Andre Villas-Boas can say it as much as he likes, but no-one will truly believe that he has the support of owner Roman Abramovich until the Russian says it himself.
The billionaire is notoriously silent on club issues, in public at least, therefore he is often judged on his actions.
So the news that he flew in to view training, hold meetings with staff and players as well as demanding an explanation as to the manager’s team selection, suggests he isn’t too happy with the
goings on at Stamford Bridge.
It is fair to say that the club are going through a rough patch. Four wins in 14 matches is not the form expected of a club so wealthily backed by Roman’s millions.
Their premier league odds having seemingly faded beyond salvation while their Champions League dream is hanging by a thread after a 3-1 defeat at Napoli in the first leg of their knock-out tie.
Punters who bet on the FA Cup aren’t exactly flooding to put their money on the Londoners either after they drew at home to Championship side Birmingham in the fifth round last weekend.
The Chelsea dressing room, notoriously full of inflated egos, is also one that reportedly holds an unhealthy level of power and influence, often leaving the manager isolated and undermined.
If they have turned against Villas-Boas, then the Portuguese made a brave move trying to reassert his position when he dropped Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole for the defeat at Napoli.
The 34-year-old insisted he still has the backing of the owner, even if he admits not all the players back him, but that claim looks hollow for as long as Abramovich remains silent.
If he is to back his man he needs to say it –publically – otherwise Villas-Boas will be a dead man walking, trying to manage revolting players, until the Chelsea managerial merry-go-round whirrs into life once more.
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