FIFA handed Chelsea a two-year ban from entering the transfer market due to their involvement in former Lens starlet Gael Kakuta’s breach of contract case. It’s Chelsea’s second breach of a contract suit in the news this week, only this time they’re on the receiving end of FIFA’s wrath.
I too received a lot of flak in the comments on my piece regarding my stance on the Adrian Mutu issue and was even labelled “anti-Chelsea/Abramovich” and a “Chelsea-hater”.
I admit, I am not a Chelsea fan – what they do on the pitch is just fine but off of it, I hold little respect for the way they run their business.
However, I vehemently denied these claims and perhaps now my actions in coming into bat for them over this most outrageous ruling will further act to dispel those myths.
Firstly, there was Adrian Mutu whom Chelsea sacked for testing positive to cocaine. That part is fine and correct – their suing him and threatening to have him banned from football until he paid up on the other hand is modern day tyranny.
Then there was the long running “Ashley Cole tapping up” saga. His secret meeting with Jose Mourinho, Chelsea’s Chief Executive Peter Kenyon and his agent all took place while still under contract with Chelsea’s cross town rivals Arsenal. Cole received a £100,000 fine, Mourinho £200,000 and Chelsea FC £300,000 while Cole’s agent was also fined £100,000 and copped a 12 month suspension.
John Obi Mikel’s transfer from Lyn Oslo via Manchester United was also around this time. By all accounts, Chelsea officials were furious at Mikel’s transfer to Manchester United after having helped pay for his education in Norway, but they ended up settling out of court and getting their man, even after Mikel had been photographed in a Manchester United shirt.
Chelsea’s actions have caused them to lose respect amongst the football community, but it matters not when Roman Abramovich owns your club.
As recently as 2008, he was the world’s 15th richest man, a self made squillionaire. In just 20 years he has climbed the social and economic ladder right to the top in what is, according to Forbes, one of the world’s most corrupt nations.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out Abramovich’s quick ascent to the top probably wasn’t all above board but that isn’t the issue here, it’s the influence he has in the clubs running that is the real problem.
He is a man with so much power, so much money, he is not used to not getting what he wants and it seems these characteristics have rubbed off on the club itself. When they don’t get what they want, money is thrown until minds are changed.
That, however, does not excuse FIFA’s two year transfer ban.
Chelsea does need an in-house clean up, but it does not deserve such a harsh penalty.
What they did was wrong; it will be added to the above list of dirty deeds, but to ban them from the transfer market? And for two years? That’s an eternity in a footballing sense.
Why not just a huge fine (£910,000 is pocket change for their owner) or have them docked points or be banned from the Champions League? It seems FIFA doesn’t truly realise the wide ranging impacts of this decision.
From Chelsea’s last lineup – Carvalho, Ballack, Deco, Lampard, Drogba and Anelka – all are over 30 – half of their starters.
They will need to gradually rebuild as their careers come to an end, and to forbid them from adding anyone to their books until 2011 is ridiculous. A very wise man once said, “Don’t use a cannon to kill a mosquito.”
Chelsea simply cannot be banned from buying new players; no team should ever have this imposed upon them, it will force them into a Man City-like spending spree.
To force any team to play with the same squad for the next two years is absurd, it is a huge disadvantage as players get older, injuries cannot be covered for and, let’s face it, some of the current players already want to leave, although Chelsea can’t let them now.
FIFA’s reaction is totally out of proportion with Chelsea’s misdeeds and while perhaps their various transgressions have finally caught up with them, karma shouldn’t be a point taken into consideration when dealing out punishments.
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