Who is in charge at Chelsea? Is it the owners as a whole? Is it Clearlake with the majority stake and all the power? Is it Todd Boehly and the backers he has in the board room? Is it the co-sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley?
Well, from what I have heard as of the latest info, it is Behdad Eghbali and Clearlake who hold the power and are leading this project, but they have entrusted the sporting directors to implement it.
So, the sporting directors have their instructions and have the project laid out in front of them with recruitment conditions, the new wage structure, and everything else that has been put in place by Clearlake. They have jobs to do, and Clearlake have trusted them to do it as the ‘experts’ and ones with football and recruitment knowledge.
So really, are the sporting directors to blame? Or should the blame be aimed at Clearlake? Or are they both equally to blame?
The sporting directors for me have signed some very good talents, they also signed some not so good talents. They are largely good talent spotters, but poor squad builders and bad negotiators, in my opinion. But it is not just them who spot talents and put forward targets and make sole decisions, those are done at a scouting and board level collectively. As I reported today, there is pressure on some scouts too, so it won’t be that the sporting directors are the ones who have scouted some of the signings that we don’t rate, it’s not all on them. And also, if they are just doing what is instructed, should we be piling on them all the time like we are? Clearlake chose them to do the role, so if they’re not good enough, which for me they clearly aren’t so far, then that’s on Clearlake, no?
Don’t worry, this is not me flip-flopping an opinion, you guys know I don’t do that. I’m a passionate fan and I will always back my opinion. But I am always open to changing it as well, because I’m not that stubborn. Again, I am not changing it here. I am just pondering this whole situation a lot deeper and without emotion, and I am wondering whether more of the blame should be with those who have put this strategy in place, rather than those who are implementing it? I actually think most are blaming Clearlake more right now anyway, the protest message seems to be more about changing the model, and that’s at the top level.
I don’t think the sporting directors have done a good job at all, especially when it comes to squad build and negotiations. But I have always said that we are close to being a team ready to challenge at the very top again, we do not actually need much to do that. I’ve always maintained this. We are close.
So when this question came in yesterday from our SPTC community member Christopher Chalk, it had me thinking, and that is why I’ve written this article.
Chris said:
‘Playing devils advocate here. But if we bring in an established goalkeeper, centre back, striker and maybe a left winger this summer, with the additions of Estevao and Santos our squad starts to look a whole lot better. Do we then lay off the sporting directors? I appreciate history dictates this won’t happen though!’
With us hearing that they are open to change at the top of the club, maybe there is a scenario where we do lay off the sporting directors, and even the owners?
Clearlake are going nowhere as I reported yesterday, so it might be time we work with them? I’m not ever going to tell people to stop voicing their concerns and opinions and I’d even back protests if they are done right [they currently are not being done right]. It’s SO important that we continue to do this. Just because Clearlake have no plans to sell, it does not mean we should stop fighting our corner. We must continue.
But maybe for the greater good, and IF they are all prepared to make the necessary changes to the model, not even drastic ones (I’m sure there are ways of buying essential experience without breaking the bank on wages), would we then lay off them all?
Results are everything. When we were winning, fans were pretty quiet on this, so if we are winning then they will probably get some peace. But that isn’t how it should be. If we have concerns, we should always raise them regardless of results. We can’t be unhappy with the squad build one minute because we are losing, then fine with it five weeks later if we have a string of wins. If we want our opinions to be taken seriously, then we cannot keep flip-flopping. Of course over time, we should be open-minded as well and be willing to change our views and see things differently. But the whole ‘we got our Chelsea back’ before Christmas to protest plans in February is just nuts and causes us to be laughed at from everyone on the outside.
But can we, the fans, the club, and the sporting directors all pull in the same direction?
What Chris is saying is spot on, IF they address the spine of the team and complete the squad build with pretty much exactly what he has mentioned here, by adding leaders, experience, physicality, and the right calibre of players in the positions mentioned, then can we all move forward together?
These are all just questions from me guys, I’m not saying we can or we can’t but I’m an open book in general and I’ll never say never.
Look, we have no idea if any of the above is even possible, but if the owners and the SD’s want fans on side, which they absolutely should by the way, then they need to seriously consider more balance with their strategy. And if we say it enough, maybe we talk it into existence.
STOP ignoring the here and now, a message I will continue to deliver regardless.
