It’s a stupid question really, considering that Chelsea won the Champions League after sacking Andre Villas-Boas in February 2012.
But even the most ardent Chelsea must admit that Champions League fairtytale was a fluke. Napoli should have put the Blues away in the Round of 16, while Barcelona hit the woodwork multiple times and had chances just about cleared off the line in the first leg of the semi-final as Chelsea hung on.
But if you compare where Chelsea are now and where they were 12 months ago, are they really better off?
Apart from that improbable European Cup triumph, there have been sackings, fan unrest and recrimination.
With Rafa Benitez confirming that he will be departing in May after a acrimonious few months as the “interim” coach of Chelsea (all Chelsea managers are interim in essence), Roman Abramovich and his underlings will need to seek out another hardy soul to take charge of a difficult group of players before that person also gets the boot and enriches his bank balance.
Vision
It is a contrast to the vision at Stamford Bridge when AVB was first appointed. He had been given the brief of rejuvenating the Blues’ dressing room and getting Chelsea to play progressive passing football.
Of course with Abramovich’s chronic short-sightedness and impatience, AVB’s mission was doomed to fail also thanks to the fact that elements in the dressing room sought to undermine him as the old guard was sure to be in the firing line if change was to occur.
12 months on, AVB has been less drastic with the pace of his ideas but is excelling at Tottenham and Spurs could finish above their London rivals as a more compliant group of players accept their new boss’ philosophy at White Hart Lane.
His former team did in bring more young talent like Oscar and Eden Hazard, but seem to be stuck between two different eras. The team is lopsided and inconsistent, crashing out in the Champions League group stages and are not fully-assured of a Top Four place this season.
In many ways winning the Champions League might not have been in the club’s interest as it delayed any real appetite for change and rejuvenation.
At least AVB may have had breathing space to implement his ideas and build strong foundations at Chelsea in contrast to the mess that it has become under various managers.
