Chelsea legend blames Emenalo for club woes

Michael Emenalo

Chelsea legend, Ray Wilkins, has come all out for former Nigeria international, Michael Emenalo, following the club’s poor form.

Emanalo, 52, spent seven years at Stamford Bridge in several capacities – most recently, Technical Director.

But ever since the ex-Enugu Rangers star moved to Monaco in November, the Blues fortunes seemed to be on a decline.

For the second time in less than a week, Chelsea lost by above three-goal margin putting  Antonio Conte under immense pressure.

However, Wilkins who served as an assistant coach between 2008 and 2010, believes Emanalo’s inadequacies in the summer is costing the club.

New arrivals, TiĂ©mouĂ© Bakayoko and Alvaro Morata haven’t impressed much since joining the west London club.

Conte’s training methods have been criticized with eight players suffering hamstring injuries this season, but Wilkins thinks Chelsea recruited poorly in the summer.

”I don’t know. If you’re paying a man as much as Chelsea are paying Conte, his knowledge is far superior to someone like Michael Emenalo, who they brought in to do that job,” Wilkins told Talk Sport on Wednesday.

”The manager’s knowledge is far superior. He knows the players he wants to bring in.

”The squad is weaker this season than the one that won the league last year. No Diego Costa, no Nemanja Matic – it’s been a massive blow to Conte.

‘I believe it was Michael who made the changes. To actually swap Matic with Bakayoko?

”They should have brought in Morata to play alongside Costa and they should have signed Bakayoko just to play every now and again.”