Ecuador NT (Post-World Cup)

MOTM Performance!!!

https://www.futbolecuador.com/site/...artido-entre-el-psg-y-el-bayern-munich/168199

 

I'll have to lean this way, too. I'm sure the oddsmakers are also highly favoring PSG.

It makes sense based on performance + strength of opponent. Granted, this game will come down to Arsenal's "haramball" and hardnosed defending vs. a high octane offense that can make magic on a moment's notice.

I think the sting of losing the CWC final to Chelsea will have the Parisians take note of how tricky a final can be and how a "lesser" squad (on paper) can play spoiler by clogging the passing lanes and totally exploiting open space.

It should be an interesting match. Can't wait. One thing is certain, though, and it'll be that we see an Ecuadawg getting to lift the CL trophy (a second for Pacho or a first for Hincapie).

 

HUGE!!!! Unfortunately Moi is playing some of the worst ball in his career during these past few weeks. Hopefully he turns it around ASAPPPPPPPP.

 

True, but to make a run in the WC, we need guys firing on all cylinders and not distracted. I think he'll bounce back and can get into tourney mode soon. An FA Cup win would help a lot.

 

Rumor mill churnings indicate Barça, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United are joining Juve on the hunt to get the Ordoñez signature.

I hope he picks Barça, Manchester United, or Liverpool if he gets to make the final call. Otherwise, who is poised to be the highest bidder? I'd assume it's Chelsea, Barça, or Manchester United.

 

Chelsea's problem is a meddling front office that doesn't really work well in the context of how futbol clubs at this level should be managed. Chelsea is presently a dumpster fire, and it seems like their signings and current coaching squad are all stemming from this group called Kinetic Academy (foundation).

I did some digging and asked Claude to break down the connection and concerns after seeing some growing rumblings on Reddit and other Chelsea supporter pages. Here's what's the crux of the issue per aggregated sources...

"Kinetic Foundation (often called Kinetic Academy) is a London-based charity founded after the 2011 England riots by former Crystal Palace coach Harry Hudson and James Fotheringham. It combines football and education for young people, providing mandatory volunteer opportunities and pathways to American college scholarships.

Several Kinetic coaches have made their way to Chelsea in a short span:

• Calum McFarlane spent six years as academy manager at Kinetic Academy before his rise through grassroots football to the Premier League. He joined Chelsea's U21 staff, then became interim head coach twice: first after Enzo Maresca was fired in January 2026, and again more recently after Liam Rosenior's departure.
• Harry Hudson is Kinetic's co-founder himself was appointed Chelsea U21s Head Coach following Rosenior's appointment in January 2026.
• Dan Hogan is another Kinetic Academy alumnus, leading Chelsea's Under-16s.

The spending is staggering. Chelsea have spent a record £1.867 billion on players since the BlueCo takeover, and now carry the highest amortization costs in world football at £212 million. Yet despite all of that, they have still managed to look unfinished.

The coaching carousel is relentless. Since BlueCo arrived, Chelsea have gone through Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Frank Lampard, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca, and further uncertainty with every manager coming with a different explanation. Tuchel was the elite coach already in the building. Potter was the long-term development appointment. Lampard was the emergency reset. Pochettino was meant to help a young squad grow. Maresca was the tactical, system-led choice. And now you can add Liam Rosenior to that list, who lasted just a few months.

The irony with Kinetic is real. After spending close to £2 billion, Chelsea find themselves repeatedly turning to a grassroots London charity coach as interim manager. Calum McFarlane is clearly talented, and his tactical work at Kinetic and beyond earned him genuine respect, but it does highlight how structurally chaotic things are at the top level.

BlueCo's Chelsea have been built around future value, but supporters live in the present. They've been told to trust the process, but the process keeps changing. That's really the core tension: it's less a football project and more a financial model that happens to have a football team attached to it."

 

Chelsea has the money but it's considered an investment to recoup on tournament play + performance via increased sponsorship funding. The RedBull model is intended to create sustainable clubs that all feed back into Leipzig, but Chelsea hasn't built that ecosystem because they haven't been buying clubs in other countries. Plus, RedBull sticks to very disciplined transfer strategies unlike Chelsea.

Every year Chelsea doesn't qualify for the Champions league = almost $22M in lost revenue (immediately). Then there is the hit taken from not playing matches where prize money is set for victories. In the current format, which is almost $20M max assuming you win all 8 games. So that's slightly over $40M in lost (max) revenue for the 2026/27 season. Rebuilds are costly and never guaranteed, and thats a huge risk for sane expensing.

The issue compounds a bit because sponsors will likely pay less if their brand is not visible at the continental level, which drags the balance sheet, too. Some kit sponsors have activation clauses tied to Champions League participation, and that will immediately drop whenever Chelsea doesn't make it to the big dance.

Players who do not convert to reliable starting XI or bench players will also hurt the books. Market value depresses and recoverable funds via transfers might also hurt a team's balance sheet. These long term deals most of the squad signed are nice (on paper) to avoid getting hit with FFP penalties or sanctions, but you've got some guys who are playing on 7-9 year deals at lower annual salary deals, but they might never see the pitch, and that's a huge concern when you still go back into the market to backfill gaps. Remember, the transfer market was always intended to be a safety valve for revenue generation, but if you sell at a loss more than once, things start looking uglier.

Chelsea's books are a mess. Some folks I know who work in the industry constantly tell me how risky that accounting practice is because they will not likely see positive cash flow for a VERY long time...if ever. What the BlueCo model seems to offer is increasing club valuation to sell for more than the purchase price of $2Bn a few years ago, and in that case, I guess their "play" is to offload the club for $4-5Bn in another 5-10 years. Once again, due to bloated wages, irregular revenue, and inconsistent sponsorship bonuses, they can theoretically break even or maybe even sell at a loss because the team didn't perform. That ultimately falls back on a front office team that keeps cycling coaches and spending with no strategic thought to the "bigger picture".

If I was Caicedo, I would not have signed that contract extension. I'd be asking for a transfer. Same for Enzo and Palmer. If Chelsea wants to rebuild, they should let go of their assets and reinvest it back into a new squad to balance the books a bit. Xabi will have his hands full, and I sincerely hope he can turn it around because I am a Chelsea fan and I want to see Caicedo succeed for national pride and my own interest in the club, but my brain tells me to temper expectations. They let go of Tuchel, lol.