Change

Life is all about changes. Everyday, every month and every year there are changes. The world changes every 24 hours. Chelsea Football Club are no exception to the changes rule. One coach out, another one in, then another, another and another all in a short space of time.

Our new coach, Andre Villas-Boas has wasted no time settling into the hot-seat.

Gone. Paul Clement.

Gone. Dr Bryan English. 

Gone Glen Driscoll.

Three members of Chelsea's management team, all part of our trophy winning success since 2004 and the irony of these departures. Villas-Boas was part of the same team when he was the DVD man for Jose, The Special One, Mourinho.

I realise and accept that a new coach has to have his 'own' team, but the departure of the above three is somewhat severe is my eyes.

Paul Clement has been with Chelsea for the best part of seventeen years. English is a first-rate doctor and Driscoll has been around forever.

All change, all gone.

But what next?

If we are to believe the media-led hype that Abramovich is going to dig deep into his personal wallet... again, to satisfy his lust, his obsession of winning the Champions League, what will happen to the Youth, our extremely expensive Academy?

An Academy that Abramovich 18 months or so ago wanted to see players in the first-team.

McEachran has fullfilled the potential, but only just. Bruma got in, so did van Aanholt. Bertrand had a cameo and that is it.

Already we have seen, since the season ended the following players leave:

Michael Woods, Anton Rodgers, Ben Sampayo, Jacopo Sala, Gokhan Tore, Danny Philliskirk, Jan Sebek and perhaps there are more names that haven't reached the headlines.

Jeffrey Bruma, if he hasn't left already, will join the exodus to Hamburg on a two-year loan.

Boas is inexperienced there is no question. But he knows Chelsea inside out, well he should do, from his previous time, but he isn't renowned for encouraging, promoting or excelling  younger players.

I fear that our Academy will be pushed back even further than they are already and it could be another season or so before we see any established breakthrough and although McEachran got his chance last season, Boas may well consign him back into the wilderness.

The Chelsea holiday ends next weekend when the players return for pre-season, a gruelling pre-season at that, beginning with a game against Vitesse on Saturday 9th July, then Portsmouth away, before travelling out to the Far East and then returning to play Rangers in Glasgow before the season opener against Stoke City during the weekend 13/14th August.

KTBFFH