[gwnn]

Was AVB the worst manager in the history of Chelsea? Well that is kind of a no-brainer. A more interesting question: maybe he was the worst manager in the history of English football?

[Fluffy]

it is so very easy to blame the coach.

[nigel_k]

Everyone blames the coach when the players play badly. It is just so much easier to get a new coach than to get new players.

[gwnn]

Are you saying that AVB was a good manager or just that managers get blamed more than they should be?

[Aberlour10]

Anyway he was not the first and not the last excellent paid toy in the hands of the bored billionairs. But who cares about it, FC Cheltenham has won this weekend and only this counts

[nigel_k]

 gwnn, on 2012-March-05, 15:01, said:

Are you saying that AVB was a good manager or just that managers get blamed more than they should be?

No it's just a general observation. I don't follow soccer at all. But presumably the guy had some record of success before being hired and didn't suddenly become incompetent later.

[Zelandakh]

Let's see, the captain is involved in the biggest racism scandal in the history of English football, complete with court hearings resulting in upheavals throughout English football. No...can't think of anything that might cause the players to take their eye off the ball here. Must be the manager's fault indeed.

Seriously though, if you take on a new manager you should give them at least 2 years unless they are absolutely not up to the job. And if they are not up to the job then improve your interview process! Firing a manager after such a short time says more about the people in charge of running a club than it does about the manager himself imho. If you want to see a really badly run (top league) club this season then I suggest looking at Hertha Berlin...

[Cyberyeti]

When the senior players go into revolt because he won't let them pick the team as happened prior to his arrival, it's an impossible job. Some of those senior players are pretty unpleasant characters.

John Terry has proved himself many times to be a fine footballer and on the pitch captain, but a pretty poor excuse for a human being off it (racism allegations including admitting saying "I didn't call you a black **** I called you a f****** k*******", the Perroncel affair, charging thousands of pounds for an unofficial tour of the training ground etc).

Ashley Cole is not much better "£26K a week, that's an insult" or words to that effect and lots of serial philandering.

The only thing that indicates to me that AVB wasn't up to the job, is that he fell out with Frank Lampard, who is a consummate professional albeit towards the end of his career and not as dynamic as he used to be.

Throw in the owner buying Torres and telling AVB to play him when Torres's style is completely wrong for the style AVB wanted to play and you get a mess, but Abramovich's doing more than AVB's.

[andrei]

 gwnn, on 2012-March-05, 04:23, said:

Was AVB the worst manager in the history of Chelsea? Well that is kind of a no-brainer. A more interesting question: maybe he was the worst manager in the history of English football?

and Avram Grant was the best manager in the history of Chelsea.
however, Grant was not the best manager in the history of English football.