I've enjoyed reading the thoughts of many of you in the 'Mourinho's lost the plot' thread, and it got me thinking further. Whilst that particular thread centres on Jose's current situation, I wanted to invoke a debate on the overarching situation that seems to be developing at Chelsea.

Specifically, do you sympathise with Mourinho's situation? If we are to believe the speculation, it seems that Mr Abramovich has garnered a relationship with Frank Arneson that involves the latter advising Abramovich directly on transfer targets without inviting the opinion of the manager.

My view? I have formed the opinion that, yes, Mourinho is arrogant, but he is a very able manager and certainly capable of leading Chelsea to the heights the chairman desires for the club. That said, I find it appalling that Jose's managerial style recently involved publicly slating his players and feel that he is making a rod for his own back with such behaviour.

So, do I sympathise with his situation? In a word, no. If he kept team affairs in the dressing room then I would feel that his hands were tied more than he (and his achievements) deserved them to be, but this is no longer the case.

Despite my belief that Mourinho is painting himself into a corner at the Bridge, the seeming implosion of morale at Chelsea and the consequences resulting from the accelerated need for success demanded by such a benefactor leaves me feeling rather despondent as a fan of football.

So whilst I do not sympathise with the mess that is the Blues' own making, compounded by Mourinho's boundless arrogance (self-belief? . . . nah.), I hope that lessons are being learned, spending is curbed, a team is developed and not simply bought and that some stability returns to our rivals, simply for the good of football.

The quandary is that we will likely never know which of Jose's allegations about the running of the club are true, which are not, which are partly true, and which things were never even mentioned in public. *if* as he says, Frank Arnesen was given authority *over* Mourinho's as early as August in making transfer deals, and if he was subsequently responsible for the Cole / Gallas swap deal, then in that particular case I would agree with Jose that it is appalling behaviour from Abramovich (the kind of behaviour many originally feared from his kind of sugar-daddies). Of course, then the question arises as to why Jose kept saying he wanted Ashley Cole in those final weeks of August, instead of keeping mum about the matter. And why he used Cole extensively ahead of Bridge (did he *have* to? Did he have to use Andriy too? He says no, but then if he says yes, that would show him to have no authority at all - and the victimised, poor manager is not a role that would go over Jose Mourinho, Special One, easily. He has still to be seen as a fighter.)

And I feel that 'fighter' image is a part of why Mourinho is now slating his own players. With one thing over the other he must feel that now is the time to take risks - shred his own players in the media, inspire some good performances, use the public and the media and wrest control of his own team back from Roman Abramovich - or leave. Frankly I think the level of player-criticising he has done was overkill and the first option will not materialise as well as he would like: thus the rumours that he will leave in the summer. But then, if he did leave, it would neither vindicate him nor prevent a damaging of his previously excellent reputation at managing. Even with "Arnesen's Transfers", even with Abramovich refusing to buy yet more players in January (seriously wtf?), Chelsea should perform better and could perform better. Whose fault is it that Ballack and Shevchenko are underperforming SO Badly? Who was responsible for most of the transfers anyway? And how can Mourinho complain, say, that Sheva is underperforming when at Arsenal Thierry Henry underperformed? That he has no centreback, when we have only one full-back per side that is not a youngster? (Actually, Clichy's a youngster too, and coming back from injury...) The kind of squad problems he has this season are ones any manager has always had and will always have - maybe he has forgotten that during his Chelsea years.

I think the best situation *for football* that could come now is for Mourinho to leave in disgrace, for Abramovich to abandon a club in disarray soon after, then new personnel in all levels of staff eventually come in and refit the team which will still compete in the top 5, having let go of a few of its higher-priced players. A mini-implosion then restructuring, if you will. Because Mourinho has helped escalate the drama so much and he seems unable to bring Chelsea out of its rut, I do not believe the current Chelsea 'administration' is able to use the Roman dollars to maintain a top standard of performance *and* play football that is enjoyable for the fans. Perhaps that could happen with a different sugar-daddy, or a different manager, or just with different players. But could that now happen with Chelsea, Roman and Jose? I'm not sure.

From a fans point of view its a horrible situation, myself I have come to like Abromavich and feel its more than a business for him, he has only missed 5 games since he took over and he genuinly feels every goal for and against us.
I do believe Sheva was forced on Jose by Roman and although its a player I have dreamed of coming to the bridge for 5 years, Jose is the manager and it should be his choice.
I do think we could get more out of Sheva and think Jose knows that but is pig headedly not playing to his strengths.
That said in a choice between Sheva and Jose I would still keep Jose as he is one of the best managers around although a very hard man to like.
The manager should choose the players and Arneson/Kenyon/Roman should make sugestions and no more than that.
I dont think Roman will go anywhere in the near future, I dont think the club will implode, I think if Jose leaves a new manager will come in but will sort out the things Jose is having a hard time with before he signs his contract.
a good manager will be brought in, as good as Jose? I doubt it but we could play better looking football than we do now so that to me would be a plus.
I would like him to stay but if he leaves we will still be challenging on all fronts I dont doubt that.

Too many big fish with big ego's in one pond, Mourinho will be the one to go in my opinion.

We all saw it coming......just like with Hearts, having a Chairman making footballing decisions is a recipe for disaster.
I think Mourinho is being a bit of a tw@t though.
Abramovich/Arnesen have always had a say in transfers but its only when Chelsea start losing that Jose starts to publicly complain and deliberately steer the Chelsea ship to stormy waters. He obviously has a lot of growing up to do and I'll be intrigued to see how he performs at a club where funds arent so readily available - i think he'll fail.

Yeah like at Porto where he won the Champions League, UEFA Cup and national title with little budget

Everybody knows Jose Mourniho is arrogent, he has publicly stated that himself. He is possibly the most arrogent manager in World football, he thinks he's the best and he thinks everyone should do as he says when he says.

It is quickly becoming apparent that he does not pull all the strings at Chelsea and his opinion is not respected as much as he would like it to be.

His recent comments in the press seem to be either a sob story so that everyone feels sorry for poor old Jose and his team of forgiegn imports which he claims were not his choice to bring in, or mind games too distract managers from weaknesses which he is know he cannot defend againts by highlighting weaknesses he can defend against.

He has spoke openly in the press over the last two weeks about his envy for Newcastle United because of their Acadamy and their ability to bring quality young players through. When he looks at Arsenal he must be almost green. Although if he stopped paying over the top prices for over rated players then maybe he could concentrate more on his own academy. Lets not forget Chelsea have had a show on Sky 1 about finding the best young player in England which has not already been signed up.

Also if he were too change his tactics to suit certain players in his squad then he may be able to get a better performance out of them. A great example of this is Shevchenko. He is forced to play football which doesnt suit him and this obviously means he is struggling to adapt, as would anyone. This is just Jose Mourinho being arrogent. He is trying to prove a point, send a message to his board. Either play by his rules or face the consequences. This is why he is playing negative football, playing players out of position and then going to the press and moaning like a amatuer manager. Its not on and he should be more professional about his job. He is getting paid to do a job but is only putting a half hearted performance. If one of his players done this on the pitch he would be dropped.

Personally, I dont think Mourinho will be at Chelsea next season. I think the control which Abramovich has over the club and the transfers will force him out or he will get the sack for slating his team in public.

Its not on Jose, sort it out. You will only get the respect you want when you produce on the pitch and adapt the team to new situations.

At the moment his way of dealing with a change of situation is to spend money, not think about changing tactics or bringing through a youth player. Look at Arsene Wenger, we lost Vieira so instead of going out and buying a replacement he looked in our team and found Fabregas. Now look at us, maybe we are not as physically strong as we were when we had Vieira but we are definately more technical.

One last thing, I have no sympathy for anyone at Chelsea, the board, the team or the fans. True fans or plastics. As soon as they won the league for the first time all I have heard is how great they are and I have had countless arguements with Chelseas fans trying to make the realise that no one respects there achievements because they have been bought and paid for by Russian money and that it will all end in tears. They were adament that it would not and now I am being proved right.

So for all the chelsea fans....I told you so!

I also find it quite amusing how Mourinho, after two and a bit years of gloating about Chelsea and how great he is, has the first mini crisis of his Chelsea rein (and to an extent his whole managerial career) and turns into a wreck in front of the camera's. Did Sir Alex act the way Mourinho has when he was under pressure a couple of years ago, publically criticising his players and the higher powers at the club?

I still expect Chelsea to win the league though, they are still spawning out results and as soon as Mourinho sticks his fingers up to Abramovich and resorts back to their successful 4-5-1 formation without Shevchenko and Ballack in the team then they will be off again. And then Mourinho will have his arrogant ways back and all will be well.

The situation will most likely get much worse in the near future.

Terry has already put his hand up saying that the players support Mourinho. Where does this leave the players if he does get the sack? This is starting to look very interesting, and i'd hate to be a Chelsea fan at this stage of the game.

In exactly the same place as when they supported Ranieri and he got the sack ?

I very much doubt player loyalty is a major attribute for most of those players at the bridge, Terry and Lampard apart. They'll just get on with it, as long as they are earning mega bucks.

According to the Mail (via the BBC - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 269789.stm)

"Abramovich has threatened to boycott Saturday's match at Anfield. The Russian does not think Blues fans appreciate him enough".

Regardless of whether this is true or not things are not right at Stamford Bridge. Isn't it marvellous!

Let's just suppose that's true. How would Abramovich want Chelsea fans to show their appreciation? Classic case of spitting the dummy out. (assuming the above has a hint of truth to it.)

Now he thinks their own fans against Chelsea - how will the brand be able to grow with that happening?

Standford bridge falling down?



It is too, blimey