When, in recent days, several were canvassed about their opinions on Benítez, they were not only surprised to be approached – they assumed, as he did, that he was leaving at the end of May – but honest in their assessment. He has impressed them.
At times this season the club has appeared in chaos but Benítez has worked assiduously. Key areas of his work have not gone unnoticed, right down to the impact of his substitutions, an area of weakness for Di Matteo.
But Benítez faced an impossible task. When he took over in November he hoped "interim" would eventually be dropped from his title and that he would earn a longer contract. That hope quickly turned forlorn with the supporters' vicious response. Things came to a head when Benítez criticised the fans and the club's hierarchy following the FA Cup tie at Middlesbrough in February. He also confirmed then that he would leave Chelsea at the end of this season.
At that point it appeared he might not even last that long, with Benítez almost resigned to being sacked. Chelsea, despite what chairman Bruce Buck said last week, have actively considered candidates for his job and compiled a shortlist but the assumption that Jose Mourinho is a shoo-in is just that. An assumption. Malaga's Manuel Pellegrini is a far stronger option.
Mourinho's tactics are viewed dimly at present. There is a sense that the Portuguese's camp are attempting to pressurise Abramovich, hinting that if he does not move quickly then Mourinho might not return to Chelsea and could end up at Paris St-Germain – his most likely destination this summer – AC Milan or even Manchester City.
Trying to force the issue with Abramovich is not always the smartest move, no matter how popular Mourinho remains with Chelsea fans. The Special One achieved great things at Stamford Bridge but there is a huge revisionism going on at present as to quite how harmonious the regime at the club was under him.
The question for Abramovich is this: can he stomach the return of a manager who would want far more control than Abramovich wants to grant but who will probably bring success? Mourinho would overhaul the club, demand more money be spent, and cause friction with some of those Abramovich has appointed in key positions.
As things stand Benítez will be a free agent after Chelsea's final game of the season, a friendly against Manchester City in New York on May 26. He could depart with two more medals to his name – Chelsea meet FC Basle in the Europa League last four after Sunday's FA Cup semi-final with City – and has expressed his desire to secure a job at one of Europe's leading clubs, possibly in England.
Via: [Live Football] Club freedom - CA Tigre - Copa Libertadores
No comments:
Post a Comment