BENITEZ IS EYEING VILLA JOB - says Frank Worrall

Rafa Benitez : About to jump ship?

MY SPIES tell me that Rafa Benitez would like the Aston Villa job if Lambert is dismissed.

His confidence borders on arrogance sometimes but he is a competent manager, whatever people might say. His assessment of the squad he inherited at Chelsea certainly supports that view.

Having said that, I would not want him in charge of the club I support. And I believe Villa would be better served sticking with Lambert.

DI CANIO WILL KEEP SUNDERLAND UP

I DON'T particularly like Paolo Di Canio - and I certainly don't like his politics.

But I believe he will prove to be a good manager at Sunderland.

He is young, organised and enthusiastic - and determined to be a winner. He also has an exceptional take on tactics.

I reckon he will keep Sunderland up this season and do well next season - if the board keep faith with him.

Paolo di Canio : He wants to focus on the football not politics.

Written by Frank Worrall (c) copyright, 2013  - www.frankworrall.com 

THE TRIUMPH AND BETRAYAL OF ROBERTO DI MATTEO, CHELSEA'S MOST SUCCESSFUL BOSS EVER

He lasted just 262 days – 262 days that transformed the fortunes of Chelsea Football Club and finally laid to rest Roman Abramovich’s holy grail. Yes, by winning the Champions League, Roberto Di Matteo made everything Roman had done – and all the millions he had invested worthwhile. But six months later the Russian owner of Chelsea rewarded him for his brilliance…with the sack.

Roberto Di Matteo : robbed of his job.

Di Matteo was the manager who took the club to its greatest ever triumph – one which marked him out as the club's most successful manager ever - that balmy night in Munich which now seems an age ago.


Even then, as Roberto celebrated, you could clearly see from the body language that Roman didn't really want to acknowledge his part in the triumph. He never really rated him; he only saw him as a stop-gap and was really forced into giving him a full-time shot at the job until he could get his own full-time next man in (ie Guardiola).


But what Di Matteo achieved that night in Munich was extraordinary - almost miraculous, as he urged on his men to a triumph they really had no right to expect. They were playing the hosts and favourites and emerged with the cup with the big ears against all odds (including beating Barca on the way).


Fast forward six months (to now) and Di Matteo has tried to implement Roman's desire for Chelsea to play a la Barca - with three little guys in Mata, Oscar and Hazard - and passing from the back (which meant keeping David Luiz at centre-back instead of the more reliable Ivanovic).


He has had three months (from August and the start of the new season) to implement a brand new, revolutionary change in playing approach and, as the players inevitably needed time to gell and get used to each other and the new system, he found it difficult to achieve overnight. His reward was to bestabbed in the back. Betrayed for not beating or drawing with Juve away - and let's not forget this is the team who could well go on to win the Champions League. OK, there have also been a couple of dodgy results in the league too, but as Istress again, he was trying to overhaul a way of thinking; from the time of Drogba and Co, when brute force won the day, to a more sophisticated style of play. There were always going to be lean spells as the change took shape.


In essence, he was expected to work another miracle from August to November (changing the mentality and style of play) after already working one in Munich in May. His sacking was the end game – a shocking way to treat someone who had done so much for a football club close to his heart.


RDM deserved better – and Chelsea fans certainly deserve better than the interim, defensively minded joker who will surely now take their team back to the dark ages…even if it is only for six months.


Forget the dreams of being the new Barca for the next few months – Rafa Benitez will underpin his team with a dour defensive edge. Ironic that when Roman wanted to move forwards with entertaining football, he ended up with a man whose philosophy is to bring about the exact opposite.


I wouldn’t be surprised if RDM is laughing in his beer at that irony tonight and probably saying, ‘They deserve each other!’


FRANK WORRALL @weeklysport

FRANK WORRALL SAYS - TIME ROMAN MADE JOHN TERRY MANAGER AT CHELSEA..!

FOOTBALL -

TIME ROMAN ABRAMOVICH
MADE JOHN TERRY MANAGER
AND FRANK LAMPARD
ASSISTANT MANAGER
AT CHELSEA


OK, I accept I have been critical of the old-timers at Chelsea over the last few month. I felt that Frank Lampard, in particular, was not supportive enough of Andre Villas-Boas, and that both he and John Terry had acted as though they ran the club below the level of Roman Abramovich. Terry’s touchline gesticulations when he went off against Napoli suggested as much – that he was the REAL manager, not interim boss Roberto di Matteo.

Well, now I have decided to eat humble pie – of sorts – and am suggesting to you (and my old friend Roman) that the best thing Chelsea FC could do now is plan for the future – by making John Terry manager and Frank Lampard his assistant.

To an extent, they ARE already in those roles already – whatever they might say. Sure, Di Matteo is the man on the touchline and the man who is picking the team…up to a point. But you’re telling me that Terry and Lampard haven’t had much input into his decisions and tactical changes? Di Matteo himself has admitted he talks to the senior players and takes their views into account. He is not a stooge, but he neither has he the authority to do something that would cross Terry or Lampard.

The other week he ‘dropped’ Lampard – a signal many commentators claimed only highlighted his strength. But my insiders at the Bridge tell me that it was agreed with Frank – that Frank realised that resting is part of the game at this crucial juncture of the season.

Since Di Matteo took command, Chelsea have settled and done well – because Terry and Lampard have settled and done well. The old boys are back in the driving seat. Put it this way: do you really think the unimpressive Avram Grant was the reason Chelsea got to the final of the Champions League in Moscow in 2008? Do me a favour! Look at Grant’s record before and after Chelsea – he is a managerial flop. He was a mere figurehead at the Bridge as Terry, Lampard and Drogba psyched up the team and took them so close to glory.

So, surely it now makes sense for Roman to do the inevitable: you make John player-manager and Frank player-assistant manager. You mererly put on record the situation behind closed doors. Di Matteo? Well, he is another Steady Eddie and Frank and John like him – so why not make him, or Guus Hiddink, director of football? You use one of the two to attract worldwide stars because of their names and standing in the international game. Simple as that.

And I’m predicting that if Roman did give John and Frank the reins, they would be a major success. Frank is the ideal foil for John: a calm, composed, intelligent assessor to John’s more passionate, hand-on-heart approach. A sort of Clough and Taylor designate for the modern era.

Go on Roman – give them a go. They love you, too, and would work within your framework. I am sure it’s a move you would not regret…

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MOTOR RACING -

Chinese Grand Prix

The Formula One show heads for China this weekend – and Lewis Hamilton will be aiming for a repeat of his super show in Shanghai last year. Then, he stormed home in front of Red Bull pair, runner-up Sebastian Vettel and third placed Mark Webber. Lewis drove brilliantly – but then so did Webber, the Australian pipping Jenson Button for third after starting 18th on the grid!

The Chinese GP is traditionally a thriller – last year Lewis and Jenson both stole a march on Vettel at the start – so stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed that our two super Brits can come home in first and second. The last thing we want this year is another triumphant procession by German Vettel – and judging by what I’ve seen so far in Australia and Malaysia , Lewis and Jenson are BOTH going to have a major say in where the title ends up.


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FRANKIE’S FLUTTER

THE BIG footie matches are both in the FA Cup this weekend – with two semi-final derby clashes taking place at Wembley.

The first on Saturday sees Everton and Liverpool go head to head. The Mersey giants are also competing to see who can finish highest in the league with nothing between the two in recent weeks.

I am taking Liverpool to beat Everton 2-1 after extra time and continue their fine form in the domestic cup competitions this term.

On the Sunday it’s the turn of London ’s footballing giants to do battle – with Chelsea and Tottenham at Wembley.

I’ve got a feeling that Spurs will emerge victorious – by 3-2.


(For more information on Frank and his bestselling sports books, see www.frankworrall.com)
Weekly Sport readers can buy Frank’s insightful book on Sir Alex Ferguson for the special price of only £2.74 on Kindle (retail price £17.99 for the hardback)…go to http://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-Fergie-Wonderland-Biography-ebook/dp/B00603XJB8/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1326291046&sr=1-7

THE SEQUEL TO THE DAMNED UNITED...

...NOW SHOWING
AT CHELSEA!

FRANKING WORRALL REPORTING

IN 1974 Brian Clough famously lasted just 44 days as the manager of Leeds United. At the time he was arguably the best football manager around, yet he failed to inspire one of the best teams around when he took over at the helm from Don Revie.

Why did he fail? He was too abrupt with and insensitive to the needs of the established players at the club. The likes of Billy Bremner and Johnny Giles didn’t take at all kindly to someone coming in and telling them to ‘throw their medals in the bin’.

Fast forward 38 years and the story played out again - but this time at Stamford Bridge in West London.

Substitute Andre Villas Boas for Clough and Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole for Bremner and Giles and you get the picture.

The Portuguese was the manager in demand; he was young, had just won a series of impressive trophies with Porto - and he arrived at the Bridge with a mandate to modernise the playing staff.
To bring in new blood and to gently ease out the ageing legs of Lampard, Cole et al. Only it didn’t work out like that - like Clough he met fierce opposition to change from those very older players he had arrived to send off into the dark night.

And like Clough, he was ultimately hung out to dry by the club’s board of directors, or as it is in Chelsea’s case, the autocrat who runs Chelsea.

So it was farewell Andre and hello to...well, who knows. Di Matteo is the caretaker but the new man has not been signed up.

My sources close to Roman tell me it is likely to be one of two - Joachim Loew, the current boss of the German national side, or Athletic Bilbao’s Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa.

I personally would go for Bielsa. Look at the wonderful job he has done at Athletic Bilbao - creating a team of young players who destroyed Man United at Old Trafford last week. And he has the tough edge to show the old moaners the exit door - and quickly.

He is the ideal choice if Roman finally wants to lay down some solid foundations.

As for Lampard and Cole, I thought their behaviour under Villas Boas was disgusting and shameful. They are senior players who are quick to touch the badge on their shirts when they are on the pitch.

But their actions under Villas Boas were totally selfish - they seemed much more concerned about themselves and their petty little battles to put the new boss in his place than they did about the welfare of Chelsea FC. I can understand their ire at being dropped and suddenly no longer being the kingpins - but I believe they would have had a future under Villas Boas if they had knuckled down and accepted that time waits for no one.

In turn, Villas Boas would have had a future himself.

Now the whole issue has exploded, a man who has a lot of potential has gone and the likes of Lampard and Cole could well follow him out the door come summer. Everyone at the Bridge knows they haven’t come out of this with any credit - they are as much to blame as the Portuguese for the lamentable showings.

Now Chelsea need a hardman to knock them back into shape - and to make it clear to any dissenters that they will be on their bikes if they don’t toe the line. In turn, the hardman will need Roman to back him whatever happens: the short-term aggro will lead to long-term joy.
Roman has got to end this short-termism and see the bigger picture.

And, in my humble opinion anyway, Marcelo Bielsa is just the man needed to enforce the necessary revolution.

MOTOR RACING - THE AUSTRALIAN GP

THE FIRST season of the new Formula 1 season gets underway on Sunday – and everyone connected or interested in the sport is praying it is more competitive than last year’s damp squib. Last season was a victory march for German Seb Vettel for much of the campaign after other drivers simply lost their touch. Yes, Lewis Hamilton, we’re pointing at you.

This term the omens are better. Lewis, in particular, is a 100 times more fired up and concentrated in the job in hand. He is back with girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger and appears happier and steadier. Now if only he could prove himself big enough to welcome his old dad back into the fold again… then he would surely be the complete deal.

As it stands, I can see Lewis pusing Vettel much harder – as I am sure will fellow Brit ace Jenson Button. For all his efforts, Button remains very much the McCartney to Hamilton’s Lennon: whatever he does he cannot seem to enchant the British public as Lewis does.

Last year at Albert Park in Melbourne Vettell began his run to glory, triumphing in his Red Bull from pole to chequered flag. And that is one of the keys to winning the Australian GP - the circuit is a tough ask if you don’t get off to a good start. If you do, you’re in with a good chance as long as the car keeps going. So come on Lewis and Jenson, pull out all the stop sin qualifying – and one of you is likely to come home first if you win pole.

Good luck lads from your No 1 sports paper…the Weekly Sport.

FRANKIE’S FLUTTERS

PUT a fiver on the next full-time boss of Chelsea FC being Marcelo Bielsa or Joachim Loew.

Then on Sunday Man United travel to Molineux to take on relegation strugglers Wolves. United will surely walk it given the chaos at Wolves, with Mick McCarthy getting the boat and the players finding it hard to adopt to life under a caretaker boss and the animosity the fans feel towards the board of directors seeping down to the terraces.

I can only see a United win, the only thing in question is the score...and I’ll go for a 4-1 triumph for the Red Devils.

And the F1 in Melbourne – call me a silly dreamer, but I’m going for Hamilton or Button!

FRANK WORRALL
(For more information on Frank and his bestselling sports books, see www.frankworrall.com)
Weekly Sport readers can buy Frank’s insightful book on Sir Alex Ferguson for the special price of only £2.74 on Kindle (retail price £17.99 for the hardback)…go to http://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-Fergie-Wonderland-Biography-ebook/dp/B00603XJB8/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1326291046&sr=1-7

Breaking news - exclusive report from our sports desk!

FRANK WORRALL brings you insider news for the WEEKLY SPORT!

BARCA’S PEP GUARDIOLA TO
REPLACE SIR ALEX FERGUSON
AS THE MANAGER OF MAN UNITED


(…thanks to Sir Bobby Charlton!)

AT THE end of the festive period, Sir Alex Ferguson admitted that he plans to stay on as Manchester United manager for another three years.

That got the boys in the Press boxes up and down the country scratching their heads about who would replace him – and whether he would actually stay in the hot-seat for those 36 months.

Well, after nattering with some sources at United, I can now exclusively reveal WHEN Fergie will retire – and WHO will replace him.

My information is that he will go before the end of the three years – that that was a smokescreen to prevent a repeat of the fiasco in the 2001-02 season when he announced he would retire at the end of that season, before changing his mind.

That announcement back then had the effect of plunging the club into chaos – with subsequent poor results. Inevitably, some players began to tread water, not pulling their weight as much as usual – with the mindset that, ‘What does it matter – the boss will be gone soon…so he’s hardly got the inclination or the time to sack us!'

So this time the official line is that he will go at the end of the 2014-15 season.

My information is that has been stated to avoid a repeat of the situation in 2001-02 – and that the boss intends to actually hang up his chewing gum a year before…or even at the end of next season if United should somehow manage to dethrone the wonderful Barcelona from their perch as European Champions in 2012-13 (assuming as I do that they will most likely retain their crown in Munich in May).

So that is the WHEN, what about the WHO?

Realistically, it was only ever going to be one of two men who would have the charisma, talent and, most importantly of all given the players they will have to lead, the WINNING MENTALITY and RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENTS needed for the job. The likes of Wayne Rooney are never going to look upon, say David Moyes (who has also been touted for the job), with the utmost respect – simply because Moyes has not won anything big with Everton. Of course, that is not David’s fault – he has worked wonders at Goodison with limited finances, but he would need to prove himself at a step higher than Everton – or somehow miraculously win trophies there – if he were to be considered for the United job.

No, realistically the only two men who could walk into Old Trafford tomorrow and say to a sceptical set of players, ‘We have done all you’ve done and more – and we have won more’ are Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho.

I myself would have been tempted to employ Mourinho. He is a larger-than-life character, arrogant and a winner. Guardiola is also a winner, but I could probably have managed Barca to some of the trophies Guardiola has won…given the extraordinary quality of players he inherited from the famed Barca academy.

But United have plumped for Guardiola – and I understand discreet talks have already taken place to assess whether he would be interested in taking on the United job in 2013 or 2014…and that positive vibes were received.

It makes sense. Guardiola has often said he feels his work is almost complete at Barca and he has also often spoken of his admiration for the Premier League, and United in particular.

So what has swayed United to him rather than Mourinho? My understanding is that United prefer his humility and calmness as well as his belief in attacking football and his fierce belief in establishing an academy that nurtures top young talent. Sir Bobby Charlton, in particular, is said to like the work Pep has done – while he is apparently less enamoured with Mourinho’s confrontational style of management.

In that sense, I can understand United’s decision to go for Guardiola. He brings a dignity that Mourinho could never match – and he is a great believer in the academy process. United’s owners the Glazers also admire that - as they know it will save them the massive transfer budget Mourinho would demand as one of the planks of his move from Madrid to Old Trafford.

Put it this way – when has Mourinho ever moved to a club and put forward a 10 or 20 year plan? One that DOES NOT not involve big money buys – and one that DOES involve planning ahead with a conveyor belt of homegrown product?

Just look at his work at Chelsea, Inter and Real for the obvious, undeniable answer - yes, never.

So although I think Mourinho would probably bring more immediate success to United, I would also concede that Guardiola is the better long-term bet. He brings stability, dignity and is a true sportsman (unlike Jose) – but also is a man who could stay around for a generation.

Hey, he could even be the new Sir Alex Ferguson at United and be there for 20-odd years…