Kenyon concedes Blues lack style

turbo_drift SG

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has conceded that the club's style of play is not entertaining enough.

Kenyon praised manager Avram Grant for successfully guiding the Blues to a Champions League semi-final but still thinks the team are a work in progress.

"I don't think that it is where we want to be but everybody still wants to improve," he said.

When he replaced Jose Mourinho last September, Grant said he would aim to make the team more exciting to watch.

Chelsea are three points behind Premier League leaders Manchester United, with five games to play, and have booked a Champions League semi-final with Liverpool.

However, Grant has still failed to win over a section of Stamford Bridge fans and others have questioned his approach but Kenyon is adamant he should be backed.

"We are in the semi-final of the Champions League and we are right up there in the most competitive run-in of the Premier League that we have had for many years," he stated.

"The crowd needs to get behind the team and that is as much Avram as anyone else.

"It has only been a fairly small element (who have been anti-Grant) and I'm sure we will see the crowd at Stamford Bridge behind the complete team."

zocoss SG

Grant has done a good job i must say... I just wonder does chelsea fans still dislike him as much as before?

And what if he win them the Premiership and Champions league? They still dislike him? Hmm...

dibilo SG

Coz we feel that Jose Mourinho was the one who did the work to revamp Chelsea. What Grant did was just to carry on doing what Mourinho was doing. Nothing has changed. The previous manager is just too popular with the fans so that makes it hard for Grant to win our hearts.

stellazio SG

yeah and its like the playing styles and the blue mentality was all built by mourinho, you can even see it in some of their matches..

just look at how chelsea defeated arsenal by pumping long balls into their box for drogba.. wasn't that mourinho's style. and like what some analysts has said before, they believe its the players taking charge of themselves and playing in the way they know best!

zocoss SG

Its almost one year since Jose left... One year is a long time in football and if Grant wasn't able... The team won't be where it is today seriously... Hanging on to Jose is not going to change anything. To say Grant just took over and don't deserve the credit is rather silly. When Kenny Dalglish left Pool a winning team what happen?

Till today after 5 managers they have still not won the Premiership Title... So is it so simple as someone just taking over the previous guy's winning team and it will automatically continue to win?

stellazio SG

Maybe this might give you a little more insight. Believe what you want, but i'm taking it. its from someone on the Chelsea forum.

Post subject: Interesting stuff from Chelsea insider...Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:47 am

I watched the game on television last night with someone who works for Chelsea and was enjoying his first night off for a month; I don't want to put him in the sh*t so I can't reveal what he does but his job entails him being on the bench for games. His comments about Chelsea are interesting indeed and confirm what most of us have been saying on this forum regarding the club. Here are some of them...

JOSE MOURINHO

He was the most brilliant man he has ever worked for. Had a personal relationship with every single one of the staff. Was the only person in football with whom you could have a conversation about just about anything. His arrogance was for the cameras, away from the game he is mild-mannered, quite and respectful.

He loved everything about the club and wanted to stay for ten years. The reason relations broke down was because Chelsea were becoming Jose's club not Roman's and that wouldn't do. When he said goodbye every single person formed a guard of honour for him to walk through. There wasn't a dry eye amongst them.

All of the players and the backroom staff are in constant contact with the man who always replies to any of their texts almost immediately.

AVRAM GRANT

Avram really does absolutely nothing, he just stands around with his hands in his pockets and - as he did in his Pompey days - seems obsessed with setting out the cones. The training schedules are exactly as they were under Jose except that there is none of the analysis of the next opposition with which Jose would furnish the players.

JT's comments about AV half-time talks is all so much sh*t said for the benefit of the club's PR. The truth is that AV's half-time team talks are a joke. He just cannot do angry and when he tries it still comes out as a confused mumble which has seen players snigger at him rather than react. It is only Stevie and Ten Cate who have ears of the players.

When on the bench, he goes through the motions but really has no idea what it going on during games. My contact related one alarming story during the Boro game when AV was at the edge of the pitch gesticulating wildly as we make a substitution. AV turns round to the bench and asks: "what's going on?" where upon Clarke had to tell him that they had put on SWP for Ballack.

Not one player wants to see him as manager next season with many intimating that they would seek a transfer if that was the case.

In fairness to the man, it seems that he also knows he is not up to the job.

The good news is that - as far as my contact is concerned - AV is definitely to be moved upstairs at the end of the season regardless of whether or not we win the Premiership or Champions League.

COACHING STAFF

Stevie Clarke is one of the boys and takes most of the training schedules. Ten Cate does have a lot of input as well but his man role is the bad cop to Stevie's good cop.

PLAYERS

Drogba is definitely leaving at the end of the season.

Kalou is very religious and one of the nicest people you could meet.

Ballack is one of the most awesome players my contact has ever worked with. According to the club's own stats he covers more ground than any other player (I know, that really does sound strange!).

In training Riccie looks absolutely dreadful, a pub team player. However during actual games he shows himself to be one of the best centre-backs in the world.

Of all our youth, Gael Kakuta looks the most likely and is, at 16, the best player he has ever seen.

THE FUTURE

Frank Arnesen has all the influence. Roman loves Dutch football and wants Chelsea to fashioned in the Dutch style. We can expect an influx of Dutch players and management. It seems that Rijkaard already has one foot in the door and my contact fully expects him to be our manager next year. We can also expect Huntelaar and Van de Vaart to be signed.

THE PRESS

According to my man, believe what you read in The Sun (yes, The Sun!!) as they get so much right including stuff that goes on behind closed doors that they must have a mole in the Chelsea set-up.

For the record, he is not Chelsea fan but says that the club's set up is now second to none and is the best club he has ever worked for.

I will attempt to keep in touch with this man and see what further information I can garner from him.

zocoss SG

Obviously the above piece was written by a Mourinho lover fans... He seems no difference from the other mourinho lover fans... His rant about Grant from the start already give him away immediately... What is this?

"Avram really does absolutely nothing, he just stands around with his hands in his pockets and - as he did in his Pompey days - seems obsessed with setting out the cones."

My take is if any manager can just sit around and does nothing then there won't be any need for a manager anymore... The team will just go on and win by themselves... Its so simple...

stellazio SG

which is what is happening. clarke and ten cate are doing most of the work. analysts has also pointed out that the players are just leading themselves thats all. they have no respect for grant. extra time of the league cup final, who was giving the talk? Terry. this says it all.

cum end of the season we will know..

iceFatboy SG

just one question, I believe Grant was suppose to take some coaching certification in order to qualify him to coach at a certain level.

But to date, has he passed?

zocoss SG

just one question, I believe Grant was suppose to take some coaching certification in order to qualify him to coach at a certain level.

But to date, has he passed?

No, neither has Gareth Southgate...

zocoss SG

cum end of the season we will know..

Then how about the substitutions he made against Arsenal that won them that match after going down 1 - 0 ? Also Clarke's and Ten cate's idea i guess... So when things go right, its Clarke's and Ten cate's ideas but when things go wrong... its his?

I know whatever is said won't change the minds of these mourinho lovers... Its more or less written in stone already on these mourinho lovers minds... In a way its a no win situation for Grant... If he beat Liverpool in the Semi-finals of the CL and go through, people will say it was mourinho's team that won... If he lose, people will again say he isn't good enough...

But wait a minute... Mourinho himself given the chance couldn't beat Pool in the semis of the CL on 2 occations... So if Grant somehow manage, its mourinho's credit too? Now its getting ridiculous...

As a non-chelsea fan point of view, i have to say Grant has done a good job of picking up the team after the way Jose left... They have manage to come so near to the title and are also very close to the CL Final. This is one year that if they win something, even if they beat United to it, I will be happy for them... Cos Grant has conducted himself in a very gentlemanly manner unlike his predecessor.

As for those so called chelsea fans who happens to be a mourinho lover... Its time you evaluate your priorities... Is it the man or the club you support? There are many out there who may be confused thinking that supporting Jose is also supporting Chelsea and vice versa... But the fact is... Jose is no longer with Chelsea, continuing to compare him with the present guy will only hurt the club farther...

Jose was a charismatic character, thats why there are still many who support him. But if you are truely a Chelsea fan, then you should forget Jose's era... time to move on... Its the club that is more important, not the man...

After all that has been said, I feel that if you are still a jose lover then probably you don't love or support chelsea as much... One such person that comes to my mind could be GP, nowadays hardly see him around anymore was a really diehard mourinho lover... He even had his picture taken in jose's fashion (chin-up) shot... Serious, saw his video... Unfortunately, now that Jose is not around anymore... he seem to be less enthusiastic about Chelsea these days too...

For whats its worth, I think many of these jose lovers will be happy the day Grant leave... And they will even be happy with anyone after him... even if he doesn't do as well as Grant has... Cos they continue to have this feeling that Grant betray jose by taking over his job thats why they dislike him so much to date.

dibilo SG

hey zocoss, don't get me wrong here. I am not saying Grant cannot or did not do his job. Its just what what his is doing is not as significant as when the Jose era.

The ball is round and us not being able to beat Liverpool on twice the occasion does not attirbute to mourino being incapable. We saw how he brought (or bought) Chelsea from a 3-4 placing team to Championship winning team. This, I believe all Chelsea fans will give him credit in.

Grant needs time and trophies to prove his worth and to win his own fans. Untill he can do that, people will still have that man who brought chelsea 2 consecutive titles in their hearts.

stellazio SG

Actually did his substituitions really worked? 1-0 down to Arsenal, any manager will bring on another striker. Earlier on at the Emirates, he took until 10mins was left before he brought on another striker in the shape of Pizzaro. Does it take a genius to bring on an additional attack for a defensive midfielder when you're chasing a game? Did he tell them to play long balls, because his "attacking" play wasn't having much effect?

I give him credit of course, but not as much as he should receive, because he has 2 very capable assistant managers with him who seems to be running the show. the fact that his own players shows dissent when they're subbed ovciously shows their lack of respect for their own manager.

I've already forgotten Mourinho's era. But what i wanted was a Hiddink etc to have replaced him. If Grant can beat Liverpool in the champions league, then credit to him, but yet it should also be remembered that this time Chelsea is playing the 2nd leg at home, but of course he will get credit.

Cum end of the season we will find out, how many players will want to work under him and what the Chelsea management thinks of him.

zocoss SG

hey zocoss, don't get me wrong here. I am not saying Grant cannot or did not do his job. Its just what what his is doing is not as significant as when the Jose era.

Grant needs time and trophies to prove his worth and to win his own fans. Untill he can do that, people will still have that man who brought chelsea 2 consecutive titles in their hearts.

Indeed, Jose's era is over... Not to discredit Jose but his era was alittle different to todays premiership. During those days, he didn't have a strong Arsenal and United challenging for the title... Today, Ronaldo, Rooney, Fabregas and Flamini have come of age... These players were also playing during the time when he was managing chelsea but obviously they have improve by leaps and bounds...

One more thing you have to consider was Jose had all the money he wanted during his first 2 and the half seasons (Until towards Jan when Roman realised he cannot continue that way of running a football club). But that doesn't mean he didn't get his transfer budget... On hindsight, he had the biggest budget anyone have ever seen before... He spent over $80m just for the 06/07 season and still wanted more in the Jan window?

Today almost every premiership clubs can also easily afford players in the $5 to $12m range... That wasn't the case 2, 3 years back... Not only can they buy one but even a few... Just see Sunderland, Man City, Portsmouth, Villa... Today its no longer so simple to go whole season without losing... or beaten once only...

We all saw last season when put under pressure for the very first time since he came over to England from the chase for the premiership title, Jose crack up big time... His team became nervous and couldn't get the results against Bolton and Newcastle even at home... He started talking nonsense to the press about eggs and players and can't stop his rant towards his bosses...

Yes i agree the ball is indeed round... But you can also say he had 2 opportunities to defeat the Liverpool side with a far more superior squad than Pool's but seem to have lost on tactics to benny not once but 2x.

zocoss SG

Cum end of the season we will find out, how many players will want to work under him and what the Chelsea management thinks of him.

Of course its only logical to bring on another striker if your team is losing isn't it... But more importantly did it paid off? Who he brought in, what formation he changed to... and what tactics he adopt, all these matters too... Its not as simple as put one guy in and everything will go smoothly... Before putting in he has to get that player to inform the others on the pitch what he wants them to do... tactics, formations, things like that...

Every match have its own reasons... For the other match that you referred to, That was a rough match, Terry got injured early so he already used up one sub spot... And he didn't waited until 10mins was left before he brought on another striker in the shape of Pizzaro... Pizzaro came on in the 65 mins, followed by Kalou in the 75 mins.

Yes, some senior players may be unhappy when he take them off but Chelsea has many big ego players in their squad you should know... He is doing it for the good of the team... Didn't Gallas showed dissent towards mourinho in a bigger way? How about Ballack and Shevchenko and J Cole... didn't they also show their lack of respect for Jose?

Yes, come end of the season we will find out if Roman still wants him... It makes no difference even if he is sack... Cos the players will still be there apart from Drogba. The players aren't there playing for Jose or Grant but Chelsea... I can't see any other players wanting to leave... Terry has just sign, Lampard is waiting for the club to offer him a new deal which they are still considering... Ballack seem to be playing better under Grant than Jose, J Cole too... Maybe Swp and Bridge i guess... which is in a way good new to chelsea i would say...

Glad to hear that you have forgotten about the Mourinho's era... Perhaps now you can start to back the new guy a bit more...

stellazio SG

Glad to hear that you have forgotten about the Mourinho's era... Perhaps now you can start to back the new guy a bit more...

Actually to summarize my whole point simply, what i wanted was a big name manager with a proven track record to come in and take over. Even i have no respect for Grant, those players definitely wont either as their egos will be much bigger then mine. And maybe that is why i can see that some players have lost their hunger and drive that they used to have when playing for Mourinho.

zocoss SG

Maybe it will come who knows... Jose was ejected from the Bridge one or two months into the season... Chelsea when looking for "big names" managers... At one point they had like 13 names but no one came... cos most of them already had a job... Grant was there and so i guess they thought why not? If he is no good they can always change him at season end...

I don't agree with the way you put it... many of the present players are still showing the hunger and drive too... Otherwise they wouldn't have climb above Arsenal and now going for the title... If you put it this way, in Jose's time... did Ballack, Shevchenko, J Cole showed their hunger and drive? Same right... In every team, there will be half of these and some of those kind of players...