Learning From Success, Not Mistakes.

[Term-X 7,891]

Poor managerial appointments, baffling transfer targets, tying players up to long term contracts, prioritizing deadwood, the continued obsession with signing the ‘finished article’. Transfer windows past, when we’ve chased one player until the final hours, with no equally placed alternatives, time and time again.

Shevchenko’s spell at the club along with the grandiose transfer fee was the ultimate lesson learned. Never sign established stars on the wrong side of 20 for that kind of fee ever again, Yet here we are.. with an even bigger flop. It’s debatable, but it seems the club are incapable of learning from down right mistakes, no justification needed, especially when they are replicated. However, it’s abundantly clear Roman’s ‘yes men’ have learned from success. Well, for the most part anyway.

Signing a promising young goalkeeper, the most expensive keeper in the clubs history, even with the incredible Carlo Cudicini at the helm. It would have seemed to be a case of fixing something that wasn't broken. A pre-season injury to Cudicini allowed Jose' to promote Cech, ever since then he's been our number one. 7 years later, We sign Thibaut Courtois for a similar fee. Leading to our head goalkeeper coach confirming his and the clubs concern over Cech's long term future. This is one of many examples of how the club have made a conscious effort to replicate successful chain of events, benefiting the club in the long term.

The Jose & AVB appointments were both on an entirely different scale (high off the successes of European glory and youth). Yet both managers arrived when ‘change’ was on the agenda. Grant, Scolari, Hiddink and even Carlo were here to prolong the success of ‘Jose’s untouchables’. AVB as one of the most highly rated young managers in the game, was appointed to implement an entire new football philosophy. Once the deadwood clear out, we will see this come into fruition, which may well replicate the cycle. This time, post-AVB appointments prolonging the success of 'his' formula/untouchables, success permitting.

Granted, I’ve merely touched the surface of this ever so slightly disjointed theory. Merely pointing out a few key examples to strengthen a somewhat uncompromising headline. I’m sure you can conjure up your own damning report of all the baffling decisions continuously being made by the club. Thankfully it’s clear from attempts to replicate successful sequences, that the club have learned from success rather than what‘s really important, failure.

[Blue Armour 4,448]

Poor managerial appointments, baffling transfer targets, tying players up to long term contracts, prioritizing deadwood, the continued obsession with signing the ‘finished article’. Transfer windows past, when we’ve chased one player until the final hours, with no equally placed alternatives, time and time again.

Shevchenko’s spell at the club along with the grandiose transfer fee was the ultimate lesson learned. Never sign established stars on the wrong side of 20 for that kind of fee ever again, Yet here we are.. with an even bigger flop. It’s debatable, but it seems the club are incapable of learning from down right mistakes, no justification needed, especially when they are replicated. However, it’s abundantly clear Roman’s ‘yes men’ have learned from success. Well, for the most part anyway.

Signing a promising young goalkeeper, the most expensive keeper in the clubs history, even with the incredible Carlo Cudicini at the helm. It would have seemed to be a case of fixing something that wasn't broken. A pre-season injury to Cudicini allowed Jose' to promote Cech, ever since then he's been our number one. 7 years later, We sign Thibaut Courtois for a similar fee. Leading to our head goalkeeper coach confirming his and the clubs concern over Cech's long term future. This is one of many examples of how the club have made a conscious effort to replicate successful chain of events, benefiting the club long term.

The Jose & AVB appointments were both on an entirely different scale (high off the successes of European glory and youth). Yet both managers arrived when ‘change’ was on the agenda. Grant, Scolari, Hiddink and even Carlo were here to prolong the success of ‘Jose’s untouchables’. AVB as one of the most highly rated young managers in the game, was appointed to implement an entire new football philosophy. Once the deadwood clear out, we will see this come into fruition, which may well replicate the cycle. This time, post-AVB appointments prolonging the success of 'his' formula/untouchables, success permitting.

Granted, I’ve merely touched the surface of this ever so slightly disjointed theory. Merely pointing out a few key examples to strengthen a somewhat uncompromising headline. I’m sure you can conjure up your own damning report of all the baffling decisions continuously being made by the club. Thankfully it’s clear from attempts to replicated successful sequences, that the club have learned from success rather than what‘s really important, failure.

Long story short: You're saying the club only pays attention to success and not the failures that it has encountered...

Thing is, the club is now a business organization and in a business organization its all about the results. The only thing the club is "really" concerned about is

1. Trophies. The club needs at a least a few every year, otherwise some other club like Man City will throw Chelsea out of the spotlight as we don't have a glory-filled past to keep attracting public attention.

2. "Sexy" Football: To acquire the kind of popularity that Barcelona and Arsenal enjoy from the public.

3. "Stars"..Names like Ballack and Torres can always attract attention

[eldo 868]

I agree with TX on this one. We've made so many mistakes. Washed out Deco over Modric

[termninja 5,290]

Good points mentioned. The club has made some really idiotic decisions over the years. I hope they have learned their lesson.

[warnie_666 1,081]

Appalling Decisions in order:

1. Firing your most successfull manager in the Club History because of the Owner's Ego. The most absurd decision a club could ever make. Mou said he wanted to stay long term with us. Lampard said he felt Mou could be here for another 9 years. The team, Fans and staff was one big family. Board was the Party Pooper.

2. Giving Grant a long term contract within first few months in charge and later firing him cus JT missed the kick. (I still didnt understand why they gave him a contract)

3. Firing Wilkins. No one till date knows what the hell happened there. Everything was going smooth and they just ask Wilkins to leave.

4. Buying Torres. An expensive buy cus the owner likes him. Any sane club would have learned from thr Shevchenko transfer but the club wanted to out do themselves.

[Term-X 7,891]

Long story short: You're saying the club only pays attention to success and not the failures that it has encountered...

Thing is, the club is now a business organization and in a business organization its all about the results. The only thing the club is "really" concerned about is

No, not success itself, but successful 'decisions/moves'. What did we really learn from the majority of our failures? ..

The only poignant one that springs to mind is our policy of not brining in new coaches entire backroom staff. Instead only allowing one or two. Due the shake up caused by sacking Scolari, and the army of backroom staff he brought with him as our coaching foundations. That and the new contractual policy of only extending 30+ players to one year extensions, or will Drogba bypass this rule?

Yes, the club are only concerned by results. Be that as it may, results can come from not repeating the same baffling and recurring mistakes, which is why we have Sheva mark II, only 2 years after leaving the club.

[Laylabelle 9,536]

Appalling Decisions in order:

1. Firing your most successfull manager in the Club History because of the Owner's Ego. The most absurd decision a club could ever make. Mou said he wanted to stay long term with us. Lampard said he felt Mou could be here for another 9 years. The team, Fans and staff was one big family. Board was the Party Pooper.

3. Firing Wilkins. No one till date knows what the hell happened there. Everything was going smooth and they just ask Wilkins to leave.

4. Buying Torres. An expensive buy cus the owner likes him. Any sane club would have learned from thr Shevchenko transfer but the club wanted to out do themselves.

Exactly!! Decisons made with absolutly no logic behind them!! Firing Jose was when it all just went downhill....

Wilkins some crap about 'we needed to move on' or something a really lame excuse thats you thought huhhhh

And Torres seemed a case of signing for the name!He was playing crap at Liverpool yet we still forked out a load and Jose apprantly wanted him before..and instead wound up with Sheva

[chrismada9 1,948]

I solely agree with TX on the fact that we, as a club should never spend astronomical amounts of money on a well-known star... just because he scores goals regularly for a certain team, doesn't mean that, if he's signed up, he will immediately gel into our squad and play fantastic. At the end of the day, it all depends on the way the tactics are set out, and how he will get on with the manager

Our problem sometimes, is that we get easily suckered into big money deals... the club realise how much we are looking to sign the player in question.. they know how much money we have, so they slap a massive price tag on him to tell us to fuck off... why do you think Napoli have slapped a £50m price tag on Cavani... to tell us that "he's not for sale... so fuck off" Plus a fact, why spend millions and millions of money on players when you could give the youngsters an opportunity. Ray Wilkins touched on a very good point, "McEachran's ability could save Chelsea millions" ... if only Wilkins was still with us!

[eldo 868]

Ballack costed us 27m €, I bet we didn't get that much from sales and other stuff.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Once the deadwood clear out, we will see this come into fruition, which may well replicate the cycle.

Exactly.

[bluephoenix 1,131]

I solely agree with TX on the fact that we, as a club should never spend astronomical amounts of money on a well-known star... just because he scores goals regularly for a certain team, doesn't mean that, if he's signed up, he will immediately gel into our squad and play fantastic. At the end of the day, it all depends on the way the tactics are set out, and how he will get on with the manager

:goodpost: totally agree ... no big money signings ...

[LDN Blue 7,903]

totally agree ... no big money signings ...

We say that.. Then when a signing like Meireles comes through, everyone starts shouting £40million Modric.

There's nothing wrong with 'big money signings', if they're well thought out (age + form + weakness + managerial acceptance is considered).

Edited December 18, 2011 by RZA

[warnie_666 1,081]

Neymar 40m bring it on

[zolayes 14,489]

Ballack costed us 27m €, I bet we didn't get that much from sales and other stuff.

I assume you mean his wages as I believe he came on a Bosman

[LDN Blue 7,903]

3. Firing Wilkins. No one till date knows what the hell happened there. Everything was going smooth and they just ask Wilkins to leave.

This should be:

3. Not paying extra to bring Steve Clarke back from Liverpool.

[zolayes 14,489]

This should be:

3. Not paying extra to bring Steve Clarke back from Liverpool.

Doubt if Steve would have come back.

[Term-X 7,891]

This should be:

3. Not paying extra to bring Steve Clarke back from Liverpool.

After the way we treated him..

We should have appointed Clarke as caretaker manager when Jose' was abruptly sacked.

[eldo 868]

I assume you mean his wages as I believe he came on a Bosman

Yes. I don't think he has justified those wages.

[Sheva. 5,373]

We say that.. Then when a signing like Meireles comes through, everyone starts shouting £40million Modric.

There's nothing wrong with 'big money signings', if they're well thought out (age + form + weakness + managerial acceptance is considered).

Don't care who it is, 35m should be the highest we go for now.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Doubt if Steve would have come back.

There was a rumour that Clarke wanted out of Liverpool this summer but Ron refused to fork up extra to bring him back. I forgot where the story came from now.