'They want control': Pat Nevin says Chelsea & Man Utd want puppets rather than managers

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Liam Rosenior during a press conference
Liam Rosenior during a press conferenceROMEO BOETZLE / AFP / AFP / Profimedia

Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin has expanded on why he described Liam Rosenior a "puppet" as he prepares to take charge of Chelsea.

Rosenior confirmed this morning at his Strasbourg media conference that he had agreed to join Chelsea.

After the departure of Enzo Maresca last week, Nevin identified Rosenior as the ideal "puppet" who could work with Chelsea's management.

Speaking with Tribalfootball.com, Nevin further explained his words: "What I said was very specific. I choose my language very carefully. I said they want someone who's malleable, who will do their bidding in certain areas, and people may call that a puppet.

"I didn't say he's a puppet, I said people may call him a puppet. It's a wee bit subtle, but you know what I mean. But yes that is absolutely the case, but they're not the only club."

Nevin continued: "I mean have a look at what's going on at Manchester United at the moment where Ruben Amorim (was) saying 'I'm the manager. I'm not just a coach, I'm the manager.' A lot of the clubs don't want that now.

"They absolutely see that there are various parts of the organisation, such as their acquisitions department, such as the data department, such as the medical department - they should have as much say. And for most managers of the top echelon, they can't take that. They won't accept that. They won't put up with that."

Nevin can understand the frustration of managers like Amorim and Maresca when things go wrong.

He added: "There is a built-in problem that Chelsea and a number of other clubs have got just now. They want control. They want the manager to be a flak-catcher for when things go wrong, even when it's their fault. Even when it's upstairs' fault. They want the guys sitting on the bench to get the hit.

"And these guys on the bench, they're not stupid. They know what's happening. They know they are getting the flak when sometimes, not always but sometimes, it's not their fault.

"So there's the dilemma that they've got just now."

Pat Nevin was speaking to Tribal Football on behalf of BetWright football betting

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