Chelsea’s appointment of former Brighton and Monaco sporting directors, as well as a coach and multiple recruitment heads from Manchester City over the last few years, shows they’re a club currently very much copying their neighbour’s homework.
But that’s not what they want long term – they don’t want to be a Man City knock off, and they certainly don’t want to be a budget Brighton. In order to do that they will need to start developing and producing their own coaches (some would argue they already do this, at academy level.)
Nick Purewal’s exclusive for the Evening Standard this afternoon is very interesting on this subject. He says that the Blues want to “develop a coaching production line” which could help former players become managers – and cites Thiago Silva as a perfect example.
The examples of Girona’s Michel and Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou are used as examples of managers developed in the City Football Group who are now top tier coaches. Vincent Kompany has gone from Man City captain to Burnley manager to Bayern Munich manager – and we’re sure he will end up at City as manager one day.
A major next step
Silva has always had the knowledge, intensity and desire to be a coach. He studies his own sons’ games for the Chelsea youth teams, and is doing all his badges behind the scenes.
He will have to work on his English of course – that’s going to be more important as any training drill if he wants to be a top level manager. But as we heard in his end of season speech on the pitch at Stamford Bridge, that’s clearly something he’s working on too.
We wonder which other former Blues would be most likely to make the switch to the dugout?