Player unrest, fans feuding, and various other reports of divide amongst players, the board, staff, and supporters alike.
This has filled our time lines on social media in the last couple of days as Frank Lampard got sacked, and was replaced by Thomas Tuchel the day after.
Pragmatic, flexible, and nurturing Thomas Tuchel – Fresh out of the Ralf Rangnick school of hard knocks – Read my manager profile on Tuchel HERE!
Football is emotional, and we are all guilty of snap reactions it is all part of being a fan. But essentially, whatever your belief or your verdict on the current situation, we must now back the new manager, back the players, and support the team for the greater good – and that is results on the pitch.
Because we want to see our beloved Chelsea play in the Champions League again next season and fight for more silverware. But the sense of divide seems stronger than ever, so if a few people read these words and decide to drop their part in any feuding, then I am happy for that small bit of difference.
Truth is, we will never all agree, and that is totally fine. But when people revert to personal abuse then that is never cool. Abuse of the players, staff, reporters, fellow fans – just quit it.
Credible journalists have reported over the last few days making it clear that there has been player unrest and a divide in the dressing room. When you look at the general consensus this is clearly the case, it’s impossible to ignore.
I felt angry reading this as well, but I certainly didn’t rush to abuse anyone for it. Fact is, this happens at every club, and whilst it absolutely had a negative affect on the players and the performances and eventually the results on the pitch, Frank Lampard was sacked because of his current league position – nothing else. The players did not get him sacked, even though the unrest and atmosphere would have certainly not helped.
As I said, this does annoy me, but it is the nature of the beast. Lampard clearly lost some of the dressing room, and only he will be able to tell us why, and why it couldn’t be fixed. It was clear to see on the pitch that some players had now dropped intensity levels and often didn’t look as interested or as up for it as others did.
Have some of the reports about the players, particularly Antonio Rudiger been exaggerated? Probably, maybe, I don’t know? But ask yourself this, when the same credible reporters writing these stories tell you that Chelsea are signing Erling Haaland this summer, will you still be sitting there abusing them then? No, you’ll be celebrating and praising them. Have the same energy for all of their reports if you have gone from calling them to reliable to littering their posts abusing them and calling them a fraud.
Abusing Rudiger, or any other player off the back of these reports is just wrong and disgusting though. Sure have your opinions, make your minds up, do your research, and then conclude for yourself. But do not rush out to abuse anyone just because YOU don’t like a story.
The players have squashed it online, so we must now do the same and move on to this next chapter under Tuchel.
Does player power exist? Sure. Did it get Lampard sacked alone? No. But also remember that football clubs are a business, and they operate in the same way as any business will – if publicly things aren’t looking good, things might need to be done to turn that public opinion around, especially right before a crucial time in that particular business. Politics exist in ALL businesses.
So you make your own judgements, and you believe what you want to believe. I’m certainly not here to accuse anyone of lying, not the reporters, nor the players.
I do always say though, there is no smoke without a fire.
