FIFA’s two-transfer window ban means Chelsea will continue to struggle.
As the FA Cup weekend drew to a close, I began contemplating what I would write about in this week’s column. After a rather uninteresting set of weekend fixtures–and several uninspiring performances (the glow of the once great FA Cup competition has begun to fade), my attention turned to the Monday evening fixture between Chelsea and Manchester United.
Sarri has reason to be concerned (photo, Independent IE)
I remember consciously thinking this week could make or break Chelsea’s season. With a FA Cup fixture against Manchester United, Chelsea had the opportunity to saunter into their second final of the season–with Tottenham, Liverpool, and Arsenal having been eliminated.
It would be a midweek fixture at home for a place in the last 16 of the Europa League–against Malmo, a team that plays in a national league that’s yet to kick-off. And capping the week off, it would be a chance to pick up the first available piece of silverware–granted it would mean beating Manchester City, a team who not two weeks earlier had scored six against them.
But in a Cup final, anything is possible.
The week, like their season, was going okay. After losing 2-0 at home–a disappointing result considering United had not won at Stamford Bridge since 2012 and Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge–they eased past Malmo. Attention then shifted to Sunday’s Cup Final.
It would be the next step in Chelsea’s testing season–to say the least. The season started in utter turmoil. In a fashion reminiscent of the Jose Mourinho saga in 2015, the Chelsea dressing room had turned on manager Antonio Conte. Performances towards the end of the season had been poor and, even though they lifted the FA Cup, the writing was on the wall regarding his managerial stint at Chelsea.
Conte was shown the door (photo, Evening Standard)
Clubs change managers all the time, so this is not a new phenomenon by any stretch of the imagination–especially for Chelsea–a team that has had 12 different managers in the past 15 years.
Except for this time, it went wrong. A messy divorce from Conte–and issues with Napoli and Maurizio Sarri–meant that the expected change didn’t come until pre-season was virtually over.
The season started brightly with Chelsea going unbeaten for the first 12 games, which set a new Premier League record. Many pundits remarked how well the players had taken to the new regime, and how ‘Sarri-Ball’ was potentially the style to knock Manchester City and Guardiola off the top.
But with no pre-season to speak of–and the managerial bounce having run its course–the wheels fell off, culminating with Chelsea dropping out of the top 4. They lost to Bournemouth, 4-0, and then were demolished by Manchester City at the beginning of February.
As I mentioned earlier, this week could make or break Chelsea’s season–and more than likely Sarri’s managerial career at the club. And that was before news broke that a two-transfer window ban had been levied at Chelsea. With that ban now in place, I fear for the club–not just this season, but for the next two or three.
FIFA investigated the Chelsea Football Club for the international transfer and registration of players under 18, and found the club guilty of “breach[ing] art.19 of the regulations in the case of twenty-nine minor players” and “also breached art.18b of the regulations in connection with two agreements it concluded concerning minors” (FIFA Official Article).
These actions have led to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee sanctioning a two-transfer window ban on the club.
So why does this spell disaster for Chelsea and Sarri? ‘Sarri-Ball’ requires several things to be successful. It is an intense system that demands intelligent players who are open to new ways of playing and are willing to follow the structure diligently. The system also requires time, patience and personnel–all of which are lacking at Chelsea.
Not surprisingly, calls for Sarri to be removed have begun. Starting as small whispers, they have grown into full-blown choruses of the song, “F**K Sarri Ball,” during the 2-0 loss to Manchester United. With fan unrest beginning to bubble aggressively to the surface, the Carabao Cup final on Sunday looks crucial for the future of Sarri.
Win against one of the best teams in Europe and cries will be muted. Lose, and the brief spell of ‘Sarri-Ball’ at Chelsea could be over.
The problem Chelsea now face is this: even if they keep faith with Sarri, it’s going to take time to build something great.
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola both took several transfer windows to change personnel and bring in players to improve the team. Sarri has lost this ability. He will have to work wonders with a team that is beginning to lose interest in his ways. So, even with a full pre-season next year, I do not see how he will be able to enact serious change.
The most obvious solution–and the one Chelsea will most likely take–is to sack Sarri, write this year off, and start again. But what about the next manager? I don’t see an appeal in going to a club where the players are renowned for losing interest, where the club has no patience, where the next man can’t bring in any players.
At the beginning of the season, Chelsea stated that the club philosophy had changed–that they were focused on building something from the ground up over a prolonged period. But the imposed transfer ban pushes the time scale back at least two more years.
That circumstance leaves Chelsea lost and looking for answers.
