Grant punted

[Therapist]

I met* Frank Riijkard (sp) in Cafe Luxembourg in Amsterdam. Top bloke.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* I'm not gay.

[shaun.lawson]

I'd agree Chelsea FC can never be the "biggest club in the world" (whatever "biggest" means). However they can definitely be self sustaining give the riches offered by the EPL.

 

But if they became self-sustaining, they'd more than likely find it far harder, and given Man Utd's commercial power and Arsenal's massively enhanced turnover, maybe almost impossible to win the title - so what would be the point of Abramovich hanging around?

 

Don't get me wrong - I've never subscribed to the silly "no history" argument that many make about the club. Chelsea have always had big crowds, and were a CL club prior to RA's arrival, otherwise he wouldn't have bought it in the first place! But you're not that big: and in football nowadays, the bigger clubs are, the more chance they have of making off with the prizes.

[Therapist]

But if they became self-sustaining, they'd more than likely find it far harder, and given Man Utd's commercial power and Arsenal's massively enhanced turnover, maybe almost impossible to win the title - so what would be the point of Abramovich hanging around?

 

Don't get me wrong - I've never subscribed to the silly "no history" argument that many make about the club. Chelsea have always had big crowds, and were a CL club prior to RA's arrival, otherwise he wouldn't have bought it in the first place! But you're not that big: and in football nowadays, the bigger clubs are, the more chance they have of making off with the prizes.

 

By self-sustaining, I meant being able to match the revenue of the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool etc.

[shaun.lawson]

By self-sustaining, I meant being able to match the revenue of the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool etc.

 

I'm pretty sceptical about that, to be honest - and if you consider that, such has been the rampant commercialisation of the game, even Liverpool have been left behind in terms of challenging for the title, and unable to consistently buy players from the same bracket as Man Utd and Abramovich-backed Chelsea shop in, it strikes me as a dangerous thing for an owner and CEO desirous for trophies to want anyway. But, as ever, we shall see.

[Dirk Diggler]

Football can be a cruel game.

 

One slip from Terry on Wednesday and Grant is out a job tonight.

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

probably. I think his assistant guy Ten Cate might get the job though, when Mourinho left, Grant got promoted. Same thing could happen again

 

Possibly although I don't think Grant was on the coaching staff, he was director of football or something like that?

 

I think Ten Cate probably played a bigger role than most assistants do though.

 

Riikjard would be an excellent apointment. The Barca side that won the Champions League a few years back were simply outstanding and he's capable of getting a team to play the football Chelsea fans want.

[Francis Albert]

Football can be a cruel game.

 

One slip from Terry on Wednesday and Grant is out a job tonight.

 

It would have been even crueller if Terry hadn't slipped and Grant had as expected still been punted.

[shaun.lawson]

Possibly although I don't think Grant was on the coaching staff, he was director of football or something like that?

 

I think Ten Cate probably played a bigger role than most assistants do though.

 

Riikjard would be an excellent apointment. The Barca side that won the Champions League a few years back were simply outstanding and he's capable of getting a team to play the football Chelsea fans want.

 

But here's the thing: I think Abramovich chronically underestimates the difficulty of getting a team to play gorgeous Barca-style football and keep relentlessly winning, no matter how much money you throw at it. Remember the galactico fiasco at Real - or the similar scenario over the past two seasons at Camp Nou?

 

Someone like Rijkaard might well enable them to go that one last step in Europe - but oddly, if he's appointed, I think they'll probably go backwards in the league at the same time. Mourinho believes in that efficient, fire blanket style of play, and ensuring that the 'team is the star' for a reason: it's far and away the most likely one to deliver league titles, and prevent too many egos ruining things in the process.

[shaun.lawson]

It would have been even crueller if Terry hadn't slipped and Grant had as expected still been punted.

 

Ah - but Grant would've just walked away instead, having routed his many critics. He was always going to leave, whatever the result on Wednesday.

[l/well gaz]

The writing was on the wall for Grant with Kenyon's comments after the Champs League final.

 

THE KENYON WHO LEFT MAN U FOR CHELSEA,ANOTHER GREEDY MONEY GRABBER.

[rudi must stay]

THE KENYON WHO LEFT MAN U FOR CHELSEA,ANOTHER GREEDY MONEY GRABBER.

 

well said. Who did they get beat by as well, ironic eh

[l/well gaz]

Football can be a cruel game.

 

One slip from Terry on Wednesday and Grant is out a job tonight.

 

FOOTBALL CAN BE CRUEL YES,VAN DER SAR SLIPPED LAMPARD SCORED,TERRY BOTTLED IT.

[bil]

But here's the thing: I think Abramovich chronically underestimates the difficulty of getting a team to play gorgeous Barca-style football and keep relentlessly winning, no matter how much money you throw at it. Remember the galactico fiasco at Real - or the similar scenario over the past two seasons at Camp Nou?

 

Someone like Rijkaard might well enable them to go that one last step in Europe - but oddly, if he's appointed, I think they'll probably go backwards in the league at the same time. Mourinho believes in that efficient, fire blanket style of play, and ensuring that the 'team is the star' for a reason: it's far and away the most likely one to deliver league titles, and prevent too many egos ruining things in the process.

 

Think they'd be better off with Eriksson than Rijkaard - it's easy to look good as a manager when you've got players like Ronaldinho and Messi firing on all cylinders, in the more humdrum world of the EPL I think he'd struggle whereas Eriksson could do well in both the league and Europe.

 

As for Mourinho - an arrogant selfish big-headed git whose teams play boring cynical football, one of the least likeable characters in the game.

[MacDonald Jardine]

I'm pretty sceptical about that, to be honest - and if you consider that, such has been the rampant commercialisation of the game, even Liverpool have been left behind in terms of challenging for the title, and unable to consistently buy players from the same bracket as Man Utd and Abramovich-backed Chelsea shop in, it strikes me as a dangerous thing for an owner and CEO desirous for trophies to want anyway. But, as ever, we shall see.

 

That assumes that Man Utd will always be the best team in England because they have the biggest support.

There probably is enough interest in the Premiership to sustain a few clubs at roughly the same level.

It'd not an Old Firm situation.

[cosanostra]

Football can be a cruel game.

 

One slip from Terry on Wednesday and Grant is out a job tonight.

 

True.

 

I feel a bit sorry for Grant.

 

He was not a lucky manager.

[Samster]

Was it ever confirmed that Mourinho left because of Abramovich's meddling in team affairs?

 

I was just out for the rolls and they were discussing the Grant affair on radio 5. Apparently at a recent dinner in Moscow RA claimed he was directly responsible for at least 30% of Chelsea's on field activity.

 

Obviously there are no comparisons with Hearts in terms of trophy success but the all the other stuff is frighteningly familiar.

[Terrible Trio]

On a slightly more positive note, this Sun reader thinks Chelsea have just lost 1 million fans in Israel

 

http://www.thesun.co.uk/mysun/comment/view.page?storyId=1162531&submissionId=306862&nav=jump&pageNo=2