“There is nobody obvious for the job” - Former Chelsea star Florent Malouda says ex-Blues man is only one who can save team now
Former Chelsea winger Florent Malouda has claimed that Jose Mourinho is the only manager available who can rescue the Blues from their current situation.
Things have gone from bad to worse for the west London club over the past couple of years. This is especially since the Todd Boehly-led Clearlake Capital's takeover in May 2022.
Chelsea have spent over £1 billion on transfers during Boehly's reign but the heavy investment has not been reflected on the pitch. They finished 12th in the Premier League last season and are 11th this time. They also recently lost in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.
Florent Malouda has expressed his concerns regarding the situation at his former club. He believes that the Blues' management will stick with current manager Mauricio Pochettino.
He said that he is an advocate of stability and added that there aren't too many good managerial options out there anyway. Malouda claimed that the only top manager available right now is former Blues manager Jose Mourinho. The 43-year-old told Ladbrokes Fanzone, as quoted by The Mirror:
“I am not worried about Pochettino. I am worried about Chelsea. In terms of managers, when you look at the options available apart from Mourinho, there is nobody obvious for the job that could make a big difference.
"I believe in stability, and I believe the club should support the manager and include him more in the process of picking players in the club strategy."
Malouda added:
“I definitely think we need to stick with Pochettino. Instead, we need to bring people on board now who can back him up and help him develop his ideas.”
Jose Mourinho has enjoyed two successful stints at Stamford Bridge in the past and is an absolute fan favorite. The Portuguese manager won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and two League Cups in his first spell. He clinched another league title and League Cup after returning in 2013.
However, Mourinho's managerial career has also gone the wrong way over the last few years. The former Manchester United boss is currently without a job after being recently sacked by AS Roma.
Frank Leboeuf claims Chelsea's current squad are simply not good enough
Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has claimed that the current Chelsea squad is just not good enough. He insisted that while the players gave their everything, they still couldn't overcome a youthful Liverpool side in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, February 25.
Virgil van Dijk scored in the 118th minute to fire the Reds to glory after the game finished 0-0 after 90 minutes. Reacting to the loss, Leboeuf has insisted that the players shouldn't be blamed as they couldn't have done more on the pitch. He said, however, that they are not competent enough to play for the Blues.
The World Cup-winning former France defender told Tribal Football:
"I think they all did their best - but that's the problem! With the players they have, you can only complain about the result - that's why I'm upset. It's because they worked so hard. They did their best. That's why it's upsetting as they all tried. But that's not enough for Chelsea... that's what it is!"
Leboeuf added:
"And that's the thing they're going to have to think about this summer as fans are going to get upset. Very upset. One season? Two seasons? Another one? Again? Ah c'mon! This is not possible. We cannot finish in the middle of the table. We cannot show the world that we're so fragile. We're Chelsea Football Club!"
EFL Cup victory could have been a major achievement for Chelsea in what has been an absolutely dreadful season for the club. The west London side currently sit 11th in the Premier League table with just 35 points in 25 games.