Chelsea have had their fair share of managers through the years, but two in particular have caused ructions amongst the Chelsea faithful.
Chelsea drafted Rafael Benitez following Roberto di Matteo’s short stint post-Champions League glory. Maurizio Sarri came after his fellow Italian, Antonio Conte, was effectively put on gardening leave in 2018.
A former Liverpool boss and Chelsea fan disrespecter, Benitez was never going to be a popular choice as far as fans (and supporters) were concerned. However, over the course of his six months at the club, he professionally did the job he was asked to and quietly moved on at the end of the season.
As interim manager, he presided over the club achieving fourth place in the Premier League, winning the Europa League and Frank Lampard becoming Chelsea’s highest goalscorer, although that was entirely down to the current manager.
To give Benitez further credit, though, Chelsea equalled their highest ever top-flight victory, beating Aston Villa 8-0 in December 2012.
Chelsea lined up with Petr Cech; Cesar Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic, Ashley Cole; Frank Lampard, David Luiz, Victor Moses, Juan Mata, Eden Hazard; and Fernando Torres. There’s some mouth-watering names in that collection, and how we miss some of them right now.
Benitez was shown little respect on match days initially, and stubbornly refused to play John Terry or Frank Lampard as much as the supporters wanted or ultimately demanded. However, he stuck to his guns despite being in a no win situation. It was an awkward, unwanted and antagonistic appointment, particularly coming off the back of that win in Munich under di Matteo. Ultimately, though, it worked out. Benitez did his job, achieved what he did for the club and left as he said he would at the end of the season.
Then there was Maurizio Sarri.
Sarri, like Benitez, followed another fan favourite. Antonio Conte had passion, energy and a rapport with the fans like no other.
Sarri arrived without the baggage Benitez brought, and with a reputation built on “his style of football.” That would become his tag-line, his catch phrase. Play the game “my way or hit the highway.” It was a mantra he stubbornly refused to change.
As for a rapport with fans, well, the only rapport he had was with Napoli’s fans, who had lovingly endured his work for three seasons. They must be a patient bunch in Napoli as Sarri’s team delivered nothing tangible.
In a strange managerial merry-go-round, Benitez left Chelsea for Napoli, winning them the Coppa Italia the next season. He was succeeded by Sarri, who won nothing and went to Chelsea with a reputation of playing attacking, possession-based football as gleaned from FIFA by his fanboys. As it turned out, “his” football was a disappointing spectacle.
Despite that, it would be remiss to discount the fact that, like Benitez, he achieved Champions League football and won the Europa League. However, in his own words, his methodology would appear to favour the stick over the carrot.
“I am not the type of guy who pats you on the shoulder, I am one of those that if you make a mistake he will tell you.”
That old school attitude may work at a lower level but in the upper echelons of world football player power is everything. With that kind of mindset, Sarri was up against it from the start.
Sarri’s most memorable victory was his last game in charge before he left to return to his homeland with Juventus. The 4-1 victory over Arsenal in the Europa League final gave him his first winner’s medal and kept Chelsea’s trophy haul ticking over. However, he’s probably most remembered for the 6-0 defeat by Manchester City, in which his team appeared bereft of ideas or inspiration.
Those taking the field in that game were Kepa Arrizabalaga; Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger, David Luiz, Marcos Alonso; N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Ross Barkley; Pedro, Gonzalo Higuain and Eden Hazard. There was one mouth-watering name in that collection. How we miss him right now.
Neither Benitez or Sarri were ever going to be “Chelsea men.” One had blown his chance before he arrived at the club, the other had no intention of ever making the grade.
They did what they had to do and effectively looked out for themselves, but in the end it was perhaps all they could do.