Underachievers Chelsea show us how not to run a football club



Never has so much been spent to accomplish so little, the sacking of Graham Potter was a sign they had precious little hope of victory with him, there is a case for deeming theirs one of the worst seasons in footballing history. They have committed around £600m in transfer and loan fees for players and managers, exited both domestic cups without scoring, let alone winning, languish in the lower half of the Premier League, without beating any of its top eight teams and having been outscored by far worse teams

It is hard to think of a bigger gulf between expenditure and achievement. If Potter has been the face of failure, Todd Boehly is the architect of it. It would complete a perfect year of dreadful decision-making if the manager he sacked, Thomas Tuchel, ends the season winning the Champions League with Bayern Munich. Boehly got rid of one of the world’s best managers and replaced him with an inferior figure, lacking the charisma and decisiveness elite clubs require. Chelsea paid Brighton £21m for Potter, only scored 21 league goals under him and now face another hefty pay-off.

Games have been lost: so, for Boehly and Clearlake Capital, has credibility. Supporters’ trust in this board may be gone for good. Perhaps Chelsea’s American owners underestimated Tuchel’s popularity with the fanbase. Rather fewer bought into the idea of Potter; most were not in outright opposition, but the new regime tried to sell a downgrade as a masterstroke. They sought to suggest there was a long-term plan, but simply signing young players is not a strategy. . maybe Potter, hired when Brighton were fourth, was another who was the flavour of the month, a knee-jerk reaction dressed up as a long-term approach.

An air of delusion has gripped Chelsea this season. The reality is they had a Champions League-winning team two years ago and a far worse side now. If they had a better season, given the scale of their underachievement and the calibre of players they possess in their bloated squad, there is a danger their group will be weakened again as they pay the price for a year of terrible choices.

In summary, Chelsea have not managed the club well  on the following fronts - Youth Development: Financial Prudence, Fan Engagement, Adapt to Modern Tactics, Internal Conflicts resolution and many other behind the scenes dramas we may never know

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