Chelsea import impressive Portuguese coach to train their second team | OneFootball

This morning’s stunning news that Jim Fraser and Neil Bath would be leaving Chelsea has left people reeling, with two pillars of the club’s success over the span of decades suddenly removed.

There have been changes from top to bottom at the club since the new ownership took over, and they’re not stopping now. Back in June, U21 “Development Squad” boss Mark Robinson left to join Burton Albion as their manager.

It’s taken a while, but the club have found his replacement – Filipe Coelho.

The Portuguese coach has been working with the Estoril U23 team in Portugal, leading them to the Portuguese youth league title and the Portuguese youth cup in a truly impressive fashion, beating traditional giants Benfica, Sporting and Porto in the process.

The 39 year old spent 13 years working with Benfica at various youth levels, before leaving to take over down the road in Estoril. He’s set to sign a three year deal to work with Chelsea.

Filipe Coelho speaking to the media at Estoril.

A strange time to arrive

It’s an exciting upwards move for the young coach, but he arrives at what will be an exceptionally strange time. The departures of Fraser and Bath will precipitate a change unlike anything we’ve seen in many years, and Coelho will come into a far less stable environment than he would have done a year ago.

Chelsea have often favoured internal appointments in positions like this in recent years, so this decision to bring someone in from outside – and from abroad at that, shows that the club’s direction at youth level is already changing.

Players on scholar deals have to decide this week whether to commit to staying with the Blues, and decisions like the appointment of Coelho will be something that a lot of kids and parents are taking into account right now.