Bates said in The Sun: "The basic problem with Chelsea is that they have an owner who doesn't know anything about football. And he, in turn, surrounds himself with lackeys, who know precious little themselves.
"What do people like Bruce Buck, Peter Kenyon and Eugene Tenenbaum really know about the game? And that is what makes the job impossible. After the way Chelsea treated their last three managers, why should anyone want the job?"