Off Topic Chelsea managers past & present.

With all the speculations about our next manager after Guus's shift I got thinking about some of the great men we have had over the years.

In my time it all started with Tommy Docherty, but enjoyed the playing style of the late Dave Sexton as he was a forward thinking coach whose team had a great resiliance.

John Neil was also a favourite too. Admired Glen Hoddle because he started the birth of the Chelsea we see today and acquired some great players which were the catalyst.

Interesting that while Ranieri was seen the tinkerman by the press but now flying high with Leicester City has lost that stigma.

Mourinho Chelsea's most successful manager was sublime in his first two years winning back to back championships and broke every record during the second season.

Carlo was another favourite winning the clubs first ever double but shamefully sacked.

Of course we have had some real duffers in Big Phil, Teaboy & others. Who did you admire and for what reasons?

 

Gullit for me....... great manager,great player and more charisma than Jose.....
Did like Hoddle but hes masterstroke was gettin Gullit.

 

Indeed getting Gullit bought in many greats like Vialli.

 

I started with Ted Drake, but everything changed when the Doc took over. All our brilliant juniors (Tambling, Bridges, Shellito, Venables,the Harrises et al) all became the top squad and suddenly we were challenging for trophies. After Sexton things started to go wobbly. I suppose The most important appointment was Glenn Hoddle. He wasn't around long but he introduced and moved over for Ruud Gulliit and things just continued to go skywards from there. We bombed along continually from there until the Eva Carniero balls up by the special one. Let's hope those upstairs get it back on track ASAP!

 

Johnny Neal's blue and white army 83-85.... Ruined by Hollins

 

Obviously love Jose and Carlo's centurions

 

I remember talking to Ken Bates re the sacking of Eddie Macready, he said he wanted a new Vauxhall Cavellier company car.

Ken told him we are passing buckets around every home game to survive so what makes you a special case!

Loved Kens hard faced commitment to the club but a little sad for Eddie as he was doing well for us.

 

Wasn't Mears chairman when Eddie Mac was manager, Os?

 

Lol quite correct old mate, excuse the dotage I got my chairmen mixed up. So many anecdotes but memory fails sometimes

 

Hoddle was a special one for me. I was 13 when he came in, got us to a cup final and was the real start for the modern Chelsea. Gullit, Harding and then Roman obviously had bigger impact overall but Hoddle started it. Was gutted when he went to England.

Jose is no.1 though, goes without saying.

 

I'll never forget old Batesie when we were up at Villa Park for an FA Cup semi. The Chelsea coach arrived at the ground right next to where we were standing outside. Ken got out of the coach first and the wind was really blowing hard and his hair was all over the place. He called out " has anyone got a comb?" I just happened to have one on me and passed it to him . When he handed it back he said " good on you young man, you've just earned 10 loyalty points!"

 

Whatever happened to Eddie,he much loved at the time...... Remeber beatin Hull 4-0 at home
last game the season he took us up.

 

Yeah I was there for that one, pitch invasion on a sanded pitch

 

Me too. Pitch invasions, oh those were the days.

 

My second season as a blue. Happy days.

In fact they have all been happy days except the six months under Rafa

 

That soppy fence in front of the shed didn't last long that day,think Brian Moore had kittens.

 

Gullit and Vialli will both hold a special place in my heart, always.
That FA Cup win was the first time I had seen Chelsea lift a trophy, was amazing.
Also I vividly remember our Cup Winners' Cup final against Vfb Stuttgart, when Zola came on and scored with his second touch, and when Wisey motioned to crowd to be quiet when he went to pick up the trophy, then everyone went mental!
Ahh the nostalgia

 

Ha yeahI think he did. I think we spent as much time on the pitch as the players back then.

 

And then this game a couple months later

 

This is probably still my favourite European tie we have faced ever.
Vicenza in the 98 CWC Semi final.
They won the first leg in Italy 1-0.
Then go one up at SB, and we need 3 goals to go through.
Oddly enough we played in our yellow away strip, despite being at home. Cracking game