With the season now over, the special attraction is just getting under way. Chelsea appear set to continue their circus act over the summer.
Despite ending on a high, Chelsea’s 2017/18 campaign was tainted with off-the-field issues. Whether it was Antonio Conte and the board not seeing eye-to-eye, or members of the Blues squad publicly demonstrating their discontent, this was not a season to remember. With the summer now upon us, the circus act that has become the West London club look intent on drawing an even bigger audience.
Speculation over Conte’s future was the overriding theme during the last 12 months. The Chelsea boss reportedly failed to land any of his top targets in the summer, instead settling on sub-par alternatives. Blame was pinned on both relevant parties – the board for not trying hard enough and Conte for failing to engage with the prospective players.
Meanwhile, rumours regarding Chelsea’s top stars continued to circulate. While no-one could question their commitment to the team, evergreen stories surrounding Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois simply added to distractions.
While the Blues have won the Premier League and the FA Cup in the last two years, they are projecting the image of a club in disarray. Conte seems to be the first manager in a long while to take control of the dressing room, yet he now seems set for a generous severance package.
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Maurizio Sarri, the Napoli coach who managed to successfully put the pressure on in Serie A, is reportedly close to becoming the latest chancer to take the Stamford Bridge hotseat. Sarri has done an impressive job with Napoli, but the Blues are disposing of a ‘serial winner‘ to bring him in.
Conte hasn’t covered himself in glory with respect to his conduct this season, but the club should be doing all they can to keep him. Particularly because his discontent is grounded in reasonable demands.
However, the board are instead opting to continue the managerial merry-go-round. Yet another new manager will bring a fresh set of demands and thinking. While that is sometimes in order, Chelsea are not in crisis.
Willian’s social media activity following the FA Cup win was especially distasteful. Some may use that to argue why Conte cannot continue as Chelsea boss. However, it is all the more reason why he should. The players have seen many big managers come and go. With such poor job security, they are emboldened to express their feelings in the most unprofessional of ways.
It’s particularly tragic that, after two consecutive seasons with silverware, Chelsea fans once gain are lamenting the state of their club. With Sarri replacing the Conte, the pursuit of Jean Seri seems like some sort of word-association joke. If only Chelsea were to now announce a partnership with Siri to deliver automated team talks.
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The situation is a right shame for the loyal supporters. With Sarri and Seri, Chelsea continue to be a massive circus.