Kai’s the limit: Chelsea revel in CL glory
City fail to deliver in Europe again as Kai Havertz’s solitary goal hands the Blues the Champions League
the managerial staff. In fact, the only full-time manager to have not been sacked by the club in the Abramovich era was Maurizio Sarri, even whose future had come under scrutiny by the time he left for Juventus in 2019.
The convention in football is that managers need time to implement their philosophy at a club. The examples of Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, in particular, are held up to show how long-term support can help managers transform their clubs. Chelsea, in the Abramovich era, have been an antithesis of this popularly held belief.
A significant part of Chelsea’s success has come under managers hired midway through the season. The Blues have reached three Champions League finals in their history—all have come under managers who came in for someone booted out in the middle of the campaign (Avram Grant in 2008, Roberto Di Matteo in 2012, and now Tuchel).
In the last 12 years, Chelsea have won two Champions League, one Europa League and two FA Cup titles under interim managers or managers who replaced sacked predecessors.
Chelsea are perhaps a perfect l l
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l example of how managerial stability is hardly the most important criteria for success in modern-day football, especially when you have a lot of money.
“I can assure him (Abramovich) that I will stay hungry, that I want the next title and I feel absolutely happy, as part of a really ambitious club, a strong part of a strong group,” Tuchel said of his conversation with the club owner in a brief meeting on the pitch on Saturday.
Tuchel will only be wary of Chelsea’s managerial musical chairs, but that can wait. It is time for celebrations now.