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Chelsea new owner wishlist as club searches for Abramovich replacement

By The Pride of London Staff

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Fans hold banners opposing Chelsea signing up for the newly proposed European Super League ahead of the Premier League match between Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge on April 20, 2021 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Fans hold banners opposing Chelsea signing up for the newly proposed European Super League ahead of the Premier League match between Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge on April 20, 2021 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images) /
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 14: Chelsea players Magdalena Eriksson, Ji So-Yun and Sam Kerr celebrate with goalscorer Jessie Fleming during the Barclays FA Women’s Super League match between Manchester City Women and Chelsea Women at the Manchester City Academy Stadium on November 14, 2021 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 14: Chelsea players Magdalena Eriksson, Ji So-Yun and Sam Kerr celebrate with goalscorer Jessie Fleming during the Barclays FA Women’s Super League match between Manchester City Women and Chelsea Women at the Manchester City Academy Stadium on November 14, 2021 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images) /

3. Commitment (Olaoluwa Nwobodo)

The new owners have to also be consistent in committing to all the things that Abramovich was committed to during his 19 years, especially the women’s and the youth teams. Chelsea boasts the best women’s team in England and the best youth academy in Europe over the last decade or so, both by fairly wide margins given their recent successes.

The Blues’ academy teams have been winning a major competitions over the past five to 10 years. They have produced top talents and established players across several top five European Leagues. Chelsea’s youth system has produced senior starlets such as Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James, Mason Mount and Christensen. It has also produced current loanees like Tino Anjorin, Armando Broja, Levi Colwill, Billy Gilmour, Conor Gallagher and many others. The Cobham academy has also produced players that the Blues have gone on to sell outright like AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori, AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham, Atalanta’s Mario Pasalic and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.

None of this happened overnight either. These success stories are the result of the time and resources put, over several decades, into getting the best players and the best facilities to nurture these talented youngsters. The youth academy is the product of relentless, intentional work put in by the soon-to-be former owner. This work has helped Chelsea not only to make money, but also to produce key players in a Champions League-winning side.

Meanwhile, Emma Hayes’ women’s team has also been supported significantly by Abramovich. Chelsea has one of the best coaches in women’s football in Hayes, and she has been given what is essentially a lifetime contract for her efforts over the past 10 years. Simply put, Hayes has the job until she decides to resign. This is Abramovich and the club’s hierarchy putting their money where their mouthes are, trusting Hayes and continuing to give her all the support she’ll ever need.

The Blues have won the FA Women’s Super League (FAWSL) in two consecutive seasons, as well as several domestic cups. In fact, they got to the final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League just last season and only lost to a Barcelona Femeni side that was—and continues to be—the best team in the world, undeniably.

At the last Ballon D’Or award ceremony, Chelsea had five players represented in the top 20 of the Women’s rankings. The Blues boast some of the best players in women’s football, including Pernille Harder, Lauren James, Samantha Kerr, Fran Kirby and Guro Reiten. Chelsea was only able to grow the women’s team into this successful juggernaut because of the commitment shown by the owner to get the team there. This commitment has to remain at this level because that’s the only way to promote women’s football not just in England, but around the world, as well.

This commitment doesn’t just cover the women and youth teams, but the men’s team, as well. The men’s team has won every trophy available in club football, a feat that has only been accomplished by five other clubs on the planet. The standard for performance on the pitch is high and it must remain that way, otherwise, Chelsea will begin to decline as a football club.

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