Vialli blasts Bates

Sacked Chelsea manager Gianluca Vialli has fired a broadside at the man who dismissed him – former Chelsea chairman Ken Bates.

The former Italy striker was fired in September 2000 in spite of winning three trophies for the club.

As Chelsea prepare for their Champions League semi-final first leg against Monaco tomorrow, Vialli is bitter at the way he believes he was treated.

“Not bitter at the club but at some people who aren’t there any more,” he told The Times.

Bates has left Stamford Bridge and spoken with Sheffield Wednesday over the possibility of taking over there.

“He [Bates] has a go at the new owner [of Chelsea, Roman Abramovich] and Peter Kenyon [chief executive], saying you have to support your manager but the first thing Bates said he would do at Sheffield Wednesday is sack the manager. That really made me laugh.”