Ribery to choose Real Madrid? Translation: No one wants to play for Chelsea
Chelsea’s billionaire owner, Roman Abramovich, has just bought a £288m yacht, with built-in missile defence system. He could have got almost four Cristiano Ronaldos for that. Except… C-Ron would never have signed for Chelsea.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Roman bought the yacht to cheer himself up, because he must feel like every star player he wants to bring to Chelsea rejects him.
Steven Gerrard said no. Kaka said no. Ronaldinho said no. David Villa said no. Even Glen Johnson, who once played for Chelsea, chose Liverpool over his old club. And it seems more than likely that Carlito Tevez will choose Man City instead of Chelsea. Deco and Ricardo Carvalho want to leave too, not that they will be badly missed.
Manchester City is the hot new destination for those mercenary footballers who feel that £60,000 a week is just not enough cash. Which leaves Chelsea in a spot of bother.
Gerrard, Kaka and co. snubbed Chelsea for the simple reason that the club is universally disliked, and no one craves unpopularity, except for Michael Ballack, who doesn’t care what people think of him – he is German and therefore unpopular by birth.
John Terry reportedly wants Abramovich to splash out on Franck Ribery, but it seems the Frenchman favours Real Madrid. And put yourself in the Frenchman’s shoes: Barcelona, Real Madrid and Man Utd are also chasing you. Who would choose Chelsea from that group?
Now Michael Essien’s agent has issued the following statement:
“Some clubs are interested in Michael… He likes Chelsea very much but football is football and if Real Madrid, Barcelona or some other club make an offer, he needs to sit down and discuss what is best for him.”
I’m sure Essien will stay, but it’s hardly what Abramovich and Ancelotti want to hear right now.
And therein lies Chelsea’s problem. They have the cash, but not the stature to compete with Europe’s historically big clubs. If Chelsea were a second-tier club, competing for second-tier players against the likes of Aston Villa, Everton and Tottenham, they would find it much easier to make fitting signings. Perversely, because they have more money than those clubs, they find it extremely difficult to attract quality players. And what use is cash when you can’t spend it? Oh well, at least the manufacturers of obscenely expensive super yachts are happy to take Roman’s money.
[A version of this post first appeared @ BigSoccer]
Twat
Typical Liverpool fan.
Still bitter about Chelsea knocking you out of Europe for the past two seasons, or is because no matter how much money you spend you can’t win the league?
Jesus wept. Who said I was a Liverpool fan? (I’m not.)
Chaps, if you can come up with a cogent counter-argument to the points I’ve made, fill your boots…
Otherwise, take your pathetic kneejerk fandom elsewhere.
Toally ripped of from Rod Liddles ‘article’ in The Times.
Anyway, how many players have Chelsea actually, officially bid for this Summer that we really know of ? Johnson and thats it, and trust me Liverpool fans you are welcome to him.
Gerrard was 4/5 years ago anyway. Only the death threats stopped him la.
@ Johnny – I wrote it before Liddle’s article, but hey, don’t bother checking first, eh.
Real translation: No one that the the media has plucked out of the air to link with Chelsea has signed for the club. Well there’s a surprise. If every player that Chelsea “are in for” actually arrived even the Chelsea training ground would need expanding.
Of course without this plethora of false stories the lazy idle tarts that masquerade as sports journalists would actually have to do some proper work rather than sit on their backsides repeating each others Internet rumours as fact.
God, Chelsea fans are touchy this morning. Relax people.
No one wants to join Chelsea? Who has quoted that they don’t want to join Chelsea, please find some quotes to back up your words of wisdom.
fuck this site… just go to hell. you are not too smart son of a bitch
There you go then, there’s enough counter arguments above for you to wade through.
Nothing touchy about asking people to BACK UP there pathetic little one eye, anti Chelsea diatribe.
You should try it Ollie, otherwise I’m afraid it can be filed under the wife beater Liddle’s carbon copy crap.
@ OSGOOD: Actions speak much louder than words, no? Chelsea admitted wanting the likes of Gerrard, Ronaldinho and Kaka. Those players never came.
Well Liddles article is dated 21/06 and yours is 23/06 so i can make my own judgments on that thank you. But dont worry, plagiarism got me through Uni so you’re in good company.
It really is a pathetic read. Very boring. I mean when did Chelsea every bid for Ronaldinho ? There was no bid for Villa and very doubtful that Chelsea bid for Kaka. Oh, Tevezs agent says we are in for him ? He seems a man that you can trust doesnt he ? But well done you’ve dragged up the Gerrard ‘will he wont he’ of 2004 and 2005. Well done that man.
I would suggest waiting until the transfer window closes before you type such biased rubbish. Otherwise one might end up with egg on their face.
“he is German and therefore unpopular by birth.”
wow, thats classy journalism…
I think Deco and Carvalho wants to leave because their role in the team is most uncertain due to the failure of Deco and the rise of Alex combined with carvalho’s injury prone.
That being said, it is, unfortunatly, true that we dont have the stature of real, barca or man utd. But no club can get that in only half a decade.
The window has only been open for a brief period, so lets wait a month before we call it a disaster.
so what you hint for?
yeah, you are right
first, Chelsea won’t response for crazy demands like aguoro’s, not like Perez.
Seems hard challenge for super stars to succes in Chelsea after big spending deals, Sheva is thier example.
Johnny, I said I wrote it before Liddell’s piece appeared. Which I did – I just put it up a couple of days later. IN fact, I was making a couple of amendments to it when I stumbled on Liddle’s piece. Total coincidence. I never read the Times.
Ollie, since when do Chelsea have the right to sign everybody they say they want to sign. I have yet to see one quote from Chelsea saying we want to sign so and so. And no, actions are not always better than words. I remember a few years ago when Chelsea wanted to sign, Duff, Robben, Essien, Obi Mikel, Ashley Cole and where did they all end up?
Come on pal you gotta do better than that, plus I think you will find out within the next 2 weeks who Chelsea really want to sign, starting with Daniel Sturridge who is certain to be England’s No.9 for many years to come.
Chelsea have a good squad of players already i think roman is not going to buy any players this year he should buy REFs instaead like barcalona did in the semi final.
chelsea goes for players with class and technique.that is why they likes of terry, lampard and cole … so do you say that these are fools in joining the club.the players who are refusing to join chelsea are not going to join any english premiership club , they fear that they may not cope with standards of the premier league.
@ OSGOOD: Chelsea have no more right than anyone – I’m not anti-Chelsea, just an opinion. But I think when it comes to fighting the likes of Barca, Man Utd and Real to sign marquee players, Chelsea struggle.
And Sturridge is ace, agreed. Very surprised Man City are willing to let him go.
Money isn’t everything.
Let’s take Liverpool as an example.
No-one would argue that there’s a huge disparity between Liverpool’s spending power and that of West Brom, Crystal Palace, Watford and Derby. Yet all those lowly ex-Premiership clubs have achieved the exact same number of Premiership titles as Liverpool. It’s incredible to think that Liverpool fans, throughout the ENTIRE HISTORY of the Premiership, have seen no more Premiership titles than fans of Hull, Sheffield United and Fulham. Incredibly, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE TEAM IN PREMIERSHIP HISTORY that has won fewer Premiership titles than Liverpool. Not one. And Solomon Silverstein of Sam’s Deli team that plays on Hackney Marshes every Sunday has won no fewer Premierships than Steven Gerrard. True. When Solomon retires, he’ll be able to say he won the exact same number of Premiership titles as any Liverpool player in history. Zero.
Actually, it’s not really incredible. Anfield is like a Ritz Cinema. You know, where in yesteryear they showed glorious, Oscar-winning movies, but today is just a Bingo Hall where the aged hang out and talk of how great the good old days were. Distant days. And long ago. A place where the history is almost as ancient and mothballed as an Errol Flynn swashbuckler.
Sad.
Ollie, you should know by now that if you write something even remotely negative about a club, you’re obviously a typical bitter [rival club] fan.
This has taken me back to my school days!! There have been players we’ve been interested in and I don’t think any of them didn’t come to the Bridge due to popularity of the club. Kaka – could’ve gone to City but clearly wanted to stay on the continent. Ronaldhino – I’ve no idea but perhaps continent again? Gerrard – Death threats & already idolised at his boy hood club. Robinho – wasn’t up to him at all and didn’t even know who he’d signed for when he mentioned something like ‘I’m pleased to be at Chelsea’ in his press conference!! Johnson – don’t know why we were after him and he’ll show himself up now he’s back at a top four club. Plus Pompy even said it’s down to who’s going to give him the best package so who knows what he was offered.
I think it’s a great point about CFC not being an historically major club as it’s true – but think it’s unfair to keep banging on about us being unpopular – will City get the same treatment or has everyone ran out of moaning over Chelsea? People forget we were a top 4/5 finishing team BEFORE Roman came along, plus we’d won a couple of cups too. Unlike City (& Liverpool if you take away their Euro triumph 4 years ago – which was the start of great English dominance in Europe – long may that continue! :)
OLLIE,
Your article is certainly anti-Chelsea.
The 3 clubs you mentioned are the 3 biggest in the world so yes it’s obvious Chelsea would struggle. The fact that Chelsea can match those clubs means that those clubs have to pay well above the real asking price, so I expect the selling clubs are quite thankful for Chelsea. Plus, although Chelsea fans would like to see some of the players mentioned, real Chelsea fans would say they are pleased we haven’t been held to ransom and paid silly money. BE honest, would you want your club to pay £50-70m for the likes of Ribery and Ibrahimovic, I certainly don’t.
Can you name one top notch world class player, on top of his game, that has signed for man ure or liverpool? no. torrez was a good prospect who has now fulfilled his protential but not a top,top player when he first signed!!!!
The Reasoning… what multi millionair would want to work/live up north…shit weather, shit shops, shit housing, rundown economy, and living amoungst a lower class of jean jacket wearing(bad dressed) drunks. note: northen women are easy tarts to pull when they here a southern cockney accent. note2: anywhere north of watford is a shit hole. Iam i right or wrong?? yo kow iam right!!! Please feel free to comment on these facts?
The article is funny, but the comments from Chelski fans are even funnier!
Sturridge will be our best buy whatever the tribunal says we have to pay. Then getting Essian to extend his contract will be the next best buy. I’d prefer us to be getting mixture of English youngters like Sturridge and perhaps one or two big names like Ribery – but have only seen paper talk about him so far, think the Tevez phone call has got more legs but that’s in danger as he wants to stay up north (god knows why move from United if he wants to stay in NE!!) Ibramhimovic won’t leave Inter unless it’s Ronaldo/kaka type money and I’d prefer Chels to either get proven Premiership goalscorer or young English prospects around the park (including cover for Cashly cole!!)
KASIA,
Chelski is a polish word. The word you are looking for in reference to Celsea having a Russian owner is Chelskov.
Yes Ollie, you never read the Times, “stumbled on it” by not reading the Times and of course you wrote yours first – all cogent, powerful arguments.
You sound like a very perceptive pundit regurgitating all the rumours and bitter Chelsea haters (step up, Rod Liddle).
Chelsea players can expect to pay 50% of their wages to the taxman, whereas in Spain it’s only half that….does that help you see a little clearer?
Maybe that’s swaying players as well as the oft quoted “bigger club” argument.
As for Roman’s buying another boat….get over yourself and stop being so parochial.
I don’t think the article is anti-chelsea. I believe that Chelsea are unpopular in Europe and England with players and fans. Chelsea themselves haven’t made that many Marquee signings over the past 5 years. Shevchenko being the exception. Essien was highly regarded within football but not a world-renowned player. However the whispers of Pirlo and Pato itching out of Milan show there is an ebb and flow to football, it seems to me chelsea are ebbing.
IwasThereWhenWeWereSh*t,
I think you will find that Zhirkov will come in as our cover to Ashley Cole, we also have Ivanovic who can play anywhere across the back.
/i wouldn’t mind us trying to get Frazier Campbell for the £6m Hull had accepted.
Sturridge, Campbell, Di Santo and Pato(if possible) would be a great quartet of strikers to have at the club. Drogba and Anelka can then move on.
Desmond, if I was going to regurgitate anyone, it sure as hell wouldn’t be Rod Liddle. The man’s a complete tool, imho.
And if I wanted to give a few examples as to the reason why many fans dislike Chelsea, I’d say look at some of the comments here.
As you rightly say, Louwrens, many fans of the Prem’s big four are insanely defensive and reactionary.
I have to add the fact i an a chelsea fan. yes. Can anyone diagree with the fact London is the best place to work/live in the whole of the UK……cosmopolitan with many tourist attractions. so the facts of the matter is the very best players in the world, if they are looking to move to the premiership, will only sign for a london club.
Chelsea do not spend lavishly on players. Last season, West Brom spent a greater net amount on players. That’s a fact. And over the last two seasons, chelsea has spent nowhere near the amounts Tottenham, Liverpool, Man Utd, Man City and others have spent.
When Abramovich bought the club, he had a self-imposed budget of 500m. He could have spent it all on a “ready-made” club, or spend half that sum and use the rest for players. He chose the latter. Since spending that money, Chelsea has spent far less than several other English clubs and only a portion of the amounts top european sides are spending. So it’s time all this drivel about huge spending stopped. It’s utter rubbish.
Barc, Liverpool, Man U, Real Madrid have all failed to sign Villa. I assume this is because they are universally disliked.
AC Milan failed to keep hold of Kaka because they are universally disliked?
Henry left Arsenal because they are universally disliked? As is Bayern Munich because Ribery wants to leave?
Your anti Chelsea drivel makes as much sense as the mine.
OK Thought Zhirkov was being bought as more attacking midfielder and knew about Ivanovic but not out and out left back. I always liked Jose’s view of 2 players per position – but understand utility players are a must sometimes. Drog can leave now for all I care – too much fannying around to get near Nic in the goals front but would prefer to keep Nic until we’ve got proven replacement. Pato looks amazing but think that’s Meelan trying to push the price up by talking about it before we’ve even shown faitest interest. Sturridge & Di Santo HAVE TO be the strikers for League cup games!!!
Got to disagree with Cerdos about people coming to the Prem ONLY wanting to sign for London club – they just don’t know what the North is like and football reasons take over too – look at Juninho at Boro!!
REF Juninho at Boro – clearly this ISN’T suggesting he went there for football reasons!!! lol!!
Quick reminder – we won FA Cup twice, Carling Cup, Cup Winners Cup, (Super Cup & Charity Shield) in the few years before Roman, and finished in 4th in the League – ALL BEFORE Roman came. Then he spent far too much money playing catch up with United after they’d bought Rio (£30M), Veron, Andy Cole (£6m UK record at the time). Since then they’ve also got Carrick (£18M), Berba (£30M), Hargreaves (£17M), Rooney (£27M), all far more than CFC have spent on individuals with odd exception.
The writer is obviously a anti-Chelsea Fan ..
I don’t think the article is anti-chelsea. its ollies thoughts, not a factual piece of journalism, but the article seems anti Roman Abramovich. Ollie sounds like one of those people you would meet in uni who has no real friends, being irish an inherrent inferrior complex, yet feels he has somthing interesting to say….. i distest views from fans of the game who think they know somthing, those who watch through the media of tv and newspapers like in ollies case, conpared to the thoughts of true supporters who would pay to go and watch from the stands!!!!
You know how to spot a bona fide retard? It’s the ones who think I’m Irish simply because my surname is Irish.
please can people distinguish themselfs as fans or supporters before they post. true suppoters have somthing to say…whiles fans like irish ollie,although amusing in contexts, are not qualified to talk on such matters.
cerdos “genuine qualified chelsea supporter”
Well, first Rod Liddle now this. Pathetic, really. Is the hits on your website so low that you have to resort to this kind of articles? Or are you simply retarded? Both, I think. What a disgrace. I cant even call you guys stupd, because this is way beyond that. Obviously, your website is not producing enough revenue. Sad, really. What a bunch of sad losers.
“Chelsea Supporter”
I feel fine going into the new season. looking forward to beating man ure in the charity shelid, locking horns with liverpool in the champions league, first leg drawn away, and coming out on top, ultimatly winning the premireship by playing good football.
note: irish ollie how will the break up of santanta effect you as a football fan? will you be renewing your mebership at some GAYlic irish sports club? feel free to comment as a true, top of the morning to you, GAYlic supporter!!!!
Well, these comments have once again reaffirmed my disdain for Chelsea’s deluded “football†fans. Nice article Ollie, the reaction from the prawn eating supporters must mean you stuck a nerve. Same crap as Man City, all the money in the world but no history. These clubs will continue to attract the same kind of players (mercenaries) and thus never gain any real respect.
Tim,
Which clubs have real respect?
Chelsea supporter”
Please, people can you begin your post with either supporter or fan. Etiquette suggests its bad manners and not informative to readers. Adding the name of your team would also help to identify your diehard history.
Tim are you fan or a supporter. Secondly, are you and Ollie the same person?
Note: its not helpful to generalise your distain for supporters of one club by the statements on one supporter of that clud!!
Note2: the statement prawn sandwich brigade suggest you are not bright enough to articulate your own thoughts, a reader of the sun newspaper, and perhaps someone who has no redeeming quality in matters relating to football.
wow relax guys, i think what ollie is doing here is merely stating that when chelsea’s no longer the only club willing to spend big money, they become less competitive in the transfer market, and he’s just putting across that point in a slightly exaggerated and funny way, take it easy!
in my opinion perhaps the primary reason why players are choosing other clubs over chelsea is because of the fact that chelsea’s been going through a lot of management changes lately. if ancelotti sticks around long enough then i think chelsea’s still got its pulling factors.
i am not sure but if i’m a top player right now i won’t really be very bothered with the history of a club but i just want to play in a team that can win medals in the coming seasons and get paid very well doing so. i think this should be a better reason explaining why everyone’s going to madrid and barcelona, coz they also happen to be the only 2 clubs right now which seem to be doing/buying whatever it takes to win medals.
“We would send text messages to each other about the clean sheets. I told him I would swap all my clean sheets for his league titles.”
Pepe Reina on his text banter with Chelsea’s Petr Cech.
Chelsea supporter”
You have to remember football players are only human with human frailties. Money is the driving force for everything. Players and good players as such are only commodities and as supply and demand dictates, the good players have more value than the average player. Hence any team with serious intent will need serious money for transfers. Club history has no relevance when a player of value chooses to ply their trade to that club…money counts. So money matters and history will show that the clubs who spend big…win big. Yes, you do have exceptions to the rule i.e. bad managers/coaches with poor judgement.
Reading some of the comments posted are hilarious/stupid. Where stated… reason why players are choosing other clubs over Chelsea …..Who is qualified, knows what happens behind closed club doors, to write this crap. People read the news paper and take what’s written as gospel. The only people who are qualified to talk on such matters, club owners, general managers and people in the know stay quite. Exception to the rule is that plonker who now runs MADdrid.. So to end, in general, Chelsea supporters live in London, Man ure fans live in London and Liverpool supporters live in the PAST.
OSGOODWASGOOD,
‘Chelski’ is most definitely not a Polish word. I should know, I am Polish after all :)