Champions League qualification has not taken the sting out of the petty civil war between Chelsea fans. Ignore them and support the club you came here to love.
Chelsea have already qualified for next season’s Champions League via their Premier League finish, following their rivals’ refusal to put up a fight. Happy days. I won’t be jumping on the “what a great job you’ve done, Maurizio” bandwagon, though. Whilst the history books will tell a different story, Chelsea are the sixth best team in the league this season.
That’s not to say I’m not delighted at what the club have achieved. It’s a lovely, pleasant surprise that the Blues will be eating at Europe’s top table next season.
My interest doesn’t particularly lie with whoever is in charge of the team, though. It doesn’t even extend to those who wear the shirt. It’s quite simply the club that I support. The manager and players get my full support for what they stand for, not who they are.
This is where social media misses the point. These differing factions that have grown throughout this season, more than any other, are all looking for individual scapegoats. Roman Abramovich, Marina Granovskaia, Sarri, Marcos Alonso, Willian, Big Hig… the list keeps going on.
But all of these people operate under the same banner and it’s been in SW6 for the last 114 years.
As supporters, that’s where our frustrations ought to be aimed: the collective that is Chelsea Football Club. Win together – lose together. Supporters have a responsibility, too, and should be culpable in the same way as those directly involved with the club. Imagine doing your own particular job with someone booing you or calling you all names under the sun. How good would you feel glancing at your mobile phone and seeing a plethora of abuse for just doing what you’re paid to do?
No individual sets out to misplace a pass, make a tactical misjudgment or buy a complete duffer of a player. Their actions must have been taken in what they believe to be the best interests of the club at that given time. We should support them in their endeavours to achieve what professional people are supposed to do – win.
Those who claim that’s not important and trophies don’t matter are living in cloud cuckoo land. It’s the mentality of kids’ football, where it’s all about taking part rather than actually winning.
The biggest sponsorship deals go to the most successful clubs. Those bring in the best players who, in turn, should deliver the most trophies. It’s all very well wanting to blood “the yoof” and play lovely football, but if you win nothing you’re just Tottenham Hotspur.
Social media and Twitter, in particular, have undoubtedly affected the relationship between the fan base, the club and all the individuals thereof. The Sarri-in and Sarri-out factions set up by those who actually believe they have some kind of influence in this modern day, keyboard-led social media vlog-a-thon are seriously deluded. Shout into your mobile phone as much as you want but you won’t be changing my opinion on the club to which I’ve devoted a lifetime. Your opinion matters to me as much as the dirt on my shoe, and I’m sure it’s likewise. No one cares about my opinion. No one cares about this.
So the 2018/19 season is coming to an end and, when I look back on it, if Chelsea have won the Europa League I’ll doff my cap to the club on another successful season. Qualification for the Champions League is a bonus considering how poor the club have been at times this season. Let’s not celebrate it too much – we’re not Arsenal.
There may be a transfer ban, and Eden Hazard may well leave and go to Real Madrid to pursue his dream. Good luck to him, I honestly wish him well. In doing so he’ll vacate the No. 10 shirt, and like when Didier Drogba left someone will be in the wings waiting to fill it, probably Christian Pulisic. Like Drogba and Hazard, Pulisic will always have my support.
However, there’ll be many waiting to destroy him in a cynical attempt to gain more likes and followers. Not me, though. I’ll be busy supporting the club.