Fact: Chelsea would not be the force they are now had they not been bestowed the sacred gift of a Russian Billionaire’s blank cheque book. Roman’s vast wallet has undoubtedly been the source for the most significant period of success in the club’s entire history, and yet he has still received his fair share of criticism along the way. With the promise of unlimited funds comes the expectation for instant results and with the growing realisation that Abramovich dictates the ruling over transfers, are the managers at the Bridge merely puppets in this oligarch’s theatre of dreams?
Shevchenko, Torres, De Bruyne and now Marin, just some of the names who have emerged from the shopping list of Roman Abramovich. His vice like grip on the Blue’s incoming transfer acquisitions must leave his managers feeling claustrophobic, as it is they who will harbour the responsibility to mould them into a triumphant outfit.
Jose Mourinho struck gold upon hearing that deals for Petr Cech and Arjen Robben had already been concluded before his arrival but he also had to welcome the likes of Mateja Kezman and Shaun Wright-Phillips. The Special One was fortunate enough to incorporate this invasion of new blood thanks to his man management skills and talents as a master tactician. Sadly though, not every manager shares similar attributes and have therefore struggled to succeed in Roman’s unconventional set-up. Will the Chelsea owner ever realise that you can have the best players in the world but without an inspirational manager, you’ll never have the best team.
There was always a certain unease about the tenure of Andre Villas-Boas at the club, who tried to implement the free flowing football of Barcelona into a team who were beginning to feel the strain from their aging legs. His frustrations visibly bubbled to the surface when he revealed he had nothing to do with the impending arrival of Genk winger Kevin De Bruyne.
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“You have to speak to the people from the club about that. It’s club policy. It’s not within my immediate projects. He’s a player the club has scouted for some time. I’m a manager who respects club policy.” (Daily Mail)
It strikes me as bizarre and somewhat unsettling that a manager may serve no purpose in the transfer policy of a major European club. Roman can be credited with trying to ensure future success but it hardly seems fair when he’s depleting funds from the transfer kitty on players the manager may not want or even need. Surely the main excitement of management stems from the opportunity to imprint your style and personality onto the team, and what better way to illustrate your credentials than by your dealings in the transfer market. You only have to cast your mind back to the catastrophic fallout between Mike Ashley, Dennis Wise and Kevin Keegan to understand that such a system simply cannot work. Can you imagine Sir Alex Ferguson, the most decorated man in Premier League history, enduring the humiliating process of playing individuals he himself did not purchase?
During Abramovich’s residence in West London, the club has undergone five summers in a state of limbo, whereby they have been in the process of changing managers. This is vital period in the footballer calendar when the wheels begin to turn on contract negotiations, agent discussions and the identification of summer transfer targets. If Chelsea do not afford this luxury to their manager then who exactly is in charge? I disapproved of Roberto Di Matteo’s classification as merely a puppet upon his appointment as interim manager, but the quote below suggests Di Matteo is happy to play second fiddle, at least while his future remains under consideration.
“When the time is right in the summer, the people at the club will make the decisions that are right for the club.” (Daily Mail)
Perhaps Roman is right to dictate where his money goes, after all the chairman will presumably outlast the manager and should therefore take control of the future direction of the club. However, how can Abramovich expect to attract his desired world-class candidate if he will not afford him to chance to prove himself in the transfer market?
The world of football exists purely in the present, despite fans clinging on to past achievements or looking ahead to a potentially bright future. If targets are unfulfilled then you’ll find yourself heading for the exit door even if you haven’t been anywhere near the transfer window. This raises one key question, how can any manager steer Chelsea to success with Roman’s hands still firmly on the wheel.
Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I’ve spent all day drooling over that Papiss Cisse wonder strike from Wednesday night.
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