Chelsea sacks Boas after less than season
Updated: 2012-03-05 13:59
(Agencies)
|
|||||||||||
* Villas-Boas shown the door after less than nine months
Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas holds up a Chelsea soccer shirt before a news conference after he joined the team at Stamford Bridge in London in a June 29, 2011 file photo. [Photo/Agencies] |
LONDON - Andre Villas-Boas's tortured spell as Chelsea manager came to an end on Sunday when the Premier League club sacked the Portuguese after less than nine months in charge.
The London club handed over first-team duties to assistant manager Roberto di Matteo for the remainder of a season that is in danger of becoming the worst since Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003.
Speculation over the future of Villas Boas, at 34 the youngest manager in the league this season, had been swirling in the British media for weeks after a series of poor results and reports of rifts with senior players.
The dismissal of the man often referred to simply by his initials "AVB" came after Saturday's 1-0 league loss to West Bromwich Albion, their seventh league defeat of the season and a dreadful performance all round.
"Unfortunately the results and performances of the team have not been good enough and were showing no signs of improving at a key time in the season," the London club said in a statement on their website (www.chelseafc.com).
The Stamford Bridge outfit have won three of their last 12 Premier League games and are in danger of missing out on qualifying for the Champions League for the first time since Russian billionaire Abramovich bought the club.
They are trailing 3-1 in their round-of-16 Champions League tie against Napoli ahead of the March 14 second leg, while they sit fifth in the Premier League table with 46 points from 27 games.
"The club is still competing in the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup, as well as challenging for a top-four spot in the Premier League, and we aim to remain as competitive as possible on all fronts," the statement said.
"With that in mind we felt our only option was to make a change at this time."
Chelsea's manager Andre Villas-Boas waves as he arrives at the pitch for a training session ahead of a friendly match against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur in a July 19, 2011 file photo. [Photo/Agencies] |
Related Stories
Villas-Boas concedes pressure is mounting 2012-03-05 08:11
Chelsea knocks off City, and it's big for everybody 2011-12-14 07:58
Chelsea condemns fans' chants about Ferdinand 2011-11-03 07:59
Chelsea held by Fulham as title hopes begin to fade 2011-12-27 09:50
Chelsea fights back for victory 2011-08-22 07:45
Villas-Boas defiant after loss 2011-11-22 07:58
Today's Top News
President Xi confident in recovery from quake
H7N9 update: 104 cases, 21 deaths
Telecom workers restore links
Coal mine blast kills 18 in Jilin
Intl scholarship puts China on the map
More bird flu patients discharged
Gold loses sheen, but still a safe bet
US 'turns blind eye to human rights'
Hot Topics
Lunar probe , China growth forecasts, Emission rules get tougher, China seen through 'colored lens', International board,
Editor's Picks
All-out efforts to save lives |
Liaoning: China's oceangoing giant |
Poultry industry under pressure |
'Spring' in the air for NGOs? |
Boy set to drive Chinese golf |
Latest technology gets people talking |