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Sunday, 17 September, 2000, 15:45 GMT 16:45 UK
Were Chelsea right to sack Vialli?
Chelsea manager Gianluca Vialli has been sacked after a poor start to the season. But were the London glamour club right to show him the door?
The FA Cup may still be shining in the trophy cabinet but Chelsea supremos Ken Bates and Colin Hutchinson have decided it is time for change. Results have been disappointing in the early weeks of the season and rumours have abounded of player unrest. But is that a good enough reason? Are Chelsea right or have they given up too soon on an apparently promising young manager? Is there more to it than meets the eye, and who should take over? Email your reaction now. Were Chelsea right to sack Vialli?
Has the world gone mad? The fact that Vialli has brought Chelsea what little success the club has had in recent years counts for nothing, it seems. It is symptomatic of the hysteria that exists in football today. I can only imagine that the board panicked at the start made by Man Utd. Why doesn't the Chairman sack himself for continually picking the wrong managers and for having seemingly lousy man-management skills?
Jamil Talib, London, UK
This was a ridiculous knee-jerk reaction from Bates. As chairman, he should have realised that Vialli was one of the club's biggest assets. This just shows that he is as out of touch with the feelings of the vast majority of Chelsea fans as Tony Blair is with the vast majority of the general public over the issue of fuel taxes!
People seem to forget that Vialli's managerial success was due to Ruud Gullit and his predecessor Glenn Hoddle. He inherited a basis which, fair enough he had built on. Success has followed a brilliant carrier as a manager. However who can say what went on behind the scenes. In private enterprise, anyone can be fired if they are the reason for disharmony. Chelsea is a team I have followed/supported for 28 years. You don't support a team because of who is managing it. If this was so nobody would ever support Man Utd. I wish Luca all the very best in the future. Thanks Luca, great job!
Chelsea have made a grave error in sacking Luca. It takes a special quality to be able to make the transition from player to manager so smoothly as Gianluca did. If five trophies in two and a half seasons isn't enough success for Bates, just what does he expect from his next appointment. Alex Ferguson endured years of relative failure before turning Man Utd into the dominant force they are now. Gianluca has been a great manager for Chelsea, just look at other players who didn't make the transition from player straight to manager so easily. Shame on Ken Bates. Perhaps Ken Bates should judge the success of a manger by their achievements and the quality of players they attract.
Andy Anderson, Belgium
Chelsea were right to let Vialli go. Chelsea, like most big clubs, now needs to be run as a successful businees. Colin Hutchinson and the club have a very aggressive development plan in order to keep pace with the likes of Man Utd and other top European sides. Gianluca, I feel, was never really in Chelsea's long term plans and this was shown with the appointment of a more experienced and respected coach like Ranieri. Why Luca was not shown the door before the start of the season can only be explained by the Chelsea board members!
By doing the right thing and getting rid of him this early, Ken Bates has given the club a chance to build an impressive season instead of another disappointing one.
Luca Vialli's termination as Chelsea's coach was nothing more than just another example of the knee-jerk reaction the public has now come to expect from Ken Bates. Apart from being totally unjust, this latest decision reflects poorly on Chelsea as a whole. Ken Bates is a liability to Chelsea's big plans, not an asset.
Matthew Martel, Guernsey, CI
It just goes to show money cannot buy everything, Newcastle were an example, Chelsea just clarify that.
Even though I am a Liverpool supporter I believe it was a very wrong decision by the Chelsea board to give Vialli the boot. They will probably live to regret this decision.
Chelsea's mediocre run extends back to the end of last season so no one should be surprised to see Vialli dismissed. Chelsea progressed as a Premiership force through the 1990s, but the momentum was in danger of being lost.
Paul, South Africa
I think that the merits of Bates' decision to replace Vialli will depend entirely on who he brings in. If he is to bring in a high calibre experienced manager then I think there is no doubt that Chelsea's chance of winning the big trophies (Premiership and Champions League) will increase. Vialli has made some bad decisions in crucial games and I think his reluctance to give regular games to any young players was very damaging to morale and also to the financial position of the club. To appoint another novice would be totally absurd as Vialli now has two-and-a-half years experience and we would only be going backwards. The time has come for Chelsea to appoint a manager of the same quality as the players. Venables gets my vote.
Look how long it took Sir Alex Ferguson to win the league. Bates should be the one to go. I'm not a Chelsea fan, but I feel sorry for Vialli, who is probably the second most successful manager of the last five years in British football.
Regrettably, Ken Bates has got it right this time, at least in the overall interest of Chelsea Football Club. Vialli is undoubtably a genuine and dignified individual, but lacks experience as a coach both tactically and from a man management perspective, especially for a club like Chelsea where expectations are high. Criticism of him personally in the latter respect is a little unfair, given his length of time in management. Chelsea fans should be gratefull to Vialli for raising the club one step in terms of profile, but sadly he was not experienced enough to satisfy the fans' inflated but not unrealistic expectations.
This year the start was not brilliant but was not bad and is comparable to the start of the 1998-1999 season. The Premiership is Chelsea's target for this season. The decision to remove Vialli at this stage is short sighted and the chances of winning the title this season have now been written off. I think it is a sad day for Chelsea FC.
Chelsea has lost its forward momentum recently under Vialli even after big name signings. As in all business once this happens it's time for a change in direction to regain momentum. This is what Ken Bates has done and correctly in my opinion. It's time Chelsea had a top quality experienced manager to match the team. Bring on El tel.
What is the football world coming to? Five trophies in under three years and Ken Bates is still unhappy. Building a Premiership winning side takes patience and Vialli is well suited to doing that. The Premiership will miss his personality and his knowledge. Chelsea will be hard pressed to find someone like him again!
Ken Bates? What business man? Looking at the wide response to Vialli's premature sacking, it is evident that Chelsea had managed to capture a huge domestic and international audience during his tenure. I am a Liverpool fan, but like me, I believe the audience was attracted to Chelsea's highly attractive offensive style of play
instituted by Vialli. It does not make good business sense to fire someone who transforms your team to one that commands healthy souvenir sales, a full house for all home games, and a huge television audience every week. Bates is most likely to learn that there are not many coaches as good as Vialli lying around. During his short carrer as manager, Vialli has already shown that he has a special talent, and is destined to win a couple of major European silverwares as manager. Bates does not deserve to keep Vialli.
Jennifer Lynch, Scotland
Vialli shouldn't have been sacked. A club and manager needs time to consolidate so as to survive rather than expecting wonders overnight. If Chelsea carry on with the hire and fire 'willy nilly', then the club will go nowhere. Ken Bates should use his brains for a change.
As a Spurs fan I am amazed at Vialli being fired. Chelsea fans seem to have very short memories - it wasn't too long ago that they had crowds of less than 10,000 and were languishing in the lower divisions. I think that Bates' unrealistic ambitions of glory seem to have rubbed off onto the supporters and that they should realise that it takes time to build a team, and that simply collecting superstars is no way to assure long term success. I would willingly swap Vialli with Gooner George Graham though!
As a Chelsea fan, I'm saddened, upset and angry about Luca Vialli's sacking. If Vialli's achievement of five trophies in two and a half years isn't success, what is? A season isn't won or lost after five games (look at Harry Redknapp at West Ham: he hasn't been sacked has he?). The players should look at their own behaviour, which by all accounts has contributed to Vialli's exit. Combining together as a cohesive unit wins trophies, not criticising and plotting behind the manager's back.
Yomi Adenuga, England
Anyone who spends £10m on Chris Sutton deserves to be sacked.
It strikes me (as a non-Chelsea fan) that Vialli has been very hard done by. He is very highly regarded around the country by real football fans but alas it seems that we cannot include Mr Ken Bates in that category. I would suggest that the sooner Chelsea can get themselves a proper chaiman the better.
A tree will not bear fruits overnight. Ferguson took four years before winning the FA cup. Had Ken Bates been a little more patient, I believe Vialli would have recaptured the title which has eluded Chelsea for years.
Ray McDiarmid, England
Chelsea's points tally at the equivalent stage last season was the same as it is now. I think Vialli should have been given the opportunity to see his new signings bear fruit. It takes time for players to settle and I feel that things can only get better. Five games is certainly not enough on which to judge. No other Chelsea manager comes remotely close to Luca's achievements and look how long it took Alex Ferguson to acheive success with United!
This is a very sad day for Chelsea. If Ken Bates really believes a "trainee manager" and a "new team" can bring him a Premiership in a couple of seasons, he knows less about football than I thought. To leave the team without an immeditate replacment is also lunacy. To tout Gianfranco Zola as a replacement for Vialli is madness. As a Chelsea season ticket holder I am very upset to see Luca go. In my opinion people like Frank Leboeuf should have been the first out. Perhaps Luca is just too nice. We must now appoint an experienced manager, perhaps Terry Venables. Let's hope whoever is appointed will be able to cope with Mr Bates' unreasonable expectations.
Stephen, UK
Absolutely right. Vialli couldn't manage Sutton, who is now showing his real worth at Celtic. Time for a change.
I don't see what all the fuss is about players getting Vialli sacked. As far as I recall he played a major part in the sacking of Gullit, who actually put together most of the team that Vialli won his trophies with.
I think that this is another case of players getting too big for the game. Unrest in the Chelsea camp and players unhappy with Vialli's style of management were to blame for his sacking. What these players should realise is that they must put up or shut up. The manager of any football team calls the shots and the players listen, not the other way round.
James, London
I think Chelsea have made a serious mistake. Vialli is a top class coach and manager and to sack him at this stage of the season because of a poor start smacks of panic at its worst. The fact that they squandered a two goal lead against Arsenal reflects on the team and not the manager. I hope that he gets a better job in the future and has as much success as he did at Chelsea and then more time to achieve even more.
As a Chelsea fan, I'm really disappointed that Bates has sacked Vialli so soon. The players complaining about him are notorious for spouting off out of turn (Leboeuf the obvious example), and to complain that we've not had a "result" this season when half the team are new signings and need time to gel seems absurd. What about the Charity Shield victory? The timing's bad too, with the UEFA Cup first round on Thursday. I have no idea who Bates is going to find to do the business for him - let's hope it's not Zola!
Nick Palmer, England
To sack Vialli after a handful of games when the results have been disappointing but by no means disastrous, is foolish. Especially as he was given the responsibility to spend the Blues millions over the summer (which he did well). You either give him a proper run or sack him before the season begins. There must be more to this story than meets my cynical eyes.
It is obvious the Vialli loved Chelsea and wanted the club to do well. However, if he has, as reported, lost the respect of some of his players then his position becomes very difficult. It is also clear that Ken Bates does not love Chelsea as much as he loves the money they make. Ultimately he wants to win the premiership and play in the Champions league because of the income that will generate. The only Chelsea fans he cares about are those who fill his corporate boxes and eat in his club restaurants. Ordinary Chelsea fans should not kid themselves if they believe he cares about them.
Simon Bucknell, UK
I have supported Chelsea for 34 years. Through the depression of near relegation to the 3rd division to the excitement of the last few years. Most of Chelsea's success has been down to the desire of our Chairman. Ken Bates has put everything into the club and he craves for Chelsea to win the Premiership. I do too. However, on this one I think the judgement of Hutchinson and Bates is wrong. Vialli came in after the reign of Gullit ended. Vialli had no experience of management and took it on with the belief that he could win trophies for Chelsea. He has. Thanks Luca and I am sorry for what has happened. For the benefit of CFC Mr Bates needs to stop acting like a cartel and let the manager have the freedom to manage the team.
What a sad day for Chelsea fans - again Ken Bates shows that his ego is greater than the welfare of the club. What a waste.
Cai, Wales
I have been a Chelsea fan all my life and I am very disappointed that Vialli has been sacked. However, I felt the same when Gullit was sacked and look what we have won since then. As for a replacement, I think Venables would be a good option.
It makes no sense at all for our most successful manager to be sacked. If winning the Premiership is the only criteria, should the other 19 managers be looking for a new job?
Bates is always going on about the amount of money he's put in to the club. Perhaps he'd be better off supporting Luca in the best way possible and give him time to achieve the goal, just as Manchester Utd did with Ferguson. If we have one or two dissatisfied players, then move them on. Lebeouf has gone from being our best player to a moaning self-interested idiot.
Matt, Germany
How long would Alex Ferguson have lasted as Man Utd manager if Ken Bates had been his chairman? Not long enough to win anything, I suspect. Sacking Vialli at this stage of the season is crazy and has sabotaged the club's season. As a Chelsea fan, I feel if anyone should go it should be Bates...and soon.
Like most people who have posted messages here I think Ken Bates has just ruined Chelsea's season and possibly the future as well. You should not sack a coach so early in the season, and the results they have been getting have been reasonable, apart from the Bradford defeat. Maybe there was something else going on behind the scenes and only time will tell if this is the case. I'm sad for Vialli.
Don, England
Ken Bates is probably the most disliked man in football. His treatment of Gullit and now Vialli has been appalling. But, I believe you just cannot promote a player from the same squad and expect him to man manage his fellow players.
There is spirit lacking at Chelsea. The sort of spirit that wins games on a cold, rainy afternoon at the likes of Sunderland and Bradford etc. Without that battling quality, Chelsea will never win the league. I do not know if Vialli is to blame for this, I have suspisions about certain players, but only the future will tell us. I think a British manager could turn it around, and it is still early enough in the season.
You go into work for two and half years, you're recognised as the best employee your firm has ever had in your position. You're also one of the top three of the most successful in the country during that time. Then, after a couple of difficult weeks your boss instead of supporting you comes round and sacks you. This couldn't happen in the real business world but in football, sense goes right out of the window. I am looking forward to seeing Man Utd top this next week by sacking Alex Ferguson. After all, United have struggled away at Ipswich and are currently only level on points with Leicester.
Colin, England
Yes. Chelsea were right, as something was not going right with Vialli at the helm. Losing to Bradford and surrendering a two-goal lead to Arsenal shows the side needs a manager who motivates players who aren't used to the drudgery of the Premiership. I vote for El Tel.
Yes they were right. Vialli was a brilliant coach, but he's not a manager. We need someone like George Graham, Terry Venables, or even David Webb from Yeovil Town F.C. He's doing a great job at Yeovil.
Chelsea started off with some difficult fixtures, but will advance up the table and be contenders. Why people should possibly expect Zola to do a better job defeats me. Chelsea should get rid of the dissenters in the squad eg. Leboeuf, and move on.
Kevin Ashcroft, UK
When will Ken Bates realise that Chelsea are not the massive club he thinks they are. I am a Liverpool fan and Vialli was the only reason I didn't completely hate Chelsea. Ken Bates will never have a successful team because he is impatient for success. Chelsea are years away from being a Premiership winning side and the sooner they realise that and start building a team, not just collecting players, the better for them. Liverpool fans have been patient with Houllier and I believe that in a couple of years we will reap the benefits. If the Chelsea fans agree with Vialli being sacked then they deserve to have an ignorant fool for a chairman.
Marita Knutas, UK
It is more disappointing than anything else. Vialli was a great ambassador for the club and the game. The team is showing great potential and will be in the top 3 once the early season dust settles!
Putting aside the rights and wrongs of Vialli's dismissal, surely putting Zola in charge would be a mistake. What Chelsea need is an experienced manager. Look what Bobby Robson has done for Newcastle. Step forward Terry Venables.
Gert , England
Vialli won the Worthington Cup, European Cup Winners' Cup, FA Cup and Charity Shield in 2 and a half years, so they sack him. Ingratitude would be an understatement.
It seems hard to believe that the decision to sack Vialli is based solely on results. Have they really been that bad? Before this I would have expected Chelsea to have good cup runs in Europe and the FA Cup and finished somewhere between 2nd & 5th in the premiership. Now I can't see them finishing in the top 10.
Bob Knight, USA
The Chelsea club took the necessary action against Vialli. It was Gullit who transformed the club and Vialli has not done much despite the huge amount of money he spent to acquire top players from other clubs.
Michael F., Canada
There is only one more thing left for Ken Bates to do - fire himself.
My initial reation is: Why now? If Bates didn't have the confidence in Vialli, why didn't he let him go at the end of last season?
I am not a Chelsea fan - but I had a lot of respect for Vialli - because he rescued Chelsea from mediocrity and added style and technique to their football. Sir Alex Ferguson has been proved right - Ken Bates is the reincarnation of Chairman Mao. The rest of the premiership must be in hysterics.
Rosli, Malaysia
What a way to treat the most popular and successful manager in Chelsea's history. Any manager who takes this job had better be prepared to work for an ego maniac like Ken Bates. As a life long Chelsea fan I want to thank Luca and wish him all the best. To the players and Mr Bates who lost faith far too early and abandoned him, I say shame on you.
Ted Manerowski, Canada
Congratulations to Mr Bates - you've done it again. Not only have you rid yourself of one of the best managers going, but made yourself a laughing stock by allowing someone to spend millions of pounds of your money and then dismissing him so early into the season. Alex Ferguson almost lost his job at Man Utd after a similar period in charge and the rest, as they say, is history.
What a regrettable move by Ken Bates. Vialli raised the standards at Chelsea and with him gone, they might as well kiss good-bye to their chances of finishing in the Premiership's top five by the end of the season.
Lawrence Gain, London, England
It's not just Ken Bates. It has to be influential and discontented players. The players are still as good - who's next?
As a Chelsea fan since 1966, I thunk this was the best team and manager we have had. Ken Bates is ruthless, and desperate for a championship title. Luca was honest and well-liked by fans, as player and manager. I think there were some in the team who would do well to earn their pay, and show a bit more graft and grit.
Stephen Clark, UK
I must start by saying thank you to Gianluca for the past achievements. But, with a heavy heart I must say I am not surprised at the reaction of the club, I have supported Chelsea for more than 35 years and times have changed. It used to be to win any trophy was good enough, in fact it used to be to win a game against Man Utd or Liverpool was good enough. It is time for the team to go that one step further. I hoped Vialli could do that for us, but when you look at some of last season's performances and the beginning of this season, I think if we are ever to be taken seriously we must make hard decisions like these. Goodbye Luca. My only hope is Lebeouf is not far behind you.
Ray Cole, UK
I can't believe that this has happened only 5 games into the season, not only that but a win, three draws and one loss! Bates has not given Vialli enough time to address any problems. Vialli's been fantastic and very popular at Chelsea, I can't believe he has been dismissed so clinically. It is a sad day indeed.
As a lifelong Manchester City fan, I am painfully aware of what damage can be done to a club when managers are not given the opportunity to work there on a long-term basis. Thankfully we have learnt that lesson, and Joe Royle is doing some excellent work at Maine Road, but it has taken time and he needs more time to establish City firmly in the Premiership. Vialli needed that time too.
I have just heard about the disgraceful dismissal of Gianluca Vialli and I hope, for Mr Bate's sake, that Luca's replacement produces immediate results or run the risk of making a mockery of the board & the club. I send my thanks for his time at the club and I appologise for the board not giving you a chance to turn our poor start to a glorious championship.
Who knows, perhaps it was Vialli who sacked Chelsea and not the other way round - at least the whole thing would then make some sort of sense. I am not sure whether I still want to support a team that sacks what seems to be a hard-working, intelligent and successful manager but keeps spending millions on ageing French defenders who are arrogant enough to behave as if they had won the World Cup on their own (And I do not mean Desailly!). Unless some players change their attitude towards the game immediately, Chelsea should be prepared to sack some more managers this season...
M.Fisher, UK
Mr. Vialli was as Americans say,a 'class act',and should not have been sacked.Heaven forbid that British football becomes like some Continental clubs,where managers are sacked at the drop of a hat.He deserved better.
A completely crass move - Chelsea had become a great team to watch with more success very likely. I suppose gentleman Vialli will be replaced by the all too familiar species of managerial wide-boy who'll find it equally impossible to harness the wide range of talents (and languages) at Stamford Bridge.
Vialli is a great mannager and it is Chelsea's loss. I believe that Luca will go on to do what he would have done for Chelsea(win loads of trophies).
Vialli was the best thing to happen to Chelsea.Gianluca Vialli, if you read this, I wish you all the best and the upmost success wherever your next position is. Thank you for all those great memories (too many to mention) and most importantly thank you for all the trophies. I have been a Chelsea supporter for 31 years, thick and thin (and lets face it there has been some thin). I've relished every moment of the last 4 years, it seemed when you joined the club things just got better. I could finally look at all those Man U, Arsenal and Liverpool supporters in the eye. You gave this club respect both on the pitch and off it.
As a shareholder of Chelsea Villlage stock, my concern is taht Mr Bates, whilst having brought Chelsea into respectability, leads the company in a despotic method that is not in the best interests of the club or its shareholders. He must be made accountable why he let Mr Vialli spend 25 MM stg this summer and then , 5 games in, sack him. Nothing has happened. The results are mediocre but it takes time. I fear he has reacted inappropriately and we, the shareholsers will pay.
How can a manager be judged after just five games of the season? Some players have expressed their discontent at performances but they only have themselves to blame. Managers can only do so much to motivate and set out tactics, after that it's down to the players to perform and get the results needed to win the league. Chelsea's loss is another clubs gain as Vialli is an intelligent manager who knows what it is like to win big competitions. He will only get better with experience and Chelsea will rue their decision as they struggle to attract a manager of the same calibre.
I read the site with total disbelief, at the news that Luca Vialli had been sacked by Chelsea. Sacked after five games,the people buying petrol, were not the only ones panicking it seems. I always thought that Ken Bates was an idiot,and this descision just confirms it.How can you sack a man after all he has achieved at the club? So go back to the funny farm Ken and let people that understand football run your club.(PS I don't even support Chelsea it is just that I am appalled at Chelsea's treatment of a man who has done so much for his club.
Bryan Hodgson, ENGLAND
Gianluca Vialli has clearly shown he didn't have a clue what he was doing when he was manager of Chelsea - he deserved the sack so early on. Perhaps now Chelsea will be able to mount a serious attack on the Premiership and on Manchester United's dominance.
This is a sad day for Chelsea - an even sadder day for English football, when a chairman can oust a manager who five months ago led the team to FA Cup success and into Europe. Unfortunately most of the great foreign stars will also now leave. What does Ken Bates want in life? Hasn't Vialli taken Chelsea to a height they never had any chance of reaching before?
The best manager we ever had and he did not do the job just for the money.
It's not the manager at fault, it's the players. So called world class players should be able to play together in any league and against any opposition. Perhaps some of the players should be sacked?
Typical, reactionary response. Chelsea is only in 5th position (well within UEFA qualifying) in what is a very young season. They have played against some tough sides in the opening weeks. There is a lot of football to be played yet (Do you really think City are going to finish as strong as they are placed now?) and Chelsea may have lost a quality manager. How can a team develop with constant managerial changes? These are typical reactions by management...easier to sack one man than sack the whole team but silence the fans dissentions they must. (I don't think that the team is at fault either.)
As a Man Utd fan, I feel that Chelsea must be crazy to let Vialli go.Vialli transformed Chelsea from a mid-table outfit under Gullit, to one of the premier teams in Europe. While motivation of players for domestic games may have been an issue, surely this is something the players themselves are to blame for. The English game needs coaches like Vialli, as the national team's pitiful Euro 2000 displays clearly showed. He will be missed.
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