After a disastrous 2015-16 season that saw Chelsea finish 10th in the league table, a certain Italian manager was brought into the frame. Antonio Conte’s arrival to Chelsea last season was a comparatively low-key affair in England. It was not because the Italian tactician is not popular in the world of football but the story of Conte was eclipsed by the drama unfolding at Manchester. The Manchester war had intensified ten folds after the two clubs appointed long-term rivals Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho as their managers.
Fans worldwide were running out of patience as they eagerly awaited a managerial world war in England with the likes of Pep, Jose, Conte, Klopp, Wenger and Pochettino going head to head. The Manchester clubs were heavily tipped to win the league because of their managers and the arrival of superstar players in the summer.
However, as he had done on four previous occasions, Antonio Conte quietly set to work and took the Chelsea team that had finished tenth, the season before to the title. A season later, Chelsea are struggling to repeat their heroics and there has been immediate talks of dissatisfaction and loss of harmony at the club with Conte tipped to get the sack.
Reasons ranging from players turning against the manager and his training methods, Conte missing his home, Chelsea board unhappy with Conte’s over-exerting nature have gone through the rumour mill.
Conte’s struggle means that several managers have been linked to the hot seat at SW6. With rumours linking him to a move away from London getting stronger, let us take a look at the possible replacements for him at Chelsea.
Thomas Tuchel
Roman Abrahimovic has long been a fan of the beautiful football. However, fast flowing teams with an ability to attack relentlessly is something that Stamford Bridge has not seen consistently with the Blues being more prone to a team of more guts and robustness than flair and panache. One man who can bring in a change of philosophy is former Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel.
The 44-year old manager produced a scintillating attacking brand of football at the German club and has been out of job for some time now. However, Tuchel is not known to be a serial winner with only one DFB Pokal trophy to his name and that might add up against him if he applies for the Chelsea job.
Carlo Ancelotti
A former Blues manager returned to the club, won the title, failed miserably the next season and lost his job. Carlo Ancelotti might have the chance to retrace the steps of the Portuguese by opting to return to the club with whom he has won a league title but Ancelotti will be aware of the pitfalls at the hierarchy set up at SW6 and that might prompt him against a return to his old club.
Jorge Sampaoli
The Argentine was heavily linked with the Chelsea job after Mourinho was sacked but he lost out to Antonio Conte. Sampaoli’s Chelsea venture was ended with one of the more important reasons being his lack of grasp over the English language. With Conte now being linked with other clubs, another opportunity might open up for the Argentine to come to the club.
