By Kolawole Ilori

Remember me? Rafa Benitez takes his first Chelsea training session on Thursday afternoon

“We don’t need to give away stupid plastic flags to our fans to wave. Chelsea fans lack passion.” Rafa Benitez 2007

Will this statement amongst many of them haunt Rafael Benitez? Will he bring in the desired passion as the new manager? This and many more are unanswered questions being asked by different sections of the club fans.

Rafa’s appointment has solely been executed by Nigerian Micheal Emenalo; with the former claiming not to have either spoken to nor seen the Russian billionaire owner of Chelsea football club Roman Abrahamovic. The series of event that unveiled in the wake of the appointment of a once bitter rival of the stamford bridge club then as a Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been more than shocking, considering the enthusiasm of the followers of the London club.

Since the appointment of Rafa Benitez, Chelsea have lost 12,548 followers on twitter and had 54,362 people ‘unliking’ them on Facebook as at the time of filing this report. This does not seem a good welcome for the manager who has this weekend to win back some hearts at stamford bridge in a tricky fixture against the English premier league defending Champions and leaders Manchester City.

Rafael Benitez assured fans at the press conference last evening of his decision to continue with club legend John Terry as captain of the London outfit.

Rafael Benitez told Chelsea fans he and they wanted the same things after arriving for his first day at the training ground following his controversial appointment as interim manager.

No thanks: Chelsea fan protested when Rafa Benitez was linked in March

It is impossible not to deduce part of Benitez’s appeal to Abramovich was his relationship with £50million flop Fernando Torres, who he helped make one of the best strikers in the world at Liverpool.

Revival bid: Benitez gets to work on making Torres score goals again for the Blues

Benitez began the challenge of winning round his new club’s players and supporters this morning, something that could be helped by the addition of a former Blues star to his coaching staff.

Boudewijn Zenden has become Benitez’s assistant, according to the Dutchman’s father and agent – although the Spaniard could still face an uphill battle with supporters for whom he has long been a hate figure.

With Benitez deciding to bring in his fitness trainer, goal keeper trainer and the choice of ‘Bolo Zenden’ former Chelsea player who also played under Rafa at Anfield between 2001-2004

Former Blue: Boudewijn Zenden will be one of Benitez's coaches