Chelsea v Sunderland, Premier League - Rarely has there has been so much anger directed at home team for improving performance in aftermath of managerial sacking
Jose Mourinho is gone, but the Cult of Jose lives on, rendered immortal by homemade banners, life-size cut-outs of the man himself and the sheer sense of injustice that so many of the Stamford Bridge faithful brought to their stadium on an extraordinary day in the club’s history.There are strange days in the life of every football club, even more so at Chelsea in the Roman Abramovich years, but none in recent memory when there has been so much anger directed at the home team for improving their performance in the aftermath of a managerial sacking. Their favourite has gone, and even though this was just their fifth league win of the season, many of the home support just could not bring themselves to forgive, let alone forget.
The “palpable discord” – to borrow a phrase from the Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo – was between supporters and players, on an occasion when there was booing for Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas and nothing but love for the absent Mourinho. He may be gone, but on this occasion just about every chant, was in honour of the club’s sacked manager.In the private box belonging to Abramovich, the owner and his new interim coach Guus Hiddink took their places alongside Chelsea’s great pride of Africa, the indomitable Didier Drogba. If ever there was a public relations card to be played in the aftermath of the sacking of one of the club’s most popular figures then, short of bringing out Frank Lampard, Drogba was that man.Chelsea say that is not a prospect just yet, but Abramovich clearly took solace in sitting next to one of the most enduringly popular figures in the club’s history. The Russian has overseen more than £1bn of investment in Chelsea over 12 years, and has pledged another £600m to rebuild Stamford Bridge, but this was a day when even his credit rating among the fans was at an all-time low.On the pitch, Chelsea were three goals ahead within 48 minutes but that only seemed to enrage the home support more. “Where were you when you were s***?” they asked of Pedro Rodriguez when he scored the second, his first league goal since August. Where, indeed? This was one occasion that was a no-win for the Chelsea team: lose and it was more of the same, win and it was more evidence of Jose’s Great Betrayal.
Jose Mourinho is gone, but the Cult of Jose lives on, rendered immortal by homemade banners, life-size cut-outs of the man himself and the sheer sense of injustice that so many of the Stamford Bridge faithful brought to their stadium on an extraordinary day in the club’s history.
There are strange days in the life of every football club, even more so at Chelsea in the Roman Abramovich years, but none in recent memory when there has been so much anger directed at the home team for improving their performance in the aftermath of a managerial sacking. Their favourite has gone, and even though this was just their fifth league win of the season, many of the home support just could not bring themselves to forgive, let alone forget.
The “palpable discord” – to borrow a phrase from the Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo – was between supporters and players, on an occasion when there was booing for Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas and nothing but love for the absent Mourinho. He may be gone, but on this occasion just about every chant, was in honour of the club’s sacked manager.
In the private box belonging to Abramovich, the owner and his new interim coach Guus Hiddink took their places alongside Chelsea’s great pride of Africa, the indomitable Didier Drogba. If ever there was a public relations card to be played in the aftermath of the sacking of one of the club’s most popular figures then, short of bringing out Frank Lampard, Drogba was that man.
Chelsea say that is not a prospect just yet, but Abramovich clearly took solace in sitting next to one of the most enduringly popular figures in the club’s history. The Russian has overseen more than £1bn of investment in Chelsea over 12 years, and has pledged another £600m to rebuild Stamford Bridge, but this was a day when even his credit rating among the fans was at an all-time low.
On the pitch, Chelsea were three goals ahead within 48 minutes but that only seemed to enrage the home support more. “Where were you when you were s***?” they asked of Pedro Rodriguez when he scored the second, his first league goal since August. Where, indeed? This was one occasion that was a no-win for the Chelsea team: lose and it was more of the same, win and it was more evidence of Jose’s Great Betrayal.
Bravo
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