London - Arabstoday
Chelsea players do not care if manager Andre Villas-Boas is sacked. SunSport has learned that support in the camp for the beleaguered Portuguese boss is dwindling so fast players are not bothered either way. Fans turned on AVB, 34, during Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Everton — and now even his own players are largely indifferent as to whether AVB stays or not. A close source said: "The players stuck with AVB until the New Year because they realise he was under orders to change things. "But his plans are obviously not working, the atmosphere in the dressing room is tense and more and more players are beginning to wonder if he's the right man for the job. "It's reached a stage where many of them don't care whether he's there or not. "No one foresaw this situation — but the results simply aren't there and he's suffering because of them." Only David Luiz, Ramires and Jose Bosingwa are understood to be fully behind AVB as the Blues struggle to keep up their challenge for a Champions League spot. Blues owner Roman Abramovich has taken to visiting Chelsea's training ground to read the riot act but it has had little effect on Villas-Boas or his under-performing squad. Now next week's Champions League clash with Napoli in the first round of the knockout stages has taken on a whole new meaning. Stuttering form and ineffectual displays have brought only one win in four league games — including draws with Norwich and Swansea — and the Blues remain in joint fourth place with Arsenal. But with Newcastle and Liverpool breathing down their necks for the coveted Euro spot, time could fast be running out for AVB. The cost of hiring him from Porto and sacking his predecessor Carlo Ancelotti last May has been put at around £28million. But Abramovich has a history of showing that he will not hesitate to sack a manager — regardless of the cost. THE SUN .