The Board

[OhForAGreavsie 5,774]

3 hours ago, Jason said:

 

There is a good argument to be made for this. Indeed the entire, league wide, academy structure could be questioned. There is a fundamental disconnect between the aims of a football club and those of a school, and make no mistake a football club's academy is exactly that, a school. The centre of interest for the club it to meet its own requirements. The centre of interest for a school is the pupil.

The promise a school must make to each and every one of its pupils is to help them become the very best they can be. The school has no expectation that the pupil will ever become a teacher. To be fair, I think Chelsea fulfil this role brilliantly. There are a lot of people across the country, and across the continent, who are holding down great jobs and forging good lives because of the grounding they received at Cobham. That's the real measure of an educational establishment and Cobham is simply outstanding. So huge is the gap between what a school must do, and what people expect of a football club that, instead of winning widespread acclaim for its tremendous results, Cobham has been judged by almost everyone to be failing.

I don't feel that failing judgement has ever been justified, and have often said so. There are plenty here who disagree with me however. Can I look any of them in the eye and say that they are wrong? They'd be entitled to ask if Chelsea is a trophy chasing football club, or a school. They might point out that BP employ engineers, chemists, accountants, lawyers but they don't attempt to educate them all. I'm proud of our academy. I take pride in watching our lads play good football and win. For me, the five straight Youth Cups is right up there with the best achievements of this club that I would want to boast about. I do think however that it would serve the English game better if the education of young footballers, and the funding required to make it work, were taken away from top level clubs.

The NFL have this right. They recruit the top footballers, they don't teach them the game. They concentrate on what they're good at and leave the training, or apprenticeships if you prefer, to the experts Our system, our culture, means it is very hard to see training left to lower division clubs. There would be enormous resistance but it could be done. The key would be to put age limits on who can play in Leagues one and two, as well as the national league. With the most youngsters required, and the fewest over age players allowed, in the National League. The balance would shift as clubs move up or down the league, until the Championship which would be without restriction. The bulk of the playing squad for junior clubs would be made up of youngsters. The better ones would graduate into Leagues One & Two and the best will rise to the top. Just like in the real world.

The economics of this would be an issue but it could be solved. That's for another long post however. My point is that whoever the manager was, he was not a million miles away from being in the right.

[OneMoSalah 8,613]

3 hours ago, manpe said:

My bet is on Villas-Boas. Or maybe Mourinho.

Not certain that Villas-Boas would of been for that. A presentation does sound like him and okay he did talk about the PL needing a B team league to bridge the gap but he came from Porto where their youth academy is a huge part of how they operate, as well as the whole Portuguese leagues culture.

Also the fact he targeted/signed lots of younger players during his time here, Courtois, Lukaku, Romeu, De Bruyne, Davila, Omeruo, Piazon, Bamford (although Lukaku, Courtois and de Bruyne had been scouted by the club beforehand I am certain but he was the manager when they signed so you could say he had a say or an idea regarding them). He also wanted Thiago Alcantara, Andre Schurrle, did play Sturridge a lot, showed faith in Romeu over Mikel too when others wouldnt have and promoted Bertrand to the first team squad.

I know they arent academy players and am not certain his youth record is great either though which maybe doesnt help the argument but I think he wouldnt of been wanting to close the academy, he always talked and seemed more worried about a long term change at Chelsea in style and seemed to want to phase out some of the senior players instantly.

I do reckon it was Mourinhos 2nd spell. Sounds like something he would do. The whole academy day bullshit after playing Ruben for 20 mins or whatever it was too, it reeks of him. Also the whole academy should be used to make money bit, Jose talked about Chelsea's net spend and FFP in his second spell here a lot. 

Could argue Conte maybe as well but for me sounds more Jose esque.

[Vesper 27,306]

11 hours ago, Jason said:

 

Mourinho in 2014

Jose Mourinho: If Chelsea don't bring young players through then we should close our academy

Chelsea manager proudly parades academy graduate Ruben Loftus-Cheek in front of the cameras ahead of Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/11283101/Jose-Mourinho-If-Chelsea-dont-bring-young-players-through-then-we-should-close-our-academy.html

Just 24 hours after a French ex-Arsenal player, a Belgian and an Argentine helped to unveil Manchester City’s new £200million Football Academy, Jose Mourinho sat an English teenager “made in Chelsea” next to him ahead of his side's Champions League clash against Sporting Lisbon.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been at Chelsea since the age of eight and will play some part of the club’s final Group G game at Stamford Bridge, most probably from the substitutes’ bench.

The fact 18-year-old Loftus-Cheek will be involved against Sporting is not entirely surprising, given Chelsea have already qualified for the knockout stages as group winners, but Mourinho’s decision to put the youngster straight in front of the television cameras was an unusual move.

Mourinho does everything for a reason and it seemed that while City had shown they now have the best facilities in the land to bring through young players, the Chelsea manager was displaying that his club finally believe they have the home-grown talent and the right environment to give youth a chance.

Chelsea have not seen one of their own become a regular first-team player since captain John Terry, despite opening their £30m academy in 2005 with running costs of up to £8m a year.

City’s last home-grown product was Micah Richards, who may have smiled wryly to see Patrick Vieira, Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta open the club’s new talent factory from Italy, where he is currently on loan with Fiorentina.

“If you don't bring kids through the academy, the best thing is to close the academy,” said Chelsea manager Mourinho. “If the kids are not good enough or the work not good enough and you don't bring kids up, then close the door and use the money to buy players.

“You need to prove the academy works well and is worth it. It's only possible if the first-team manager stays for a long time, which in this club, in the last 10 years, was not possible. Now I'm trying to format Ruben and other Rubens in relation to my ideas, to his position.

“Imagine next week if there's a different first-team manager with different ideas. Some product, almost an added product, becomes an empty product and you start everything again. In this moment, the relation between the first-team and the academy is changing based on this stability that, at this moment, we are having.

“The first time Ruben trained with me was 18 months ago. In the last two or three weeks, he's been training with me every day. So, in 18 months, I think he remembers every word or feedback he's had in first-team development. This stability is important. The people in the academy feel they are working for something.

“Which is why tomorrow, when a boy who arrived at Cobham aged eight plays, is not Ruben's day but ‘academy day’.”

Loftus-Cheek captained Chelsea to FA Youth Cup glory last season and made his mark at international level just last month by scoring in England Under-19s’ 3-0 victory over Italy.

He joins Lewis Baker, Isaiah Brown and Dominic Solanke in the group of young English players that Mourinho is taking a special interest in.

Having confirmed Loftus-Cheek will make his first-team debut at some point against Sporting, Mourinho said: “One month ago, he played in Lisbon with the Champions League new generation, so you can imagine the difference between playing against Sporting academy, with 1,000 spectators, and then to play against Sporting in the real Champions League, at Stamford Bridge with 45,000 and all the lights on you.

“To be here since he was eight and to have the chance to play for Chelsea, his first game, is every kid’s dream.

“He was not one of the players that started the season with me. He didn't have a pre-season with me. But the way he's training with us, every time he comes, gives me the guarantee that – while not being an end product – he has the quality and the ambition.

“I'm so happy to give the kids a chance and, especially, when I give the chance and feel that they have the tools to answer well and make a career at Chelsea. An English player, 18, completely made in Chelsea - if he does it and if he succeeds, it's good.”

If his performance in front of the cameras and microphones was anything to go by, then Loftus-Cheek should not suffer from stage fright at Stamford Bridge.

Asked whether he and the rest of Chelsea’s youngsters are mindful that the club have not produced one of their own since Terry, Loftus-Cheek replied: “We're very aware of that. It's not going to be easy to break in, especially with the squad in front of us, but you can't be negative in these situations. You have to think you can do it and be positive, otherwise you won't get anywhere near.

“It would be amazing to make my debut. I've been here since I was a young kid, watching Chelsea on the TV and thinking maybe I would be playing at Stamford Bridge. If the opportunity comes, great. If it doesn't, I’ll keep working hard, doing my best every day, and, hopefully, the chance will come.”

[manpe 10,855]

^ So confirmed, it was Mourinho who attempted to destroy our future even further, cunt. Can't see how any club with long-term plans would hire this wrecking ball.

[Vesper 27,306]

2 hours ago, manpe said:

^ So confirmed, it was Mourinho who attempted to destroy our future even further, cunt. Can't see how any club with long-term plans would hire this wrecking ball.

perfect re-hire for Real Madrid, roflmaoooooooooo

[Jase 43,479]

14 hours ago, Vesper said:

Mourinho in 2014

Jose Mourinho: If Chelsea don't bring young players through then we should close our academy

Chelsea manager proudly parades academy graduate Ruben Loftus-Cheek in front of the cameras ahead of Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/11283101/Jose-Mourinho-If-Chelsea-dont-bring-young-players-through-then-we-should-close-our-academy.html

Just 24 hours after a French ex-Arsenal player, a Belgian and an Argentine helped to unveil Manchester City’s new £200million Football Academy, Jose Mourinho sat an English teenager “made in Chelsea” next to him ahead of his side's Champions League clash against Sporting Lisbon.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been at Chelsea since the age of eight and will play some part of the club’s final Group G game at Stamford Bridge, most probably from the substitutes’ bench.

The fact 18-year-old Loftus-Cheek will be involved against Sporting is not entirely surprising, given Chelsea have already qualified for the knockout stages as group winners, but Mourinho’s decision to put the youngster straight in front of the television cameras was an unusual move.

Mourinho does everything for a reason and it seemed that while City had shown they now have the best facilities in the land to bring through young players, the Chelsea manager was displaying that his club finally believe they have the home-grown talent and the right environment to give youth a chance.

Chelsea have not seen one of their own become a regular first-team player since captain John Terry, despite opening their £30m academy in 2005 with running costs of up to £8m a year.

City’s last home-grown product was Micah Richards, who may have smiled wryly to see Patrick Vieira, Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta open the club’s new talent factory from Italy, where he is currently on loan with Fiorentina.

“If you don't bring kids through the academy, the best thing is to close the academy,” said Chelsea manager Mourinho. “If the kids are not good enough or the work not good enough and you don't bring kids up, then close the door and use the money to buy players.

“You need to prove the academy works well and is worth it. It's only possible if the first-team manager stays for a long time, which in this club, in the last 10 years, was not possible. Now I'm trying to format Ruben and other Rubens in relation to my ideas, to his position.

“Imagine next week if there's a different first-team manager with different ideas. Some product, almost an added product, becomes an empty product and you start everything again. In this moment, the relation between the first-team and the academy is changing based on this stability that, at this moment, we are having.

“The first time Ruben trained with me was 18 months ago. In the last two or three weeks, he's been training with me every day. So, in 18 months, I think he remembers every word or feedback he's had in first-team development. This stability is important. The people in the academy feel they are working for something.

“Which is why tomorrow, when a boy who arrived at Cobham aged eight plays, is not Ruben's day but ‘academy day’.”

Loftus-Cheek captained Chelsea to FA Youth Cup glory last season and made his mark at international level just last month by scoring in England Under-19s’ 3-0 victory over Italy.

He joins Lewis Baker, Isaiah Brown and Dominic Solanke in the group of young English players that Mourinho is taking a special interest in.

Having confirmed Loftus-Cheek will make his first-team debut at some point against Sporting, Mourinho said: “One month ago, he played in Lisbon with the Champions League new generation, so you can imagine the difference between playing against Sporting academy, with 1,000 spectators, and then to play against Sporting in the real Champions League, at Stamford Bridge with 45,000 and all the lights on you.

“To be here since he was eight and to have the chance to play for Chelsea, his first game, is every kid’s dream.

“He was not one of the players that started the season with me. He didn't have a pre-season with me. But the way he's training with us, every time he comes, gives me the guarantee that – while not being an end product – he has the quality and the ambition.

“I'm so happy to give the kids a chance and, especially, when I give the chance and feel that they have the tools to answer well and make a career at Chelsea. An English player, 18, completely made in Chelsea - if he does it and if he succeeds, it's good.”

If his performance in front of the cameras and microphones was anything to go by, then Loftus-Cheek should not suffer from stage fright at Stamford Bridge.

Asked whether he and the rest of Chelsea’s youngsters are mindful that the club have not produced one of their own since Terry, Loftus-Cheek replied: “We're very aware of that. It's not going to be easy to break in, especially with the squad in front of us, but you can't be negative in these situations. You have to think you can do it and be positive, otherwise you won't get anywhere near.

“It would be amazing to make my debut. I've been here since I was a young kid, watching Chelsea on the TV and thinking maybe I would be playing at Stamford Bridge. If the opportunity comes, great. If it doesn't, I’ll keep working hard, doing my best every day, and, hopefully, the chance will come.”

It's so cringeworthy looking back at this. Talked so much about the academy and only one played in the meaningless Champions League game and it was just for 7 minutes! 

[pHaRaOn 2,131]

AVB completely separated academy from the first team and even used some people from his stuff to fill the numbers during the training instead of using players from the Academy.

[Vesper 27,306]

On 7/17/2019 at 6:15 PM, the wes said:

LA Dodgers tycoon Todd Boehly considers bid for top London clubs

EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea and Tottenham interest investment firm boss

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/la-dodgers-tycoon-todd-boehly-considers-bid-for-top-london-clubs-a4192136.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter&fbclid=IwAR3jgoV4-9C3pjmcemckTdXLsx2ECLnygLVxtLyNcmHjxhTqnoQnUJlzD1g#Echobox=1563363352

Roman Abramovich turns down Chelsea takeover offer from owner of LA Dodgers

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/12/10/roman-abramovich-turns-chelsea-takeover-offer-owner-la-dodgers/?li_source=LI&li_medium=li-recommendation-widget

[Vesper 27,306]

The Business Of Soccer
2019 Club Valuations

RANKING

https://www.forbes.com/soccer-valuations/list/#tab:overall

[Atomiswave 6,072]

On ‎20‎-‎12‎-‎2019 at 11:43 PM, Vesper said:

The Business Of Soccer
2019 Club Valuations

RANKING

https://www.forbes.com/soccer-valuations/list/#tab:overall

I just cannot stop laughing seeing City in 5th lol.......screams above fishy.

[Jase 43,479]

 

[Vesper 27,306]

CHELSEA FC FINANCIAL RESULTS

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2019/12/31/chelsea-fc-financial-results

Chelsea FC plc today announced our annual financial results for the year ended 30 June 2019, reflecting an increase in revenue for the fourth year in succession.

The group turnover figure grew to £446.7m from £443.4m the previous year. After two profitable years in 2017 and 2018, the Group recorded a loss of £96.6m for the year ended 30 June 2019, reflecting a number of player acquisitions and its related costs, as well as a lack of Champions League football together with costs associated with the change of first team management.

Despite recording a loss for the 2019 financial year, the Club continues to comply with UEFA’s break-even criteria under the Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

Revenue from commercial activities grew by £14.5m, following the signing of several partnership deals including Hyundai, Vitality Health, MSC Cruises, Unilever, Beats by Dre and Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, and increased revenues from online merchandise sales.

Broadcasting and matchday revenues decreased by £3.9m and £7.3m respectively, primarily as a result of the Club’s participation in the Europa League as opposed to the Champions League in the previous season.

The Club also invested a record £280.6m in the playing squad during the year, including the acquisitions of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Pulisic, Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho.

Chairman Bruce Buck said: ‘Consistent revenue growth and careful financial management over recent seasons has allowed the Club to make significant levels of investment in the playing staff whilst maintaining compliance with UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations. This has contributed to another Europa League victory at the end of the 2018/19 season and a return to the highest level of European competition.

‘This solid commercial foundation, allied to a young and exciting team now led by Frank Lampard, means that the Club is well placed to sustain its pursuit of success both on and off the pitch as well as maintain its financial stability over the coming years.’

snip

[killer1257 3,282]

CHELSEA FC FINANCIAL RESULTS

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2019/12/31/chelsea-fc-financial-results

Chelsea FC plc today announced our annual financial results for the year ended 30 June 2019, reflecting an increase in revenue for the fourth year in succession.

The group turnover figure grew to £446.7m from £443.4m the previous year. After two profitable years in 2017 and 2018, the Group recorded a loss of £96.6m for the year ended 30 June 2019, reflecting a number of player acquisitions and its related costs, as well as a lack of Champions League football together with costs associated with the change of first team management.
Despite recording a loss for the 2019 financial year, the Club continues to comply with UEFA’s break-even criteria under the Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
Revenue from commercial activities grew by £14.5m, following the signing of several partnership deals including Hyundai, Vitality Health, MSC Cruises, Unilever, Beats by Dre and Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, and increased revenues from online merchandise sales.
Broadcasting and matchday revenues decreased by £3.9m and £7.3m respectively, primarily as a result of the Club’s participation in the Europa League as opposed to the Champions League in the previous season.
The Club also invested a record £280.6m in the playing squad during the year, including the acquisitions of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Pulisic, Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho.
Chairman Bruce Buck said: ‘Consistent revenue growth and careful financial management over recent seasons has allowed the Club to make significant levels of investment in the playing staff whilst maintaining compliance with UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations. This has contributed to another Europa League victory at the end of the 2018/19 season and a return to the highest level of European competition.
‘This solid commercial foundation, allied to a young and exciting team now led by Frank Lampard, means that the Club is well placed to sustain its pursuit of success both on and off the pitch as well as maintain its financial stability over the coming years.’
snip

Hazard Money will be included in 2020 Financial results ?

Gesendet von meinem SM-G920F mit Tapatalk

[ChelseaFanUK 1,014]

Will not affect our spending ability this window or this summer. Sponsorship and commercial income claws that back

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Sign some fucking players. 

[Magic Lamps 11,447]

The loss is irrelevant but the stagnation in revenue is alarming if you look at how other big clubs around us grew. 14.5 growth on the commercial side indicates that we should invest more in building our brand globally. Also I would be interested in seeing how change in first team management affected the bottom line exactly as I would have thought that Sarris effective sale should have been cost neutral. 

[BXL70 395]

To boost revenues in the long-term, we would need a new stadium - when built it would translate into around additional 1million £ per game or 30£m per season (very approximately). Fairly significant anyway. But in the short to medium term, it would mean lack of large cash for transfers since cash will be partially used to pay back loans; as experienced by Arsenal and Spurs. And if it leads to missing champions league, it could turn out as a negative vicious circle. On the other hand, Stanford Bridge is dating, and supporters need better facilities, not to mention that demand for seats is larger than the current offer, which is frustrating for those wanting to attend games but can't do so. Maybe, one option is to start building the new stadium when we have a stable and competitive team for the next 3-5 years or so, leveraging our new talents from the academy, thereby requiring less cash to be invested into new expensive transfers. What we need now is 2/3 very experienced world-class players to strengthen the team. And then we are good. My guess is that this is the strategy of the Board. At least I hope so.

 

[Vesper 27,306]

Chelsea accounts show club paid out £26.6million over Conte sacking

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/chelsea-accounts-show-club-paid-out-ps266million-over-conte-sacking

Hacks

No other way to put it. They may be good on sponsorship deals, but if a human employee is involved (player, manager, other personnel, etc.) the outcome is far, far too often just shambolic.