Michael Emenalo leaves Chelsea but what of the former technical director's legacy at Stamford Bridge?

  • Michael Emenalo has quit his role as Chelsea's technical director of football
  • Emenalo spent 10 years at the club in a number of high profile roles 
  • He worked with 12 managers and had good relationship with Roman Abramovich
  • The 52-year-old Nigerian could join Ligue 1 champions Monaco

On Sunday at Stamford Bridge, Michael Emenalo was sat behind the dugout, seen smiling and laughing with David Luiz ahead of kick-off.

Only the future of dropped Luiz was in doubt at the time. As it turns out, the focus should have been on the man in the blue Chelsea coat and smart suit instead.

This is an exit which will satisfy the 'Emenalo Out' brigade but one which will hit Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich hard.

Monaco have sacked Michael Emenalo from his role as sporting director on Saturday night

Michael Emenalo quit his position as Chelsea's technical director after 10 years at the club 

The Russian was an ally. It can take some doing to earn the trust of Abramovich but Emenalo had done that over the last decade. 


The two saw eye to eye and he was the only member of Chelsea's executive team with previous playing experience.

It remains to be seen whether a replacement will be brought in. Sources say an internal promotion is more likely, though these are big shoes to fill.

Technical director Emenalo worked with 10 managers in his 10 years at the club, including Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti. It was understood he and current boss Antonio Conte got along.

The former Nigeria international who represented his country at the 1994 World Cup had his controversies, none more so than when he gave an interview to Chelsea TV in 2015.

Emenalo seemed to have a good relationship with owner Roman Abramovich

Emenalo seemed to have a good relationship with owner Roman Abramovich

Mourinho had just been sacked and it could have been left at that, with a tidy club statement and a ‘thanks for all your hard work’ tweet.

Instead, hours later, Emenalo appeared on television, telling the world Mourinho was dumped because of a ‘palpable discord between manager and players’.

Even a month before that, he broke his eight-year silence by giving his first interview to The Daily Telegraph. Emenalo’s confidence was high. He was becoming the loudest member of the board.

It was back in October 2007 when Emenalo first joined Chelsea. Avram Grant had taken over as head coach and wanted help from an old friend – his intelligent former player from Maccabi Tel Aviv – in scouting Valencia ahead of a Champions League match.

Emenalo flew to Spain, Chelsea wound up winning 2-1 and the Nigerian was hired as an opposition scout. 

He first joined Chelsea in October 2007 as he was being touted by Tottenham 

He first joined Chelsea in October 2007 as he was being touted by Tottenham 

Interestingly, there have been suggestions that had Chelsea not swooped, a job offer was being lined up for him at Tottenham Hotspur. What could have been.

Still often spotted at their Cobham training ground, Emenalo later replaced Ray Wilkins as Ancelotti’s assistant first-team coach in November 2010.

In 2011, he was installed as technical director. It saw him made responsible for recruitment, the scouting network, the youth set-up and, of course, Chelsea’ s somewhat controversial loan system.

With him working behind the scenes, the Blues were crowned Premier League champions three times. They won the FA Cup, the League Cup, the Europa League and the Champions League.

Emenalo later replaced Ray Wilkins as Ancelotti’s assistant first-team coach in November 2010

Emenalo later replaced Ray Wilkins as Ancelotti’s assistant first-team coach in November 2010

The transfer policy at the Premier League club has often been the subject of scrutiny.

There has been a constant question over how much – or how little – power a manager has when sandwiched between Emenalo and director Marina Granovskaia.

That applies to Conte too. The Italian has not been afraid to hide his dissatisfaction at the squad he currently has at his disposal. 

A disappointing summer saw them miss out on several targets, such as Juventus’ Alex Sandro, and Conte feels the team are now paying for it on the pitch.

Emenalo was believed to have got on with the new Chelsea boss Antonio Conte

Emenalo was believed to have got on with the new Chelsea boss Antonio Conte

Emenalo has had his hits and misses. Eden Hazard? Hit. Baba Rahman? Miss.

He was also known to be frustrated at the sale of Romelu Lukaku to Everton in 2014 and Emenalo wanted to make up for it in the summer by bringing him back. 

Chelsea lost out on Lukaku to Manchester United, just as they missed out on John Stones to Manchester City.

Now, the club have lost their own key player and Ligue 1 Monaco are set to snap him up. The Emenalo era is over.