as one of the best up and coming young coaches in the game.

Chelsea paid Porto an absolute fortune in compensation to acquire Villas-Boas’ services and he has lasted less than a year at Stamford Bridge. Surely Chelsea can’t keep paying out such sums of money on bosses, only for them to be dispensed with after less than a season.

Time

Chelsea knew that Villas-Boas would need time to put across his ideas. At 34 years of age he was always going to need time to learn his trade at the top level. His appointment was seen as a long-term one.

He was supposed to be the man to rejuvenate the aging Chelsea squad with new ideas and new players. His appointment was always going to be a gamble. Unfortunately that gamble hasn’t paid off and the Blues are now looking for a new boss.

I don’t think Chelsea should have appointed Villas-Boas if they were not going to give him time to change things at the club.

Players

The Portuguese boss was always fighting a losing battle with some of Chelsea’s senior players. His age and inexperience didn’t help his situation. The Chelsea players seemed to lack respect for their young boss.

No club will ever be successful when the players don’t have respect for the manager. His biggest mistake was probably not stamping his authority on the squad when he first arrived at the club. He tried to do it when the team was struggling and completely failed.

Future

I have no doubt that Andre Villas-Boas will have a bright future in the game. Before he arrived at Chelsea he was very highly-rated. I just think that this opportunity arrived too soon for the young boss. Maybe he should have stayed in Portugal with Porto to learn his trade.

He came along way in such a short period of time and he didn’t have time to gain experience. Despite his perceived failure at Chelsea I don’t think Villas-Boas will have a problem getting another management position in the near future.

Experience

Chelsea now need to look to the summer and will no doubt appoint an experienced man as their new permanent boss. Who that may be remains to be seen and a lot will depend on whether the Blues make the Champions League for next season.

That looks far from certain at the moment but I’m sure Roberto Di Matteo will have what Villas-Boas didn’t, the support of the Chelsea players.

Were Chelsea right to sack Andre Villas-Boas?