Cigarettes and Sarriball

After weeks of waiting for the inevitable to happen, the daily tweets from ITKs that it would be a done deal in 48 hours that have been popping up since June, it was only in the last week after the close of a World Cup that distracted from the unfolding shambles, that the supposed inevitable actually came to pass. Antonio Conte, purportedly insistent on fulfilling the last 12 months of his contract despite knowing he wasn’t wanted at the club, had to take the first days of pre-season, before being shown the door as soon as the Is and Ts were dotted and crossed on Mauricio Sarri’s signature on his contract.

Tactician and chain-smoker, Mauricio Sarri won't be able to smoke on the touchline at Stamford Bridge

Ipswich 0-1 Wolves; Post-Match Reaction

With a free Saturday and Chelsea not playing, I found myself making the short train journey from Colchester to Ipswich to take in a game at Portman Road. I’d promised myself when I went to University that I’d try and go to all the Football League grounds in the Essex and East Anglia at least once. After going to Colchester (thrice) and Southend, as well as two trips up to Norwich with Chelsea, the last on the list to tick off were the Tractor Boys. And what better time to so, than the visit of high flying Wolves, who look to have all but confirmed promotion already with an 11 point lead on third place before kick-off on Saturday.

The teams walk out pre-kickoff to a half-empty Portman Road

Young, Gifted & Black: Black Managers and the Rooney Rule

On April 13th 2017, Daniel Milton Rooney, the former United States ambassador to Ireland, passed away in his native Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This man is probably the most unlikely figure to be such, but he may just turn out to be a key figure in the turning point for the chase of equality for black coaches in English football. This is because in his role as Pittsburgh Steelers owner (following on from his father Art Rooney - both no relation to Wayne), he enacted a rule which ensured that in interviews for Head Coach positions, at least one ‘minority’ (what is now termed in the UK as BAME – Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) coach must also be interviewed. This policy was enacted across the NFL in 2003, and with positive results: within just 3 years, the percentage of African-American coaches in the NFL had jumped from 6% in 2003 to 22% in 2006. The Steelers themselves employed their first African-American Head Coach, Mike Tomlin, in 2007, who has gone on to reach 7 post-seasons in 9 years, including winning Super Bowl XLIII. Due to the success of this, many coaches, pundits, and activists have been calling for The FA to bring this rule into English football. Everyone can support the sentiment behind enacting such a policy, however, do the differences between the systems used by the NFL and English football present a barrier to this policy being of any practical use?

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, one of four BAME managers currently in the Football League, currently at Northampton Town

Should old acquaintance be forgot…

As most other clubs rang in the New Year with the traditional round of games on the first day of the year itself, television rescheduling means Chelsea have had to wait until the third to open their account for 2018 (as it seems nowadays that calendar year statistics are all important) away at the Emirates. This additional waiting period provides some downtime to assess the important months that are to come. A new year means the beginning of the real crux of the season. Any team worth their salt and competing on all fronts will be playing twice a week every week from here on in – something Chelsea must do. It also means the opening of the January transfer window, and enough rumour to put Fleetwood Mac to shame.

Two-goal Marcos Alonso celebrates his second against Spurs in front of the away end