Chelsea’s treatment of Rafael Benitez was appalling
Spaniard did well considering lack of a permanent role and fans’ abuse
Amid all the fanfare surrounding retirements and managerial reshuffles at the end of the season, Rafael Benitez’s Chelsea departure will fly oddly beneath the radar.
His treatment by the board and fans at Stamford Bridge has been nothing short of disgusting since he replaced Roberto Di Matteo in November. But the former Valencia, Liverpool and Inter Milan boss has ploughed on and delivered nonetheless. He finished third in the league, up from sixth last season, and won the Uefa Europa League title.
You can argue a club of this stature, as Uefa Champions League holders, should be aiming higher, or that Benitez has inherited a good side. But considering the chaos created by Russian oligarch owner Roman Abramovich, who has gone through 10 managers in the decade since taking over, Benitez has done well.
Think where Chelsea would have been now if just one of those 10 coaches was allowed to have continued, and start to ponder what Benitez could achieve without the interim tag hanging over his head.
Perhaps, having lambasted Chelsea fans during his time as Liverpool manager, Benitez should never have agreed to take the job in the first place. But the fans’ refusal to accept him and the club’s reluctance to hand him the reins full-time was disrespectful and self-defeating, especially for a coach of his calibre.
It couldn’t have been easy to work without the support of the club. And with constant headlines of Jose Mourinho’s rumoured second coming running without denial, Benitez has kept incredible grace.
Rafa’s limbo has demonstrated just how poorly managed Chelsea is, with a clueless sugar daddy desperate to appease spoilt, childish fans.
Even the fact they are now longing for the return of a coach already axed by the club six years ago shows how non-existent their strategic plan is.
Everything Chelsea have achieved since Abramovich’s takeover has been as a result of luck. Money and talent have been thrown at a blank canvas admittedly, but the fact it even begins to resemble a picture of success has nothing to do with those who wield most influence.
