Roman Abramovich Thread

[Milan 17,955]

Even minutes after Chelsea had won the Champions League last year, those inside the dressing-room say that he was looking to the future.

“Roman gave a little thank you speech in the dressing room,” said Buck.

Using Tenenbaum as a translator, Abramovich called for calm and spoke quietly to the players of their collective triumph.

“We’ve won it — but this is just the beginning,” was the crux of Tenenbaum’s translation.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/10149386/How-Chelsea-owner-Roman-Abramovich-changed-the-face-of-football-in-England.html

[bushman 2,043]

I am certain Roman can speak English to get by very well.

As for him leaving the club, it´ll never happen, I feel. Chelsea´s his baby, all he wants is to win games, trophies but playing an attractive football. He is the most generous owner around. We all should be very grateful for it.

[Billy. 2,742]

Thank you Roman here is to another 10 years

[blu35_army 551]

Bruce Buck—"Few people could have comprehended 10 years ago how Roman Abramovich's ownership would quickly transform Chelsea. taking them from a club facing mid-table mediocrity & near bankruptcy to become one of the most formidable football teams in the world."

Happy 10th Anniversary Sir Abramovich,,You & me is really love this club but in different way...

[Clevemayer 764]

Roman, you cool MOFO

[We Hate Scouse 10,326]

What a man. Hats off to you Sir Roman.

[bushman 2,043]

Anyone who thinks Roman might leave this club is totally clueless, I feel.

Him hiring the Special One indicates a total new beginning, to me.

He is building a dynasty, in my view.

The most generous owner any fan can wish for. Happy sailing for the next ten years.

[Chelseapony 76]

In honor of the 10 year anniversary of Roman buying the team. Some stories and excerpts from books.

ESPN: Roman's decade of dominance at Stamford Bridge

It was the deal that changed English football in an instant, and, as the 10th anniversary of Roman Abramovich's purchase of Chelsea edges closer, the true cost of his investment can be revealed for the first time.

July 2, 2003 was the date Chelsea banished their financial concerns to become one of the richest clubs in world football, with their transformation completed as a reclusive Russian billionaire opted to base his fantasy football team in west London after spurning the chance to set up camp on the other side of the capital at Tottenham.

"This is not about making money," Abramovich told the BBCon the day he took over Chelsea, in what is still the only major interview he has granted during his decade as one of the most powerful men in football.

Excerpt from The Roman Conquest by Harry Harris

After telling advisers he “wouldn’t mind buying a football team”, Abramovich hired investment bank UBS Warburg to write a feasibility study, which listed a number of possible options. “It said that Manchester United would be expensive and the fans would go crazy. Aston Villa was for sale but was in Birmingham and the long-term opportunities were limited. Tottenham was on the list along with Chelsea. They were in London; they were in financial trouble. Roman’s advisers tried to arrange meetings with Tottenham and Chelsea but for whatever reason, they couldn’t set up a meeting with Tottenham, or Tottenham didn’t want to meet.” A provisional deal with then-owner Ken Bates was sealed not with vodka but with Coca-Cola at the Dorchester Hotel in central London, Buck said. Abramovich and his team had been “naïve” about the football club’s place in British culture and had not anticipated the long-running media fascination in the new Russian owner. “We thought, ‘Yeah, it will be a decent story for a couple of weeks and then Roman will go back and have his private life.’ Because he is a very private guy. He clearly didn’t do things for the notoriety or publicity because that is not him.” Chelsea received more intense scrutiny than the major northern teams like City, United and Liverpool because it was “a London club, a bit of an upstart”.

Harris, Harry (2012-05-29). The Roman Conquest - Chelsea Kings of Europe 2012 (Kindle Locations 237-256). Empire Publications. Kindle Edition.

Excerpt from Game Changer by Mihir Bose.

This was as clear an invitation as any and although the details of the judgement were meant to be secret it seemed all the world heard it. Since then investors have flocked to Britain in search of football clubs ripe for takeover. Indeed, just over a year after this momentous decision, a Russian arrived who was to have a dramatic impact on the game in this country. That man was Roman Abramovich. In the summer of 2003, after benefiting from the collapse of communism which had enabled him to make a fortune in Boris Yeltsin’s Russia, he bought Chelsea for £140 million. Abramovich has never explained why he bought the club. Before he bought Chelsea he met Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman. There have been persistent stories he really wanted to buy the North London club. Levy has always denied this was the case or that he received any offer. Among the rumours is one that Abramovich flew over the Chelsea ground and decided that was the club. Unlike Hammam three decades earlier, he was not given the brush-off by the owners of Chelsea but eagerly welcomed. Whatever his motives, he had no plans to turn Chelsea into another Crazy Gang. And before long, the Premier League was awash with what many felt was crazy money. These Russian riches unleashed changes that were to prove dramatic and continue to be felt to this day.

Bose, Mihir (2012-09-13). Game Changer: How the English Premier League came to dominate the world (Kindle Locations 5272-5282). Marshall Cavendish. Kindle Edition.

[Styles 9,790]

Amazing how the years have flown by. Roman :tophat:

[nachikethas 1,154]

Thanks roman. best owner in the world.

[ZOS 580]

Спасибо римские :blue scalf:

[Term-X 7,891]

My top 5 Roman moments:

1. Re-appointing Jose (swallowed his pride)

2. His promised post-mortem investments

3. World Class Infrastructure / academy investment (Cobham etc).

4. Appointing Jose

5. 2012 squad replenishments (Hazard, Oscar, Azpi)