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Absolute Chelsea "Need Stability" - Wesley Fofana Sends Clear Message To Chelsea Hierarchy About Xabi Alonso Fofana has revealed the Chelsea players had a conversation with the board about the club's managerial turnover. Wesley Fofana believes Xabi Alonso is the right manager to lead Chelsea long-term and provide the team with much-needed stability. Fofana joined Chelsea back in August 2022 from Leicester City for an initial £70 million. Since then, he has played under seven managers and head coaches at Chelsea, including interims. Thomas Tuchel was sacked just a week after Fofana’s arrival. Since then, he has played under Graham Potter, Frank Lampard, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior, and now Alonso. The number increases to nine if you include caretakers Bruno Saltor and Calum McFarlane. Maresca stayed the longest among the managers and head coaches Fofana has worked with at Chelsea, but even he lasted only 18 months. Chelsea’s managerial turnover is nothing new. This has been the case since the Roman Abramovich era and continues under BlueCo ownership. However, this approach has not proved as successful as it was a decade ago. While Chelsea have had some success in cup competitions, they last won the Premier League in 2016/17 under Antonio Conte, almost a decade ago. Time to shift strategy? Fofana believes it may be time to change the club’s approach, and the players have already discussed this with the hierarchy. “I think everyone knows we need stability,” the centre-back admitted in a recent interview. “We talked last season with the directors, and they said the same thing. They think the same way as the players. “Of course we need results, because if you lose every game then you need to change something. But we need stability, and I think he (Alonso) is a good person for that. “He is a young manager, we are a young team, and he was an amazing player, so he knows the details of the game, knows football, and we have a very strong staff. “With this kind of setup, we can improve and be good enough to fight for everything this season.” Fofana argued that the players had an “amazing relationship” with former head coach Maresca because they had more time to work with and get to know him. “So with Xabi, I think it is the same,” Fofana added. “We need to work, learn, know him like a manager and a person as well. With time, we can build something amazing.” Alonso is believed to have 'wowed' the squad during his first few weeks in charge, offering hope and optimism for the upcoming season. New Chelsea era under “manager” Alonso There are signs that Chelsea are embracing some changes to their strategy. The club have recently brought in more experienced players, such as Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck, and even agreed to hand Alonso the title of manager rather than head coach. The title implies greater influence over recruitment and the club's football operation. As Fofana points out, however, Alonso’s job security will still be dictated by the results on the pitch. The Spaniard, who signed a four-year contract with Chelsea, has arguably received more support from the Chelsea board in recruitment, which could lead to higher expectations, too. Alonso refused to promise anything when speaking about the season’s objective earlier this month. “We want to have a good season,” the Chelsea boss said in Hong Kong. “Let’s see where we are in May, but for sure we want to have the feeling we are competitive and that we deserve to fight for important things during the season. “Time will tell, but that’s our goal.” After a disappointing 10th-place finish last season, a Champions League qualification would be a realistic target for this Chelsea side. It will likely take time for Alonso to turn this team into a title-challenging side. But will the club and the fans have the patience for it? Their 2026/27 Premier League campaign begins against Fulham on August 24 - the start of the Alonso era.