Roman Abramovich Thread

[Superblue 6,372]

2 hours ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

To return to the CL format which featured a second group stage? I'd be in favour of that. Never wanted that to be changed in the first place.

To be fair there was much rejoicing when that change was made with people saying they preferred a return to the straight knockout format of the old Champions Cup but I said then, and since, that the European Champions Cup was a Micky Mouse tournament compared to the Champions League. The double group stage gave us more games between the big sides. I loved the one season that Chelsea competed in that format.

I think it felt better at the time because it was our first foray into the Champions League setup and as a result it was just thoroughly enjoyable rubbing our shoulders with some big teams (nobody forgets Dennis running off Maldini in the San Siro to slot home).

I'm not sure how enjoyable we'd find it now, it would feel an incredible slog going through 2 rounds of groups I'd feel. Something surely has to give eventually within the club football calendar.

Having said that, that is a far better option than the abomination UEFA are concocting up moving forward with one big league where it appears you don't even play all the teams in it (for competitive fairness how does that even possibly work?!)

[cosmicway 1,333]

5 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

I think it felt better at the time because it was our first foray into the Champions League setup and as a result it was just thoroughly enjoyable rubbing our shoulders with some big teams (nobody forgets Dennis running off Maldini in the San Siro to slot home).

I'm not sure how enjoyable we'd find it now, it would feel an incredible slog going through 2 rounds of groups I'd feel. Something surely has to give eventually within the club football calendar.

Having said that, that is a far better option than the abomination UEFA are concocting up moving forward with one big league where it appears you don't even play all the teams in it (for competitive fairness how does that even possibly work?!)

The supporters of the super league appear to have a problem with too many indifferent matches and they wanted to change the system and do that thing last year. It was a crazy scheme but if there is some logic in their position, the feasible alternative is fewer teams in the domestic leagues and mini leagues in the CL / Europa.
Thus in England we go from 20 to 16.
In Greece we have 14 teams plus some silly play offs nobody likes. We should have 14 or 16 teams and no playoffs.

[Superblue 6,372]

This is a much better piece from Martin Samuels and echoes a number of my own thoughts on some of the topics he brings up.

[Blues Forever 1,232]

 

[ChelseaFanUK 1,014]

33 minutes ago, Blues Forever said:

 

re. Candy, i cant see how that meeting is bid related because it all goes through Raine. Buck and Marina would be fuck all to do with it

 

More likely coincidence with him watching the game Sunday and/or to discuss the financial help he claimed

[Blues Forever 1,232]

 

[Vesper 29,019]

Kidnapping, theft and corruption: Damning revelations of Roman Abramovich probe in full

The details of Roman Abramovich's purchase of Russian state-owned companies at bargain sums have emerged as part of a BBC Panorama investigation into the Chelsea owner

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/roman-abramovich-Chelsea-wealth-russia-26466932

 

The murky source of Roman Abramovich 's vast fortune has been laid bare as part of an extensive investigation into the sanctioned Russian multi-billionaire.

Abramovich, 55, was placed on the UK's sanctioned individuals list last Thursday, resulting in the freezing of his assets and placing huge financial strain on Chelsea, the football club he has owned since 2003.

The oligarch has extensive links with Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine in February in an act of aggression which led to backlash towards wealthy Russians living abroad under so-called 'golden visas'.

Abramovich, along with dozens of his compatriots, has seen his UK assets frozen, including a £150million London mansion and £30million three-storey penthouse.

President Putin's belligerence has led to a fresh wave of scrutiny over oligarchs potentially laundering their money in the UK.

The BBC launched a probe into the source of Abramovich's wealth four years ago through their Panorama programme, uncovering his substantial links to corruption, theft and alleged kidnapping.

Investigators gained access to a secret five-page document believed to have been smuggled out of Russia which claimed the Saratov native was detained in police custody on suspicion of stealing a trainload of diesel and selling it in 1992.

His lawyers told the BBC the incident was merely a misunderstanding, yet a Moscow police chief launched a warrant for his arrest only for the case to vanish without trace.

The probe then turned its attention to the mid-1990s, when Abramovich made inroads into the Russian energy industry thanks to a rigged auction and a government bribe.

The Chelsea owner planned to combine state-owned oil facilities in Serbia and buy them for a cut-price sum but, given his lack of political influence, needed to curry favour.

Boris Berezovsky, a fellow oligarch, is said to have suggested to Abramovich pay $10million (£7.7m) to a Kremlin official to obtain support. The intended target for the bribe was Alexander Korzhakov, a crony of then-president Boris Yeltsin.

Korzhakov denies there was a bribe but confirmed to the BBC that Berezovsky tried to buy his support.

Regardless of how the money exchanged hands, Abramovich's plan worked and he bought newly-created company Sibneft as part of a rigged auction.

The secret document seen by the BBC also asserts the money he used to purchase the company - which is now known as Gazprom - was borrowed from a bank after a government official deposited $137million (£105m) into an account.

Abramovich bought Sibneft for $250million (£190m) - roughly $2.7billion (£2.1bn) less than it was worth - and would later sell it back to the government for $13billion (£9.9bn) in 2005.

The document shows evidence the Department of Economic Crimes believed Abramovich could have faced charges of fraud for wresting control of Sibneft via the rigged auction.

Remarkably, Abramovich confirmed a number of the claims in the document during a London court case having been sued by Berezovsky once their relationship turned sour.

In the case he won in 2012, he spoke of the payment to the government official and the auction, with judge Lady Justice Gloster finding admissions of corruption, although there were no repercussions in the UK or Russia.

The document is believed to show that, at the time, Yeltsin acted to protect Abramovich by moving files from law enforcement authorities to the Kremlin.

He is also alleged to have stopped an investigation launched by Yuri Skuratov, then the prosecutor general of Russia who would later lose his job after his sex tape surfaced.

Panorama also drew attention to a document from the Spanish authorities which claimed Abramovich - who served as a regional governor under Putin for eight years - manages the president's 'private economic interests'.

This is something Abramovich's lawyers deny, while they also dismissed he was protected by Yeltsin or Putin.

In another dubious transaction in 2002, Abramovich bought oil and gas company Slavneft after there were allegations of a rival negotiator being kidnapped.

Chinese company CNPC was believed to be willing to pay twice as much as its competitors but a representative is said to have been abducted on their arrival at Moscow airport.

CNPC subsequently withdrew their interest and, again, Abramovich purchased the company for a bargain fee in what was described as a pre-arranged sale by Vladimir Milov, Russia's former deputy energy minister.

There is no suggestion Abramovich had any knowledge of the kidnapping and his lawyers insist it did not occur but independent sources confirmed to the BBC it took place.

 

Edited March 15, 2022 by Vesper

[Tricky Houseman 7]

Roman is now reported to be in Moscow. The optimist in me hopes that he is there to use whatever influence he has to try and talk some sense into the current regime about the futility of this awful war.

The cynic in me says he's gone there to nail his colours to Putin's mast

Edited March 15, 2022 by Tricky Houseman

[ZAPHOD2319 4,517]

2 minutes ago, Tricky Houseman said:

Roman is now reported to be in Moscow. The optimist in me hopes that he is there to use whatever influence he has to try and talk some sense into the current regime about the futility of this awful war.

The cynic in me says he's gone there to nail his colours to Putin's mast

After Israel gave him the hassle, it must feel awkward that Moscow is the safest place to be. 

[Pizy 18,418]

Oh great, more controversy and the whole football media angry with us again with this latest statement from the club.

It was indeed an incredibly stupid statement, tbf. This club just can’t catch a single break this last few weeks. Wish we’d just shut up and hurry with the new ownership before things unravel even further.

[Laylabelle 9,381]

7 minutes ago, Pizy said:

Oh great, more controversy and the whole football media angry with us again with this latest statement from the club.

It was indeed an incredibly stupid statement, tbf. This club just can’t catch a single break this last few weeks. Wish we’d just shut up and hurry with the new ownership before things unravel even further.

Oh the Boro one? So bloody stupid! Who ever thought of that. The obvious answer is no!! Why should they and their fans lose out!

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

The statement isnt stupid as much as its just incredibly tone deaf. Its like they dont live in the same world as the rest of us....they probably dont.

[MoroccanBlue 5,318]

Whole world going to back Boro now for an upset. 

[Tricky Houseman 7]

Just don't understand the thinking behind it. It just attracts more hostility towards the club. If the boot was on the other foot would we do it..of course not. As far as I know we have already sold a few hundred tickets, it's not like we wont be without any support. We've just got to ride this period out, without making it more difficult than it already is.

[ZAPHOD2319 4,517]

You knew it would be harsh.

 

 

[chelsea_4_eva 1,159]

Whos bright idea was this then...

[MoroccanBlue 5,318]

They have every right to decline our proposal but you'd think it was Carragher that wrote that. 

Hope we batter them now. 

 

 

[Fulham Broadway 16,920]

15 minutes ago, Tricky Houseman said:

Just don't understand the thinking behind it. It just attracts more hostility towards the club. If the boot was on the other foot would we do it..of course not. As far as I know we have already sold a few hundred tickets, it's not like we wont be without any support. We've just got to ride this period out, without making it more difficult than it already is.

The club seem to be putting their foot in it. Think one of the cleaners is doing the press releases.

BTW your user name, met Houseman and Ossie 👍. Disgusting how his murderer, son of a tory MP only got fined for the crime.