O’NEILL COULD BE THE ANSWER TO RUTHLESS ROMAN’S RIDDLE

The sacking of Carlo Ancelotti, immediately after Chelsea’s final day defeat to Everton, was a harsh and ruthless decision but one that we have come to expect in recent years from Roman Abramovich, the club’s owner.

With the sacking, the Italian became the fifth managerial casualty of Abramovich’s reign in West London since his purchase of the club eight years ago.

However, he may not have to look far for his latest replacement.

Whilst names such as Guus Hiidink and Marco van Basten have been branded about in the media, there is one name that has not been even been associated with the vacant post at Stamford Bridge.

Martin O’Neill’s acrimonious departure from Aston Villa has finally been settled after the tribunal involving the two parties came to an amicable conclusion, no less than nine months after it started. After the outcome, O’Neill said that he is looking forward to getting back into management, and the idea of him gaining the Chelsea job is not beyond the realms of possibility.

There are many reasons why O’Neill would be the ideal candidate: he is a free agent, would be relatively cheap compared to other high-profile candidates and his work at Villa, where he achieved three consecutive sixth-placed finishes in the league ensures he has a wealth of experience that is pivotal for anybody taking over in the white-hot cauldron at the Bridge.

O’Neill also found consistency at Villa on a relatively modest transfer budget, and bought players such as Richard Dunne, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young, all of whom now form the spine of Gerard Houllier’s team.

He led Villa into Europe on numerous occasions and also reached the Carling Cup final in 2010 in one of his final feats before his surprise resignation in August 2010. It is believed that he left due to a lack of “transfer funds at his disposal”. That is not something that he would encounter at Chelsea, with Abramovich still willing to back his managers in the market.

Whilst everybody expects a “high-profile” appointment to be made, O’Neill would represent a dose of reality at Chelsea. He would certainly bring a more level-headedness to a Chelsea dressing room that is well documented for its fair share of egos.

O’Neill would also want to right the wrongs of his departure from Villa, and continue to pick up where he left off; managing to bring consistency and success to a Premier League outfit.

HAMMER’S HOUSE OF HORROR ON VERGE OF COLLAPSE

No club is too good to go down, as the saying goes.

However, a quick glance down the squad list at West Ham United and it is hard to fathom that they will be playing second-tier football next season.

A side that has spent millions of pounds not only on transfer fees but also on its wage bill (reputedly the sixth highest in the division) and one that includes as many as four England internationals currently finds itself in an unenviable position: staring down the barrel of relegation.

However, you cannot say that they do not deserve to be where they are. The table never lies and a measly 7 wins from 36 (going into the game at Wigan) shows how poor Avram Grant’s side have been this season. Their top scorer is Frederic Piquionne with a miserly 6 league goals, whilst the award of Footballer of the Year to Scott Parker only strengthens the argument that they are overly reliant on the England man, who incidentally has been present during every Hammers win this season.

After next weekend’s game at home to Sunderland, West Ham will bow out of the top flight and Parker will almost certainly depart the club, but he will not be one of a few. Make no mistake, the Hammers will have to slash their wage bill considerably and the likes of Robert Green, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Matthew Upson are unlikely to want to stick around for a Championship slug, whilst panic loan signings such as Wayne Bridge and Robbie Keane will soon scoot it back to their parent clubs after the demotion is confirmed.

Instead of spending lavish money on big-money signings, the club must try to retain its youth contingent; the likes of Sears, Collison and Stanislas will probably form the main hub of the team next season, and whoever is in charge, whether it is Grant or someone else, they must try and follow the example of Newcastle, another club deemed “too good” to go down a couple of years ago.

The Magpies, who were saddled with a similarly heavy wage bill, managed to bounce straight back in emphatic style, running away with the title. Whether the Hammers are capable of that, it is unclear. The boardroom’s apparent inability to stay out of team affairs could burden whoever is in charge next season.

What is clear is that the club certainly has the level of support to get straight back, and with the Olympic Stadium set to be theirs in two seasons’ time, it is now just a case of getting matters on the pitch sorted.

An immediate return to the Premier League is not impossible, but given the summer of upheaval that is likely to come their way, it is hard for those of a claret and blue persuasion to be so positive about next season.