fanpower

Fair enough. But we do know enough about RA from his dealings in other fields, in particular about how he amassed his fortune, to make a decision as to which of various reports are more or less likely. I haven't suggested that the role of Arnesen etc. is to tell RA how brilliant he is. He is far too intelligent to need that sort of silliness. But part of their role is certainly to enable him to get the people he, RA, wants. Sometimes they might suggest names to him, but since it is clear that he does think he knows a lot about football - enough to get rid of RdM - I doubt whether any names would be considered which he didn't already highly favour. As for the board, as has been pointed out it has to exist for legal reasons, while at the same time it helps to deflect fans' complaints and anger away from RA. I would have no illusions as to whether Buck etc. had any power when really important decisions are made. My main point remains this - sacking the board or sacking Emenalo might make some fans feel better, but nothing will really have been changed. Of course RA needs an army of administrators, technicians etc. to help run his businesses! But that's just what they are - admistrators and technicians. I realise why many Chelsea fans are reluctant to blame RA for FSW and other recent fiascos. But, as a sympathiser rather than as a Chelsea fan, may I suggest that RA is only owed a certain amount of gratitude. I watched Chelsea quite a lot in the '60s and '70s (Chopper Harris, Charlie Cooke, Alan Hudson, the wonderful Peter Osgood etc.etc.), and to me you have always been a big club - you didn't need RA to make you one.

It's also been reported from at least equally credible sources that RA thinks very highly of the FSW, and very much wanted him. The idea that it was someone else (Emenalo for instance) who suggested the FSW, seems to be speculation to avoid blaming RA. And does anyone really think that RA didn't have an inkling that FSW wasn't wanted by most fans? Read how he made his corrupt fortune, and try to believe that he could possibly be as stupid and ill-informed on any subject which concerned him! Not that what the fans thought would have mattered in the situation. RA probably expected that FSW would do so much better than RdM, that the fans would be won over. But it's all irrelevant. The board is irrelevant, as is the case in all clubs which have become in effect a rich man's toy. Sacking Buck etc. won't make the slightest difference. They owe their position to being yes men who won't threaten RA's authority. Since it is RA who hires and fires the board, he would only replace them by other yes men.

It doesn't matter who is on the board! Roman Abramovitch makes all the decisions which matter. The only ex-players who would be allowed on the board would be those who accepted this. They would have to realise that their only function is as a smokescreen for what is really going on. Which is precisely the function of Buck, Gourlay, and, especially, Emenalo. The fact that they know little or nothing about football is irrelevant. And even if they knew what the fans think, there's absolutely nothing they could do to change things. The FSW would have been appointed anyway - since Roman wanted him and didn't want RdM.

The fact that Emenalo is totally unsuited to the position he has been given, reveals what his real role in the Chelsea set-up is. Emenalo is merely a fall guy to further disguise the fact that there is only one person at Chelsea whose opinions really matter, and who makes all the important decisions. Emenalo is there to be another focus for the fans anger when things go wrong. Sacking Emenalo, sacking the board, will make no difference. One man, and one man only, directs Chelsea FC.

There is no evidence either that Emenalo was responsible for Benitez being appointed or that he wasn't. On the other hand, there is plenty of evidence as to what sort of person Abramovitch is - and not just in his dealings with Chelsea FC. From this I find it preposterous that any person could force Abramovitch to accept Benitez as manager - unless Abramovitch himself thought it a good idea.

Yes, it's all speculation up to a point. I'm not a Chelsea fan - but as a former fan of a club which was in effect murdered by its owner (Wimbledon) - I do have an interest in the way that football clubs in this country, at least, are being taken over by powerful rich, and often corrupt, people, whose main motivations do not coincide with those of the fans - who should be the people who really matter in a club, apart from the players. The quite unjustified sacking of RDM, and the even more extraordinary appointment of Benitez makes your club at present one of the most prominent of these situations - and as such, Chelsea fans have my sympathy. It probably gives you little comfort that you are not alone in your situation - Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Hearts, Birmingham City, etc.etc.etc. I realise that in the Chelsea situation, many fans will be reluctant to blame Abramovitch - hence the bile against Buck, Gourlay, and, especially Emenalo. And I don't wish to defend them entirely. If they wish to take Abramovitch's money to act as his front men, they must take their share of the blame. But if any Chelsea fan thinks they are the people primarily responsible for the Benitez situation, then they are deluding themselves.

That's about the standard of most of the evidence for this! To repeat my post on another thread: There is no real evidence that Emenalo was responsible for the appointment of Benitez. That is not the way such people as Roman Abramovitch work. Buck, Gourlay, and, especially, Emenalo, have one primary role - to disguise the fact that every decision of any importance at Chelsea FC is made by one man, and one man only. In fact the mysterious appointment of Emenalo can be explained only in that his role is to deflect as much of the fans' anger as possible on to himself, and away from where it should mainly go. Of course he gets paid handsomely for what would otherwise seem a position with no function whatsoever.

There is no real evidence that Emenalo was responsible for the appointment of Benitez. It is pure wishful thinking for anyone to think that any such appointment would be made without the instigation of Roman Abramovitch. This is not the way such people as Abramovitch work. He is typical of the sort of person (Russian oligarchs, Arab sheikhs, American and Asian "businessmen", and British ones too) who seem to own so many football clubs these days. Buck, Gourlay, and, especially Emenalo, have one primary role - that is to disguise the fact that every decision of any importance at Chelsea FC is made by one man, and one man only. In fact the mysterious appointment of Emenalo can be explained only in that his role is to deflect as much of fans' anger as possible on to himself, and away from where it should mainly go. Of course he gets paid handsomely for what otherwise would seem a position with no real function whatsoever.