On July 2, 2003, the perennial underachievers in blue from West London stepped out from under the red shadows of Manchester United and Liverpool.
They did so holding the hand of one of the most powerful, wealthy and secretive men in Europe.
Today marks ten years to the day since Roman Abramovich changed the course of Chelsea Football Club’s history by buying the club from then-owner Ken Bates and other shareholders for £140m; a move which paved the way for billionaires across the globe to indulge their hobbies on the world’s largest domestic sporting stage.
Beloved by Chelsea fans, hated by diehard supporters of rival clubs, but by-and-large unknown to the rest of the world, Abramovich has marked his place as a hugely important figure in the annals of the Premier League, injecting £874m worth of transfers and forking out £1.5bn (yes, billion) or thereabouts for players’ wages over his ten years in charge at Stamford Bridge.
A staggering amount when one considers the cost of constructing the entire London Olympic Stadium was a shade over £500m.
But it’s not just the unwholesome amounts of cash he’s thrown at Chelsea FC that make him a central figure in world football, it’s the implications of his ownership.
What Abramovich did to world football
When Abramovich bought Chelsea FC, a popular club in a massive sporting competition, he did two things. He changed football both as a sport and as a business.
1) He showed foreign billionaires that owning an English Premier League club is within your power, and more than that, it’s a great way to make at least a few thousand people love you.
Since his takeover of The Pensioners, a number of rival clubs have piqued the interest of the fabulously wealthy.
Manchester-based clubs United and City are now owned by Malcolm Glazer and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan respectively, Liverpool FC is owned by John W. Henry’s Fenway Sports Group Abramovich’s compatriot Anton Zingarevich recently gained control of Reading FC (now playing in the Championship).
Notably, French Ligue 1 clubs Paris Saint Germain and AS Monaco have found themselves swimming in Euros thanks to bankrollers of their own in recent times.
2) One may argue against this, but the standard of football in the English Premier League has improved since Abramovich took over at Chelsea FC.
The flow on effect as mentioned above has led to other clubs spending millions on top-class players, and the competition has benefited from the Russian’s largesse. The spectators certainly have.
Names like Didier Drogba, Ashley Cole and Claud Makelele arrived at the Bridge under Roman’s guidance; and with the arrival of the enigmatic Jose Mourinho, the stranglehold that Manchester United had on the Premier League and Liverpool’s dominance in European competitions began to look a little less concrete.
The entrance of a new power-player shook up the Premier League, and forced competitors to adapt. Somewhat unfortunately for Roman, he had the Sensei of adaptation, in the form of a bespectacled Scotsman with an unhealthy love of chewing gum to contend with.
The improvement in the quality of players and the style of football they bring with them has boosted interest in the game both in Britain and around the world. Broadcasts of the games are now available in over 200 countries worldwide, reaching an estimated 600 million people.
Where to now for Chelsea’s Man with the Deep Pockets?
Chelsea fans need not fear, Abramovich has no plans of going anywhere. Quite the opposite, in fact, if one considers the implications of the recent appointment of one Jose Mourinho to oversee the team for the next few seasons.
With Sir Alex’s departure from the helm at Manchester United, City appointing a new (but decidedly old) manager over a squad with no real core, identity, or substance, and Arsenal and Liverpool both being cruel footballing jokes, the second coming of Jose might just herald the beginning of a new era of dominance in the Premier League.
The remarriage of Roman to Jose has all the potential to forge a decade-long dynasty. A rich owner, a manager with more trophies than he knows what to do with, a team with an experienced core group of winners, and exciting young players learning their craft from their older teammates.
This is all assuming the Russian and the Portuguese can set aside their differences that led to their divorce the first time around.
This time will be different, they say.
This time, Jose will promote youth academy players instead of buying the mega-stars like Andriy Shevchenko, Deco and Nicolas Anelka. Just disregard the incumbent inward transfer of £53m-rated Edinson Cavani. Seriously Roman, didn’t you learn the first time?
This time, Jose knows exactly how much power he has, and in what areas (with no more pesky Director of Football Frank Arnesen to interfere with his transfer target aspirations).
This time, he’s ‘happier’, and ‘calmer’, though if his last few months at Real Madrid are anything to go by, Abramovich may need to keep a close eye on ‘The Special One’ to ensure his hobby-team isn’t ripped apart by a titanic ego struggle.
Whether Chelsea take home the bacon this season or not, it’s going to be a hell of a competition. However, it’s this blessed union of souls that makes Chelsea the favourites for the 2013/14 title.
Ballymore
Guest
Correct me if I'm wrong gentleman, but wasn't Roman the man that first began distorting the transfer market, both in terms of fees paid and wages paid? I mean by paying over the odds, and setting new expectations about what top players could earn? I wonder whether his spending means Chelsea often pay more for than another club would for the same player.
Freddie
Guest
His crimes are well known, fans just choose to ignore them because they love their club. The real culprits are the FA who allowed the sale to go ahead, and similar with Venkys at Rovers and Thaksin Shinawatra with Man City.
Freddie
Guest
Bang on Andy, agree on every point.
HarryBalding
Roar Guru
Cheers. Good point about results being paramount at Chelsea. He can bring in all the best young players and play nicely, but if he doesnt win trophies early on in his contract, Mourinho will likely cop the boot from Abra again. Roman showed with the sacking of di Matteo that it doesn't matter what you've done or intend to do with the club, its what youre doing that matters.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Tbh I don't see that happening in the foreseeable future Harry, clubs are simply too powerful in Europe. Not saying Germany, Spain, England, Italy etc aren't but clubs like Bayern, Real, Barca, Man U, Chelsea are companies employing and paying the best in the business, from players to coaches. They run the show. The UCL is a lucrative business too. As long as those guys want to invest in football clubs, I don't see anyone not welcoming the influx of money. Not for now at least.
Andy
Guest
If it was about making things fairer why did none of the big clubs oppose it? If it wasn't in their interests they would never have agreed to do it. FFP was about maintaining the status quo. On the surface it looks fairer but we know that the only way in this day and age to break the monotony of the select few winning over and over is to to have a billionaire invest crudes amount of money. Unfortunately it takes money to be competitive in this day and age. There are rules on sponsorship/investment etc structured throughout FFP that are meant to rid us of dodgy sponsorship deals. Has not stopped City, Chelsea, PSG etc all signing clearly ridiculous sponsorship deals with companies that are in bed with their owners to ensure their revenue stream is larger than any potential competitors. One good thing about the FFP is that the idiotic amount of money being thrown around on many players, leading many to think second rate players are worth 10m plus will be gone. FFP is a good idea but in practice it will not work. What is wrong with billionaires taking over clubs and making them competitive? The only thing wrong with it I can see is that it is making the Premier League more competitive. Billionaires take away the "right" for the big sides to continually compete for the highest honours and the most money by making other sides comnpetitive. The other side of the coin is that billionaires are often megalomaniacs who want it all to be about them and don't understand football. Venkys did a damn good job ruining Blackburn after buying a club in a compettion where they didn't even understand there was relegation.
Christian
Guest
Great article! It will be interesting to see if Messrs Abramovich and Mourinho can establish a working relationship with enough stability to see Chelsea at the top of the league for an extended period of time. One would assume that being the 2nd time around for this pair, they would know enough about each other to sidestep most issues, but the one issue they won't be able to sweep under the rug is results. Abramovich has a well known track record of not taking kindly to seeing his team lose, and Mourinho has a nose that is easily put out of joint by any criticism he feels is unfair. Whether or not they have learned that slack needs to be given both ways in any sustainable relationship remains to be seen and will provide a fascinating undercurrent to the upcoming season, but I for one hope it implodes with a suitably melodramatic and magnificently petulant parting of the ways. That would nearly be as good as Fulham getting into Europe again ;-)
Christian
Guest
*ahem* you forgot to mention Fulham. Must have overlooked the point we took off you lot at the Bridge last season...
Freddie
Guest
If you can only spend a % of your total income (the premise of "fair play") then it stands to reason that the more you earn, the more you can spend. So Man U will always be able to spend more than Watford, and with Champs Lge millions increasing by the year the gap just gets bigger. What chance then, a smaller club competing without a sugar daddy? It stinks, and Platini admitted as much in an interview in the UK two months ago. It protects the big clubs against any new threat, just as it was designed to do.
HarryBalding
Roar Guru
How do you mean, 'But UEFA is barking up the wrong tree with financial fair play, that will only protect the rich clubs and make them richer'? I reckon it's a step in the right direction, at least leveling the playing field a little bit. My understanding of FFP might not be correct though?
HarryBalding
Roar Guru
Geez that guy had a lot to say. Very interesting comments re: Roman buying Chelsea for public protection. Imagine the stink that would be kicked up should his crimes come to light and result in him being arrested/gaoled! Not sure whether Syed is just saying this to be a sensationalist, or because he hates Chelsea or genuinely believes what he's saying. There are two sides to every story I guess. Abra might not be the spotless benefactor the Chelsea fans believe him to be!
Freddie
Guest
No but the concern is whether new owners respect the traditions of the club. Look at the Malaysian owners at Cardiff who changed their shirts to red from blue. But UEFA is barking up the wrong tree with financial fair play, that will only protect the rich clubs and make them richer. What is needed is a fairer distribution of wealth at all levels to stop the billionaires being necessary in the first place. Fat chance of it happening though.
Fra-Dog
Roar Rookie
Looking forward to seeing whether Abramovich and Mourinho can work together. Predicting a big season for the blue side of London :)
Disco
Roar Guru
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmCtci6cen8#at=399
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
an intruiging notion
HarryBalding
Roar Guru
Just a thought - if the German model can be said to be 'sustainable', i.e. providing long-term tenancy at the top of world football, how will that affect other clubs? Will owners like Roman, Sheikh Mansour etc one day be kicked out for the benefit of the national game?
ciudadmarron
Guest
Yes towser - they weren't perennial underachievers, they were exactly what they were, a yoyo club with occasional success enjoying a bright period; their support base was fairly low through the 70s and 80s as well.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Quite agree with your post AZ. I love the German model but in all honesty we can't export it everywhere in Europe, or the world for that matter. Most euro clubs can't guarantee 40-50k crowds and the revenue that comes with it. Without a wealthy entrepreneur, many clubs would not be able to compete. This is the sad reality. As an aside, most european club's presidents are local businessmen, not international ones. But we just hear about the Abramovitch, Qatari etc. for one like that you have ten Louis Nicollin, Montpellier's president who owns a garbage collecting company.
AlexThanopoulos
Roar Rookie
Interesting. It is all happy families again now that Jose is back. Mr Abramhovic has made a significant difference in the EPL, there is no doubt. Premierships, Champions League, FA Cups, all since his arrival. Success is trophies. Wish there was a paragraph on the Roman one's tyrannical ways of chopping managers at will. It wasn't long ago people were screaming blue murder (no pun intended) on his axing of RDM, AVB and even Jose himself. Time will tell. Am almost happy to have Jose back.
Griffo
Roar Guru
This may depend on the requirement for youth coaches (from community coaches to elite youth teams) to have 'qualifications' from their respective governing body before being allowed to coach youth. A mate in Germany indicated this was so a few years back - and the time required to attain them was fairly substantive. That was for U6-type level. Contrast with community clubs here where you can attend coaching licences if you want to (increasingly costs covered by clubs/regions), but don't necessarily have to if you just put your hand up to take on a team. I wonder what the youth coach numbers are here. What level of licence is considered in the count? (grassroots vs junior vs youth; community vs elite). Re-reading your post and this may be numbers of 'senior' level coaches, but still and interesting number to know for Australia.