What a twat.
Replacing Di Matteo with Rafael Benitez has proved the right move, says Chelsea chief exec
Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay has told the club’s fans that replacing Roberto Di Matteo with Rafael Benitez as manager has already proved to be the right decision.
Benitez’s appointment as interim first team coach in November was met with fury by Chelsea supporters and the former Liverpool boss is no closer to winning them over.
Chelsea were just four points behind the then League leaders Manchester City when Benitez took charge, but are now trailing Manchester United, who have replaced their rivals in first place, by 14 points.
They have also lost the Fifa Club World Cup Final to Corinthians and dropped into the Europa League knock-out stages after failing to finish in the top two of their Champions League group, although results under Di Matteo were largely responsible for that.
Di Matteo was still revered by Chelsea fans when he got the sack having led the team to the Champions League and FA Cup last May, just two months after replacing Andre Villa-Boas as coach, and they continue to chant his name at matches.
But Gourlay, who wrote a message to Chelsea supporters in the club’s official programme ahead of their woeful 1-0 home defeat against QPR last night, insists the side still have a better chance of winning silverware this term now that Benitez is at the helm.