Roman Abramovich’s “hire ’em, fire ’em” strategy inflicted instability on Chelsea, but was also the catalyst for great glory.
In the Abramovich era, which stretched from July 2003 to May 2022, Chelsea won 18 major honours and two Community Shields, contesting 30 finals under 15 managers, including caretakers and interims.
The classic case came in 2012, when caretaker manager Roberto di Matteo won the Champions League and FA Cup after succeeding the sacked Andre Villas-Boas.
Under BlueCo’s leadership, Chelsea have won two major honours – the Conference League and Club World Cup – and have now reached three finals under eight managers, including caretakers and interims.
Now, from the wreckage of a chaotic campaign, Chelsea could perform the feat again – providing the players who have gone missing so often this season show up against Manchester City and play to their capabilities.
It was clear from Rosenior’s latter days that he had lost the faith of the dressing room. A dismal 3-0 loss at Brighton was the final straw for an ownership who desperately wanted the 41-year-old – brought in from another of their clubs, Strasbourg – to succeed as a symbol of their multi-club model.
It is not exactly a glowing reference for Chelsea‘s players that the sight of interim head coach Calum McFarlane on the touchline – or indeed anyone who was not Rosenior – prompted an instant uplift in performance and attitude.
McFarlane told BBC Radio 5 Live after the game that the team’s character had been “questioned a lot and rightly so at times” – but not by him.
“I wouldn’t queston their character,” he added. “It’s been questioned because of the results. We’re playing against top teams, you get in a rut. People are reactive to the results.
“That group has massive character.”
Indeed, this was a better day for Chelsea‘s much-criticised hierarchy, with co-owner Behdad Eghbali in close proximity at Wembley to England head coach Thomas Tuchel, the first manager to be shown the door under his rule when he was dismissed on the new regime’s 100th day in September 2022.