In all his years here as part of the coaching and management staff, I'm not sure I've ever seen a more emotional Steve Holland than in the post-match interview following our 3-1 win over Sunderland on Saturday. Sure, he's won trophies before with both the first-team and the reserves, but those are easy feelings to handle and express. Today, after a "traumatic" week at Chelsea Football Club, he seemed barely able to cope with the massive emotions at play.
But cope he did, paying tribute to both the departing manager (an "exceptional person") and the incoming manager ("experienced" and knows what he's doing), as well as praising the players involved in today's win. That's not easy balancing act, but Holland handled it perfectly.
"It's been a traumatic few days, for everybody concerned, and when I say everybody I mean everybody."
"The most important and pleasing thing for the club was to get a very important three points, which will hopefully provide a springboard moving forwards."
-Steve Holland; source: Sky
Despite a smattering of boos at key points of the match, as well as during the substitutions of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, Stamford Bridge was obviously pleased with the win as well, the initial tensions largely settled by the early goal and the early comfortable lead, a rarity this season.
"I think the supporters are entitled to their own opinion, obviously it has been a difficult period for everybody."
"I thought the players gave everything today, and the two players you mention [Costa and Fabregas] made a big contribution today."
"When you've been through the period the team, players, club have been through of late, there's bound to be self-doubt. To be 2-0 up so early was certainly a release of tension, and you could see the confidence starting to come back. Today you could see there are some signs of that confidence coming back."
-Steve Holland; source: Sky
"Whatever their [the players'] feelings were regarding the situation they had a responsibility to the football club and its supporters all round the world."
"We have quality players, I have no doubt about that, and the players care. They had to show that on the pitch."
-Steve Holland; source: Chelsea FC
If you watch the interview with Sky Sports, Holland seems to place special emphasis on 'today'. I'm not sure how much we should read into that — maybe he's just got a bit of a Christopher Walken-type of diction going on — but it's certainly an interesting word to use and emphasize given the events and stories of the past weeks and months.
With a new manager coming in, Holland expects to be staying on and continuing to work towards the betterment of Chelsea Football Club. He's been here for seven years now, serving first as Reserves manager under Carlo Ancelotti, then promoted to assistant coach under Andre Villas-Boas. He's survived a handful of managers already, but reaffirmed that his loyalties lie with the club above anyone and anything else.
"I am sure [the details of my role under him] will evolve over the next few days. It's an honour to work for a club like Chelsea. It's a huge club all round the world. This is my seventh season here. I am a club appointment which means at these times particularly it can be difficult. You get connected with guys that come in."
"Guus has not spoken to the players collectively but he has spoken individually to some who were still around at the point he arrived [in the dressing room after the match]."
-Steve Holland; source: Chelsea FC
With Didier Drogba also in the stands and seated in-between Hiddink and Abramovich, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Chelsea legend return to the club in some capacity as well. Meanwhile, Steve Holland and Eddie Newton, who handled and prepared the team for today, should hopefully continue to play a major role going forward.