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Chelsea are a couple of days into pre-season, a week behind most of the Premier League clubs around the country and although things have only just started, I am wondering if Chelsea have somewhat of a psychological advantage over our rivals already?
Let’s face it, Manchester United fans AND Manchester City fans have to be honest right now and admit they are unsure, uncertain of how well their new managers will perform in their new roles after the success of Sir Alex Ferguson and Roberto Mancini.
David Moyes has a proven record at Everton and has done fantastic in the past. He is someone, I wanted our club to consider on a number of occasions. Over a sustained period on Merseyside he built and moulded a football team in his image. He bought in players he wanted, had the values he did and most importantly of all the work ethic. Moyes’ sides were renowned for working hard as a team and giving their all for each other and for the manager.
He takes over United and has inherited the team that Sir Alex built. They are not his players and for this first season, it will take some doing to get them playing his way. From working with Sir Alex and having the levels of success they did to working with someone new, it will take time.
Changes have been made to the backroom staff and the likes of Phil Neville and Ryan Giggs are now involved in coaching and they will need time to settle into that side of the game.
At City, Roberto Mancini was sacked and that took us all by surprise. Mancini has brought success to the other half of Manchester that they had been waiting for and didn’t deserve what happened to him.
Now, Pellegrini comes in and needs to do the same as David Moyes. He needs to get to know the players as he works with them and needs to start building the team in his image. Again, these aren’t his players apart from the two new signings he has made and getting things right will take time.
The difference between Moyes and Pellegrini is Premier League experience. It’s all well and good having a level of success abroad as a manager, you have to deliver here and as we all know the Premier League is totally different, just ask Scolari and Andre Villas-Boas in particular. Would you describe both of them as world class managers? I wouldn’t at the moment but Moyes has the potential to be.
Both sets of supporters will have a sense of optimism and excitement as kick off approaches but at the same time as I have said, they will also have some concern as to how long it will take their managers to bed in, settle down and come to grips with managing both clubs.
This is where I believe we already have an advantage with Jose Mourinho coming back to our club to take over once again as manager of Chelsea.
Look around at the bookies and pundits. They have already tipped Chelsea as the main challengers to United’s title and have pinpoint the same facts I have about what’s happened up in Manchester.
Chelsea have a fantastic squad of players that needed that little bit extra to put together a realistic title challenge because lets face it, we have been too far behind of late. Chelsea turned from title challengers to having a goal of just finishing inside the top four and that speaks volumes.
The “Special, Happy One” is here and as a Chelsea fan you have to be really, really excited about the season ahead. We have all seen our potential in different games last season. We have seen just how amazing we can be going forward. With the likes of Hazard, Mata, Oscar, Schurrle, De Bruyne and Moses all working under Mourinho, you have to believe that they can only get better and better.
Huge experience in the Premier League and all over Europe, winning league titles in four countries and two Champions League medals, it’s no wonder that we have been installed as favourites.
Chelsea have a young squad with unbelievable potential and with a world class manager back at the helm I honestly believe that even before a ball is kicked, we have the advantage this season.
Carefree & KTBFFH!
