ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS has conceded he has lost the support of a section of the Chelsea dressing- room but is unconcerned since he is confident of retaining the all-important backing of the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich.
The Portuguese manager has endured a turbulent period, which reached a low after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Everton, when a training-ground inquest on Sunday turned into a blazing row between himself and some senior players, who question his ability and wonder whether he is the right man to take the club forward.
Villas-Boas, though, has sought to assert his authority publicly by reminding everybody it is he who makes the decisions, with Abramovich’s blessing, and anyone who wanted to stay at the club in the longer term had to perform.
Nicolas Anelka and Alex were sold last month and further individuals, he noted, would depart in the summer. It is clear he feels certain squad members are playing for their Chelsea futures.
“They [the players] don’t have to back my project,” Villas-Boas said. “It’s the owner who backs my project. Some of them don’t back the project? That is normal. I think the owner has full trust in me and will continue to progress with the ideas that we have.
“Players compete, in the end, for their place and for their place towards the future in the team. So if you want to be in the team in the future, you are competing to win something against your colleague. I would put it exactly like that: performance to have reward . . . reward in terms of results and reward in terms of future continuity.
“My authority is total because it’s the owner’s authority. I have told you that we set out this team to try to win four trophies, believing in this team. Next year it’s another one because there are different ongoing situations regarding contracts which will have to be addressed so that means different changes. Two players have already departed and further will depart in the future and won’t make part of the project, which more or less they expect but this is the reality of any football team.
“We prepare to be more competent in the present and we have to prepare the future as well.
“They know there is a manager in position holding on for a project of three years so, if they want to be part of that project, [it is about] performance level, or continuity of performance level and display. I think that’s pretty basic of any football team. You don’t contemplate with a reward people who underperform in any football team.”
The bust-up took place after the players had been called in on their day off in the wake of the Everton debacle, which was, by common consent, the team’s worst performance under Villas-Boas.
Chelsea have now taken 12 points from an available 30 to sit fifth in the Premier League. Villas-Boas hoped the exchange of views could prove positive, as the squad prepare for the crucial fixtures in the FA Cup against Birmingham City tomorrow and in the Champions League last-16 first leg at Napoli next Tuesday.
“It’s something I have used in the past and it’s part of my leadership style to evolve on a very, very frontal, honest relationship,” Villas-Boas said. “I think it helps because the leader is showing there is a two-way leadership process going on – the players and the leader.
“I think that the results we are having at the moment are not good enough and, when they are not good enough, you try to reach . . . to find out what is the situation. Why don’t you get better results?”
Villas-Boas said Abramovich shared his anger and frustration because “in the end he expects us to be successful”.
“I am completely happy (with Abramovich) . . . I have no problem with him at all,” Villas-Boas said. “It is a relationship that is perfect at the moment.”
Guardian Service
