Big Phil Names & Shames

I have just seen this piece from ITN where they say Big Phil Scolari has named the following payers as instrumental in him losing his Chelsea position.

Didier Drogba

Petr Cech

Michael Ballack

Big Phil is quoted as saying "The real owners of football at the moment are the players. The coach, in most European clubs, has no strength to contradict them.

"The people sacked are always the coaches. The main players already know this. That was my problem at Chelsea. Drogba, Ballack and Cech did not accept my training methods or my demands."

Big Phil was touted as the big personality Chelsea needed to conquer the Champions League, but at the time he left he seemed as demotivated as Chelsea fans, with Chelsea seemingly in danger of being overtaken by Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Scolari seems to suggest that big name player now have more control of team affairs than the manager himself. Is this the natural progression of inflated player wages and profiles or just an example of a manager that could not get to grips with big named, and big ego players? In which case does this give more stock to managers like Sir Alex Ferguson and Fabio Capello who take a no nonsense line and still get results?

Have your say in the comments.

Jose - The Special One

There has, for at least ten years now (probably longer) been something of a gravitational pull towards the Premier League of the very best and most special talents. There has been the odd exception that has bypassed England and found glory in Spain and/or Italy, possibly because of climate or culture; but we have been telling ourselves for sometime that overall we have the best league in the world. I feel the same, I think the Premier League is the best, and probably most supported league in the world.

As time goes on, it feels more and more likely that the very top players will at some point play in our league. Where as Zidane did not, Ronaldo has and Kaka quite possibly will at some point. Some players have been billed as world beaters, but faced with a Premier League Season been revealed as anything but.

Part of the progression has been that we have attracted superstars with the prospects of cash and trophys. When these superstars were eventually bettered, or perhaps passed their peak the Premiership' elite clubs have managed to largely replace and often supersede their outgoing talents. But the progression has always been forwards. When players like Thierry Henry and Ruud van Nistelroy left these shores, it could be spun that the leagues top billing had gone, but instead we have the seen Ronaldo turn into a goal scoring machine, we have Rooney who plays with his heart on his sleeve, we have the predatorial Fernando Torres, and the lethal Didier Drogba, to name but a few.

Superstar's may have left but the talent pool has continued to get better and better.

There is though, one small exception to this. When Jose Mourinho left Chelsea, and English Football, he took a little piece of English Football with him. The league lost one of the best and brightest managers in the World. He is, in fact one of only four managers to have won the Premier League. The Premier Leagues loss has been Serie A's gain. I want to see young English managers get a chance in the league, but I want them pitted against the best the world has to offer, and Jose is one of the best.

I hope that Jose does well with Inter Milan in Italy (though I hope Manchester United get past Inter Milan in the Champions League) but I hope also that come the end of the Season he is able to find employment back in the Premier League.

Here, because I know you have missed him too, is a little reminder.

Drogba to Man City

More gloomy news for Chelsea fans, as one of their favourites, Didier Drogba is being linked with a move to Man City. There is further speculation that Chelsea would be prepared to let Drogba go, but as part of a deal that would see Robinho move the other way.

Both forwards are out of favour with their respective managers, so it is not beyond the realms of possibilities.

Unrest at Chelsea?

I blogged here the other week about a rumour that is on the Internet suggesting that Roman Abramovich may be falling out of love with Chelsea.

We David Platt, on Sky Sports is now suggesting that maybe a few Chelsea players have fallen out of love with the club too. He singled out Didier Drogba for particular criticism, here is an excerpt.

"He's not performing because he perhaps wants to get away to Inter and that could be the catalyst for what is going on at Chelsea."

The goal before half-time yesterday seemed to kill of Chelsea's appetite for the game, and it looks certain that United will leap-frog Chelsea in the table, being only one point behind, with two games in hand. Is the Drogs mind in Italy already?

With the Transfer window open, should Chelsea now venture into the market? Has the Russian Revolution at Chelsea ended or merely stalled?