Chelsea serious challengers for the EPL&CL now they got 'The Russian' money man?

[Dark Savante]

'The Russian' is str8 gangsta lol. And he wants success offering up £££££££££££ for players of the highest order already.

I may have to put an outside bet on Chelsea for EPL this year! 'The Russian' is looking to make his hobby an eventful one.

In light of this takeover from mr russian Sopranoit would seem Chelsea are now truly in league with the biggest spending powers in football. If that were not enough this gy is a billionaire!! that means PHAT wage offers - it wont be long before he assembles a borg like team at the bridge.

Where do you think Chelsea will finish up next year may? I'm seriously betting 2nd and/or taking the title if this guy buys the type of players he's trying for by the end of July.

Eek the Chels' just got bad ass >:f lol.

Roll on August >:-) the red machine will be waiting! gwehehe

[sendorange]

It's blood money.

I don't think it will work out as well as they hope. Money can go a long way, but only so far. I can't see them convincing the likes of Nesta, Shevchenko etc to sign, or for their clubs to sell them.

Maybe people like Kluivert, but not the top drawer players.

Also I think at some point the Premiership would step in and doing something about it if it gets way too far out of hand.

[michaec]

I presume you mean if the money spending gets out of hand. What exactly would they do? If they tried to stop the club buying players they'd have a court case for restraint of trade slapped on them in double-quick time. Especially as Ken Bates is still at the Bridge, we all know how he loves a good court case.

As you say, money can only go so far. I don't think that anyone would throw away money in the amounts that would have to be spent to assemble a team capable of really challenging for the title between now and the start of next season. And even then there's no guarantee that the players that are wanted would be sold by their current clubs or would want to move even if they were. And even then there would be a bedding in period where these players would need to knit into a team capable of challenging for the title.

I think that Chelsea have got a good squad of players already, Ranieri has done a great job considering the financial restraint he's been under since he became manager. With John Terry and Carlton Cole siging new deals and with Gallas hinting that he's about to do the same they're in good shape. If the new owner makes money available to be spent sensibly over the next couple of seasons (they need to replace Zola, but I don't think Jody Morris is any great loss) I can see Chelsea seriously challenging for the title maybe 2004-2005, but more realistically in 2005-2006.

[idi amin]

Within 3 years Chelsea will be in the 2nd division after forced relegation due to financial irregularities and the fallout that follows.

[Clan]

Whilst nothing in life is certain i would be highly surprised...nay, flabergasted...if CFC won the title next season.

Our centennial year would obviously be a great time to do it and would certainly win over the romantics both within and outside the club.

The Rovers showed what can be done with a "flash" team.
Of course they also showed what the downfall can be also.

A steady approach of buying a a limited few DOMESTIC players is what i would like to see from the powers that be at Chelsea.

As michaec also pointed out, the current group of base players is already top notch.

*The yid is just mad that they NEARLY had him as owner :)

[sendorange]

Originally posted by michaec
I presume you mean if the money spending gets out of hand. What exactly would they do? If they tried to stop the club buying players they'd have a court case for restraint of trade slapped on them in double-quick time.

Yeah that's a fair point, I guess it was just wishful thinking on my part :D

I guess in one way if Chelsea do spend the money it will create another credible challenger to Man Utd, and if Chelsea can knock A*****l down a place that would be a decent thing. Imagine if they sign Viera and Pires on Bosmans next summer?

But like Clanblue pointed out, best to sign talented players who have proved they can cut it in the Premiership and won't be as vastly expensive and unmotivated to do anything except collect a fat pay cheque, which would be the case with Nesta, Rivaldo and co.

But then again, anyone has got to be better than Frank Lampard and Manu Petit :p

[michaec]

Originally posted by sendorange
Imagine if they sign Viera and Pires on Bosmans next summer? And even more wishful thinking!

[AFCA]

Not like chelsea is a poor club now. More money won't get them anywhere.

Poor management.

[Clan]

Originally posted by AFCA
Not like chelsea is a poor club now. More money won't get them anywhere.

Poor management.

One of the things that i actually do wish for has something to do with that.
Hopefully Bates will have had his last say so in the affairs of the football team.
He has done wonders for the club and built a great complex.

That being said though, i think he lost the football plot quite sometime ago.

[Matt Clark]

Is that really what you think? As far as I can tell, Bates has been a disaster for Chelsea for about 10 years now. Sure, when he took over he did a lot of good things for the club and when the first financial upswing of the Premiership era kicked in he had the nous to bring in the likes of Hoddle, then Gullit, but in all reality his net contribution to the club from which he has just made £18m is to saddle you with the biggest white elephant in football (Chelsea Village) and the crippling debts to match. AFCA is wrong - Chelsea are (or were before the Russian appeared) a spectacularly poor club.

As a West Ham fan mate of mine always delighted in saying "they're just QPR with bigger debts".

[Clan]

That would depend on how you would define poor i suppose Matt.

I would put it that Bates had Chelsea living vastly over their means, and got away with it for quite some time with his borrowing from Peter to pay Paul schemes.

His vision of the Village complex supporting the football team was a good idea in principle.The problem is the location.I mean, how many posh restaurants and hotels are there already within a short distance from the ground?Far to many, and most with a great rep.

He took a dump of a ground-hell, i remember sitting on wooden benches at the foot of the old North stand or even being about a half-mile away from the pitch by the whitewall in the old shed-and turned it into one of the best in the land.
I've never been in the completed new stadium though yet-somethin i'm hoping to put right this fall :).

He did project an image of wealth i suppose, and Chelsea do have a decent income now-a-days even excluding the Village monies dumped into the reported figures.
It was just nowhere near enough to pay for his lavish spending on the ruddy great useless complex he built with money that should have been invested into the club.

Like i said, he lost the football plot quite sometime ago.

[prk166]

As a West Ham fan mate of mine always delighted in saying "they're just QPR with bigger debts". [/B]

That's a bit like a crack whore calling a call girl a slut. It may be true but look at who's saying it.

Anyway, big money isn't going to get spent right now. THe big billionareski has to settle taking over the club and taking it private. Then the money can start to be spent. That said CR is a great manager. I hope that the financial backing helps the club compete with the likes of ManU and Arse for many years to come. CR's already brought them to a point where they have been marginally challenging for a couple seasons. It would be nice to see them take it another gradation higher.

That said, there is nothing dirty or corrupt about this Russian and his money. No more or no less than if Airbus had some guy who had owned 1/2 of it and made billions off of it. Airbus paying out bribes was part of business. It was ok under French law. It was a means of acknowleding that in other countries, business was done differently. Just because the ways in which business are conducted in Russia doesn't make his money dirty. What is the FA's deal with that, anyway? English blokes being worried about someone non-English moving in on the game and having power and influence?

[Clan]

http://www.football365shop.com/store/thumbNail.asp?size=200&image=/store/catalog/chelski_detail.gif

[imasyko]

Originally posted by Clanblue
http://www.football365shop.com/store/thumbNail.asp?size=200&image=/store/catalog/chelski_detail.gif

Cute. ;^)

Question - your contention that after a couple of years the Russian will tire of his toy and want to sell, and that the club will be debt free - doesn't the case of Fulham contradict? That guy has spent millions, but the club still struggles to stay in the Prem, and they don't even have their own field.

And, taking the club up 'another gradation' (not your line I know) strikes me as a significant, and potentially expensive step. To go from being the 'best of the rest' to actually competing with ManU and Arsenal is a big improvement. In your opinion, does your current squad actually possess the quality to make this possible?

[Clan]

Originally posted by imasyko
Cute. ;^)

Question - your contention that after a couple of years the Russian will tire of his toy and want to sell, and that the club will be debt free - doesn't the case of Fulham contradict? That guy has spent millions, but the club still struggles to stay in the Prem, and they don't even have their own field.

And, taking the club up 'another gradation' (not your line I know) strikes me as a significant, and potentially expensive step. To go from being the 'best of the rest' to actually competing with ManU and Arsenal is a big improvement. In your opinion, does your current squad actually possess the quality to make this possible?

As it stands right now there are very few, perhaps only one even, teams in Europe that can compete with Manchester United, let alone England.

The current Chelsea squad will probably finish top six next season.

Manchester United have the financial clout to stay at the top of the English game for the foreseeable future and thats about as basic as it gets.

Arsenal will fall foul of the money men as their new stadium hits all the snags, over-runs, disasters, strikes and whatever else you will have in such a large construction project.
Their time of co-sharing the top of the financial pyramid, although one step lower, with Manchester United is drawing to a close.
Wenger is quite aware of this and it's no small wonder that the Arse were one of the loudest voices against the decision to shorten the Champs League and thus revenue.

Yes, the Russian will tire eventually.It may take 10 years or longer, it may not, but in the end he will move on i think.
Chelsea are a fashionable club and already have a name in Europe.World class players have and will continue to come to CFC.

This was/is the rag heads problem at the cottage.
In a nutshell, nobody wants to play for them.

The pitch and stands of the club are owned seperately to the deal that the Russkie has as they were never part of Chelsea Village.
The pitch itself is owned by another PLC-Chelsea Pitch Owners.

No matter what happens to Chelsea Village itself Chelsea Football Club will have a home.

If Chelsea want to improve on their 4th place finish additional cover is required in key areas.This was evident before the takeover and is still the same now.

The only difference is that now instead of going for say, Koncheski from the addicks, we can now go for Chivu from Ajax-a long time Chelsea goal.

[AFCA]

Originally posted by Clanblue
The only difference is that now instead of going for say, Koncheski from the addicks, we can now go for Chivu from Ajax-a long time Chelsea goal.

Not this year you won't.

[superdave]

Originally posted by prk166
That said, there is nothing dirty or corrupt about this Russian and his money.
http://www.sopranoland.com/mall/photos/tony.jpg

I'm glad you feel that way.

[Clan]

Originally posted by AFCA
Not this year you won't.

Perhaps/perhaps not.
I was just using it as a comparison.

I think myself that our first signing will be Geremi.
Ranieri really wanted him last year, but couldn't get him.
He had a stellar year with the Boro, proving he can play in the PL.
He is young and has pace.
He is good with a dead ball.

We need a player that can cover both the RF and RM positions and doesn't look like a tit when playing in a wing back role.

[Dark Savante]

Originally posted by superdave
http://www.sopranoland.com/mall/photos/tony.jpg

I'm glad you feel that way.

LOL aint that the truth.

:D

[Dark Savante]

so, anyone taking chelski seriously now? the signings keep coming Duff being the latest.