Porto Boss Rejects Chelsea Approach for Stamford Bridge Head Coach Role

FC Porto manager Francesco Farioli has directly and emphatically dismissed any speculation or suggestion that he could be Chelsea’s next head coach. The Blues are currently looking for a manager to take the reins after sacking Liam Rosenior, who managed barely four months on the job. While this has raised rumours in different quarters, including in Porto, Farioli has insisted that he has no interest in working at Stamford Bridge currently.

The 37-year-old tactician has quickly become a coveted head coach in Europe, following spells in France, Netherlands, and now, Porto in Portugal. He has enjoyed an impressive campaign at Estadio do Dragao, which has understandably included his name in the potential list of Rosenior replacements at Stamford Bridge. However, when asked about the ongoing speculation, he insisted:

“I’m the coach of FC Porto and I’m really happy to be here.”

He was questioned further, with a reporter naming Chelsea and directly asking if Farioli could guarantee that he would stay in Porto, even if the Blues hand him a massive offer. The Italian manager made the guarantee and once again reiterated that he did not plan to leave the Portuguese giants.

With Farioli clearly out of contention for the Stamford Bridge role, Chelsea’s sporting directors will need to wipe his name off their tablets. The Blues’ hierarchy don’t have a vast number of options, especially at their level. Having opted for potential over experience in Liam Rosenior, it is widely expected that they will find a more suitable candidate this time around.

Cesc Fabregas has become one of the most impressive coaches in world football, thanks to his successes at Como. Andoni Iraola is also another option – one who is Premier League proven. Both head coaches could fit the role of a big personality at Cobham, and it’s worth noting that more options are hardly available at this time.

Why has Farioli Rejected Chelsea?

It might come as a surprise that Francesco Farioli would reject the opportunity to manage a legendary Premier League club. However, he has opted to complete Porto’s tactical revolution in the Portuguese top-flight instead. Having enjoyed spells at Nice and Ajax, his work at Porto could most certainly yield fruit at the end of this season.

The giants are expected to retake dominance domestically, thanks to their remarkable performances under Farioli, and the Italian manager looks invested in consolidating his work at the club next season. Also, with Chelsea’s penchant for changing managers so often, Farioli might prefer a more stable work environment with Porto.