If you put your trust in someone, just leave them alone to let them do their job. Whether it's in business or in the English Premier League, micromanagement rarely gets the best out of anyone.
Andre Villas-Boas finally admitted he does fear the sack from Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. How could he not, given the Blues' struggles and the recent history of managers at Stamford Bridge?
With Chelsea on the brink of Champions League elimination and far from guaranteeing a top-four spot this season, Villas-Boas seems close to an inevitable exit. At just 34, years old, he indeed is a boy among men in the world's most scrutinised league. Villas-Boas was a rash choice and never the right appointment, even given his quadruple-winning season with Porto. How could we expect the raw Portuguese to prosper where an experienced campaigner in Carlo Ancelotti had hit a roadblock?
Abramovich should have kept faith with Ancelotti, a shrewd manager who had brought double success to west London the season before.
The problem wasn't with Ancelotti. It rested with an ageing squad whose best years were half a decade ago. Ancelotti should have been given time to rebuild and bring in fresh blood. Certainly he would have taken Chelsea to a healthier position than where they find themselves.
Villas-Boas has noticed more frequent visits to Chelsea's Cobham training ground by Abramovich. One can only wonder about the sinking feeling he must get when he sees the Russian striding over the manicured lawns in suburban Surrey towards him.