Now there is no Abramovich, are Chelsea about to go into a gradual decline?

[Cambridge Away]

Are we about to see some very barren years at Stamford Bridge?
*They just got thumped by Arsenal.
*They ended the season badly last year, being humiliated by Brentford along the way amongst other things.
*New owner already taking on debt for the club. Is that a good sign for a club where the ground needs massive investment, or investment to move somewhere else?
*They have gathered themselves a large amount of glory hunting fans who expect success. That is often the biggest issue. The former success can be a blight for years. Fans should lower their expectations a little, but don't (and the negativity continues to feed back into itself as things decline). The obvious example being Liverpool (for almost 3 decades) and Man Utd, post Ferguson. You can even include us in that after the Fayed years. We had raced from being a Tier 3 club, on average, to a mid table Tier 1 club in 5 years. Despite our success for over a decade, a season or two in the Championship shouldn't have been that unexpected with new owners, but it has felt like the end of the world to quite a few.  The players at clubs in decline are surrounded by negativity from the stands, or, nowadays, social media too (see Harry Maguire).
*They have always had a sugar daddy to throw limitless amounts of money at a problem whenever it went wrong before. Including chopping managers. A manager would do well and then the next season the players would get him fired (with the angry, unreasonable, usual-suspect, mob of fans being placated). Al Fayed was no stranger to sacking managers, but no way near as bad as Abramovich. Is Tuchel about to find out that loyalty doesn't pay at Chelsea?
*Their reputation has taken a hit. It must feel like they are waking up with a hangover from the night before, after getting into bed with a Russian. Most are still defending their former owner, but its really not that clear cut how they should now celebrate this most successful period in their history. Continuing to celebrate doesn't look great to patriots of these isles (and Chelsea are definitely known to be patriotic). They will no doubt be torn. And also concerned for how it effects how others see them. Even if to the outsider they look as if they've never cared before  :005:
*The rise of Newcastle, Spurs and Arsenal bringing more competition for Champions league.
Anyway, fingers crossed. The end of the Roman Empire... And who knows, we may just win a game against them!  049:gif

[JimmyConway]

No. They are a very established club nowadays and from what I gather the new owner is very good as a sports owner. They will likely spread the debt quite common in US.
Abramovich was trying to lend money to redevelopment the bridge? So he was feeling the pinch if Oligarchs ever feel the pinch? The new owner is very much about making it a fans experience and attracting new fans so that has a knock on effect to us.
It will be interesting to see when a more leaner period arrives if they are as ruthless?

[ALG01]

Good question

One never knows how a change of ownership may affect the club. Abramovitch instantly galvanised the place, decline may take a little longer to work through, but it may be better. Will be interesting to watch.... my uniformed gut reaction is decline.

[mrmicawbers]

Hope so but doubt it.Think our new stand will outshine anything they've got by a long chalk.

[Deadcowboys]

Think their biggest problem might be going from a sole owner to consortium when the members of it have a difference of opinion. These mega wealthy people like to have their own way & that might not always be possible.

[Cambridge Away]

No. They are a very established club nowadays and from what I gather the new owner is very good as a sports owner. They will likely spread the debt quite common in US.

Isn't this the issue though? Penny pinching in any way (at Chelsea) is a massive downgrade on what they are used to. They used to make losses year after year despite them being set up well as a business. Or am i mistaken?

[H4usuallysitting]

Newcastle are after top 4.....so, somebody has to move out of the way

[Hugh Gentry]

I see no reason why it should be gradual....but I am biased

[cmg]

At least the new financial structure is simple and transparent.

At the back of this week's Private Eye, the Planet Football has a (far from) straightforward statement of how the finances have been put together.
Competely baffles a financial ignoramus like me.
It involves at least a dozen different companies in many layers. One company has just 2 issued shares. Another had 244million new shares issued at a total cost of £20!
All totally above board I am sure and designed to ensure that the public at large benefits as far as possible...sorry, I mean,...to minimize tax liabilities and scrutiny.

[The Rational Fan]

Newcastle are after top 4.....so, somebody has to move out of the way

Spot On.

[RaySmith]

At least the new financial structure is simple and transparent.

At the back of this week's Private Eye, the Planet Football has a (far from) straightforward statement of how the finances have been put together.
Competely baffles a financial ignoramus like me.
It involves at least a dozen different companies in many layers. One company has just 2 issued shares. Another had 244million new shares issued at a total cost of £20!
All totally above board I am sure and designed to ensure that the public at large benefits as far as possible...sorry, I mean,...to minimize tax liabilities and scrutiny.

0001.jpeg 064.gif

[Lyle from Hangeland]

Are we about to see some very barren years at Stamford Bridge?
*They just got thumped by Arsenal.
*They ended the season badly last year, being humiliated by Brentford along the way amongst other things.
*New owner already taking on debt for the club. Is that a good sign for a club where the ground needs massive investment, or investment to move somewhere else?
*They have gathered themselves a large amount of glory hunting fans who expect success. That is often the biggest issue. The former success can be a blight for years. Fans should lower their expectations a little, but don't (and the negativity continues to feed back into itself as things decline). The obvious example being Liverpool (for almost 3 decades) and Man Utd, post Ferguson. You can even include us in that after the Fayed years. We had raced from being a Tier 3 club, on average, to a mid table Tier 1 club in 5 years. Despite our success for over a decade, a season or two in the Championship shouldn't have been that unexpected with new owners, but it has felt like the end of the world to quite a few.  The players at clubs in decline are surrounded by negativity from the stands, or, nowadays, social media too (see Harry Maguire).
*They have always had a sugar daddy to throw limitless amounts of money at a problem whenever it went wrong before. Including chopping managers. A manager would do well and then the next season the players would get him fired (with the angry, unreasonable, usual-suspect, mob of fans being placated). Al Fayed was no stranger to sacking managers, but no way near as bad as Abramovich. Is Tuchel about to find out that loyalty doesn't pay at Chelsea?
*Their reputation has taken a hit. It must feel like they are waking up with a hangover from the night before, after getting into bed with a Russian. Most are still defending their former owner, but its really not that clear cut how they should now celebrate this most successful period in their history. Continuing to celebrate doesn't look great to patriots of these isles (and Chelsea are definitely known to be patriotic). They will no doubt be torn. And also concerned for how it effects how others see them. Even if to the outsider they look as if they've never cared before  :005:
*The rise of Newcastle, Spurs and Arsenal bringing more competition for Champions league.
Anyway, fingers crossed. The end of the Roman Empire... And who knows, we may just win a game against them!  049:gif

They might struggle in the short term as the new owners get their bearings, but they will be as competent as the Americans running Liverpool. These are smart folks.

[Cambridge Away]

Are we about to see some very barren years at Stamford Bridge?
*They just got thumped by Arsenal.
*They ended the season badly last year, being humiliated by Brentford along the way amongst other things.
*New owner already taking on debt for the club. Is that a good sign for a club where the ground needs massive investment, or investment to move somewhere else?
*They have gathered themselves a large amount of glory hunting fans who expect success. That is often the biggest issue. The former success can be a blight for years. Fans should lower their expectations a little, but don't (and the negativity continues to feed back into itself as things decline). The obvious example being Liverpool (for almost 3 decades) and Man Utd, post Ferguson. You can even include us in that after the Fayed years. We had raced from being a Tier 3 club, on average, to a mid table Tier 1 club in 5 years. Despite our success for over a decade, a season or two in the Championship shouldn't have been that unexpected with new owners, but it has felt like the end of the world to quite a few.  The players at clubs in decline are surrounded by negativity from the stands, or, nowadays, social media too (see Harry Maguire).
*They have always had a sugar daddy to throw limitless amounts of money at a problem whenever it went wrong before. Including chopping managers. A manager would do well and then the next season the players would get him fired (with the angry, unreasonable, usual-suspect, mob of fans being placated). Al Fayed was no stranger to sacking managers, but no way near as bad as Abramovich. Is Tuchel about to find out that loyalty doesn't pay at Chelsea?
*Their reputation has taken a hit. It must feel like they are waking up with a hangover from the night before, after getting into bed with a Russian. Most are still defending their former owner, but its really not that clear cut how they should now celebrate this most successful period in their history. Continuing to celebrate doesn't look great to patriots of these isles (and Chelsea are definitely known to be patriotic). They will no doubt be torn. And also concerned for how it effects how others see them. Even if to the outsider they look as if they've never cared before  :005:
*The rise of Newcastle, Spurs and Arsenal bringing more competition for Champions league.
Anyway, fingers crossed. The end of the Roman Empire... And who knows, we may just win a game against them!  049:gif

They might struggle in the short term as the new owners get their bearings, but they will be as competent as the Americans running Liverpool. These are smart folks.

Don't burst our bubble! They could just end up being like the Glazers. They have the worse conundrum with Stamford Bridge than the Glazers have with Old Trafford. Why spend billions on a club that still only has an outside chance of making the Champions League. They just about scraped through at the end of last season. That was without the Saudis involved. It would be ironic if the former Russians were pushed aside (for the next couple of decades) by the Saudis.

[SG]

I'd like to think it's a very steep and swift decline but regrettably I don't think that will happen

[mrmicawbers]

I'd like to think it's a very steep and swift decline but regrettably I don't think that will happen

My thoughts exactly Unfortunately.

[Holders]

When Al Fayed bought Fulham, for a very short period we were poised to be in the ascendency over them for the first time. Then along came the oligarch.

It's another "what if" - like if we'd not turned down Stamford Bridge they wouldn't exist at all.

Trouble is, during their years of success they've built up a strong fan base and, like an oil tanker, it takes a long time to turn that around. So, a gradual decline - hopefully, rapid - I very much doubt.

[toshes mate]

I like the oil tanker analogy - perfectly made point.

[Cambridge Away]

 :bump:
A half season reflection on Chelsea and their new owners. Seems most of us predicted their trouble in transition. Could they have a decade like Man U though? I mean, won't it be as difficult for them changing everything from under the total grip of Abramovich as it was for Man U completely ridding themselves of the ghost of Ferguson? Or Arsenal switching to the Emirates?

[Marcel_Gecov]

They will buy their way out of problems... they are about to potentially drop over £200m this winter (if they get Mudryk) and that will massively help them. The thing Ive noticed is that the signings seem very scattergun without a real strategy...

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-chelsea/transfers/verein/631

[SG]

They're going to struggle to get top 4 so could lose CL monies. That's a good start 😂
Then players who want CL don't join...
It's a slippery slope from that point - hopefully 😂