Francesco Farioli has distanced from recent rumours linking him with the vacant Chelsea job, insisting he stays ‘really blissful’ at Porto.
Chelsea find themselves with no everlasting head coach once more following Liam Rosenior’s dismissal, with Calum McFarlane taking up the reins on a brief basis for the second time within the space of just 4 months.
Results had spiralled towards the top of Rosenior’s tenure and a humbling 3-0 defeat away to Brighton – the club’s fifth loss in as many games – proved the ultimate straw for Stamford Bridge bosses.
After picking up the pieces, McFarlane steered to a 1-0 victory over Leeds in Sunday’s gritty FA Cup semi-final at Wembley – and the 40-year-old is predicted to guide the side out again on this 12 months’s showpiece event against Manchester City on May 16.
But Chelsea’s hierarchy are wanting to secure a deal for Rosenior’s full-time substitute sooner relatively than later and Porto manager Farioli has emerged as certainly one of the various candidates reportedly being considered in west London.
Farioli took charge of Porto after leaving Ajax last summer and the 37-year-old is having fun with an attention-grabbing debut season in Portugal, with Porto sitting seven points clear of Benfica at the highest of the Primeira Liga table.
With only three games remaining of Porto’s campaign, mounting speculation surrounding Farioli’s future has threatened to disrupt the club’s title charge.
Facing the media after a 2-1 victory over Estrela on Sunday, though, the Italian made it clear he remained fully focussed on the duty at hand at Porto.
‘I’m the coach of Porto and I’m really blissful to be here,’ Farioli told sport television when asked concerning the Chelsea links, before making a swift exit from the post-match interview.
Farioli will hope to further quieten any doubts over his commitment to top-of-the-table Porto next weekend when his side play host to Alverca on the Estadio do Dragao.
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The likes of Andoni Iraola, Oliver Glasner and Cesc Fabregas also find themselves among the many names being linked to Chelsea, though the latter appears in an identical camp to Farioli having underlined his commitment to Como last week.
Frank Lampard has been viewed as one other possible candidate for the Blues having twice managed the club, most recently as caretaker following Graham Potter’s sacking towards the top of the 2022/23 campaign.
But in response to Joe Cole, Lampard should keep away from Stamford Bridge and remain with Coventry City, who might be playing Premier League football again after a 25-year absence next season.
‘Frank should avoid it [the Chelsea job]. The temptation for Frank, because he loves the club, can be to come back back and provides it one other whirl,’ the ex-Chelsea and England winger told Paddy Power.
‘He’s done a incredible job at Coventry. No one would have backed Coventry for promotion at the beginning of the season.
‘He’s got an actual challenge to maintain them within the league next season.’
Cole added: ‘All his focus and mental energy needs to be about recruitment,’ he added.
‘He could possibly be identifying five, six, seven players he wants [for Coventry].
‘If I were him, I wouldn’t go to Chelsea. In any job, you’re being judged on results, but at Chelsea, you don’t have full control over what you’ll be able to do. That’s insane.’
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