Chelsea would be guilty of 'biggest mistake ever' by sacking Arnesen

10 September 2009 11:18
Chelsea would be committing 'the biggest mistake they will ever make' if they sack under-fire director of football Frank Arnesen, according to a former Blues scout. Arnesen's position as at Stamford Bridge is under threat after his signing of teenager Gael Kakuta led to FIFA imposing a transfer ban on the club. Chelsea plan to fight the ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but Arnesen has also been criticised for failing to develop top-quality youngsters since joining in 2005. Yet the club's former European scout Benny Nielsen has urged the Blues to keep faith with Arnesen, who built a reputation as one of the world's finest talent spotters by discovering Ronaldo, Romario and Rudd van Nistelrooy. 'If Chelsea sack Frank it would be the biggest mistake they will ever make,' Nielsen told the Express. 'Chelsea have to understand that it takes time to bring young players through. How can you sack a man who, when he was at PSV Eindhoven, brought players in like Ronaldo, Romario, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Jaap Stam and Arjen Robben? 'Frank found all these players and brought them from small clubs. He was the first scout to go to Brazil and bring players to Europe, like Ronaldo. Now everyone does it – but Frank was there first. He is working under his fifth manager at Chelsea and you have to start from zero each time, each new guy wants things done a different way. 'When you are working for Chelsea, every player has to be the very best. World class. And how can you get that right every time when they are 15 or 16 years old? It is much harder than it was in the old days. There is so much more competition, so much more money, so many more clubs, more agents. 'And when players get to Chelsea, it is so hard to get into the first team. Many of them don’t want to wait too long, so they go elsewhere, maybe to smaller clubs.' Arnesen is also credited with unearthing Robin van Persie, Chelsea defender Alex and Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, but has failed to develop a homegrown star at Stamford Bridge despite spending around £62m on young talent. He said: 'At Chelsea every manager has to win every game, so they do not look too much outside the first-team squad. Young players very rarely get a chance. 'I watched Kakuta for Chelsea with Frank when he was playing for France’s Under-16 team. All the big clubs were there – there was great interest in him. 'But can he be a big player at Chelsea? We still do not know. Every time he gets the ball defenders are kicking. They play hard against him so he has to be quick. Can he learn that? Frank thought he had a good chance. But we do not know yet – we just believed. Still believe. 'Frank has great contacts all around the world – they are second to none. He lives football 24 hours a day. He speaks several languages. He knows everyone. 'I know he is getting all this criticism and pressure. But Frank is strong. He knows what he is doing. Chelsea have to be strong too and stand by him. There are some great young players at Chelsea and they will come through. ‘Sacking him would be the biggest mistake they ever made.’

Source: Daily_Mail