Anyone else just not care about the matches at the moment?

[ShedEnder91]

Just thought I'd ask since a few of us have been saying this over the last few weeks. 

 

A bit of background. Raised as a Chelsea fan, been going since 1991 (hence the name), been a member since 1993, season-ticket 1995 and been going ever since. But in recent months I've found myself caring less and less about the matches and becoming more and more disillusioned with what the club's doing. That might not be news to some of you since I've made those feelings known and if that's offended or upset you then I apologise and this thread probably won't change that perception.

 

But ever since Roman took over we've been told that we were nothing but a rich-man's plaything and that was easy to brush off as jealousy. There was still so much that you could relate to at the club and specifically on the pitch. We had JT and Lamps who were important, because they represented a lot of the lads who went to the matches. Jose was key to that period too because he helped to define who Chelsea would be in the post-Roman era. We were hated because of the money and he taught us how to deal with it with a swagger, although I know not everyone liked that.

 

But now we've lost most of that and in the Summer we'll lose JT and there's no replacement in any sense of the word. Off the pitch the club barely communicates with the supporters and seems to have no idea what we're about. 

 

Maybe I'm just getting older but I'm just interested to know if I'm alone in this or if people still feel the same about the club. For me, so much has changed, so much has been disposed of unceremoniously and even the people who go to matches have changed, although you could say that's the case everywhere.

 

But last night I realised I didn't care about the result because it had no real consequences. We're not on some journey with a group of players like we were in 2006, 2008 or 2012. This isn't them doing it for the club. This is just a random collection of players who want to win the CL for personal glory and maybe I'm naive to think that it was different with Didier, Frank, Robbie and JT in 2012. 

 

I think maybe what it comes down to is that there's a lack of soul at the club right now and it's horrible to think that maybe all those bitters back in 2004 were right about what we would become. I hope I'm wrong.

[yorkleyblue]

Is that one of the reasons why you said you thought it might be good if we got a right battering at PSG?

[ShedEnder91]

Is that one of the reasons why you said this:

 

There's a part of me that is a bit conflicted about this one. Beyond my obvious desire to see Chelsea win every match, beyond my feelings for my fellow supporters who I want to see happy, beyond by dislike for PSG and everything they stand for and beyond the pragmatic part of me that realises progression in this competition has obvious financial benefits....

 

Beyond all that there's part of me that thinks a real humbling might make the club rethink what it's doing in a number of areas. This season has been bad, actually it's been the worst I can remember, but I don't know if that will actually change anything. This competition still seems to hold sway over the owner though, as evidenced by 2012 and his appointment of Robbie after he won big ears despite him not being qualified in my opinion, and I think this might be the biggest wake-up call Roman could have that he's repeating the same mistakes time and time again.

 

That's not going to be popular and like I said, it's just a small part of my thinking. Come kick off all the thoughts beyond those 105 minutes or so evaporate and it becomes about this result. But I'm not sure what a win does. We're not the best team in Europe by any stretch of the imagination but it's a cup competition and that doesn't always matter. Upsets happen. We could win the whole thing and everything is ok again, but I fear that were that to happen we get back on the cycle again. We may not even have to win it for the club to say that everything is fine, because it's in their best interests to maintain the status quo unless their name is Roman Abramovich.

 

I'm sure not everyone agrees with my assessment of the club either. Some are quite happy to brush this season of as an anomaly, a one-off, that rough amidst the smooth and thank God we're not where we were in the mid-80s shouldn't we all be grateful.

 

I don't think that though. I think this season was something of an inevitable consequence of years of mismanagement and that it might become something of the norm.

 

Anyway, that's my morning coffee probably talking and if you've got this far then thanks for indulging me and yay for forums on the internet where we can shout into the ether. Fingers crossed that whatever result you want from tonight and this season you get. I just don't know what that is for me.

 

Sorry for the wall of text but thought I'd put what I actually said in there so it had the right context.

 

But yes, that is the primary reason. I think this club is doing a lot of things wrong and it's disenfranchising a lot of supporters. Obviously I don't expect everyone to agree with that but as I said, I'm finding it increasingly hard to recognise the club I've supported for so many years, in it's current state.

 

Honestly I think we need a massive overhaul at every level and were we to actually win the Champions League, then it would paper over a lot of cracks which would just re-open further down the line. It's not a nice feeling to have.

[Droogba]

Anyone else not bothered about yet another futile thread that can be covered in the other, already existing, threads ? Just so someone can have a swipe while inflating their ego and serving their own self importance?

[ShedEnder91]

Anyone else not bothered about yet another futile thread that can be covered in the other, already existing, threads ? Just so someone can have a swipe while inflating their ego and serving their own self importance?

Yeah I can see why you think it might be self-aggrandising to make such a thread and I apologise if that upset you. Just thought it would be an interesting discussion because it seems to be what a few people chat about pre-match nowadays. 

 

Sorry mate.

[drjonesy1994]

win or lose, up the blues.

 

I made a rant about this a while ago.. if you cant support us when we aren't winning games, don't turn it around when we come good again.

 

Managers, players, staff and owners come and go. Fans are forever.

[Ballack & Blu]

Just thought I'd ask since a few of us have been saying this over the last few weeks. 

 

A bit of background. Raised as a Chelsea fan, been going since 1991 (hence the name), been a member since 1993, season-ticket 1995 and been going ever since. But in recent months I've found myself caring less and less about the matches and becoming more and more disillusioned with what the club's doing. That might not be news to some of you since I've made those feelings known and if that's offended or upset you then I apologise and this thread probably won't change that perception.

 

But ever since Roman took over we've been told that we were nothing but a rich-man's plaything and that was easy to brush off as jealousy. There was still so much that you could relate to at the club and specifically on the pitch. We had JT and Lamps who were important, because they represented a lot of the lads who went to the matches. Jose was key to that period too because he helped to define who Chelsea would be in the post-Roman era. We were hated because of the money and he taught us how to deal with it with a swagger, although I know not everyone liked that.

 

But now we've lost most of that and in the Summer we'll lose JT and there's no replacement in any sense of the word. Off the pitch the club barely communicates with the supporters and seems to have no idea what we're about. 

 

Maybe I'm just getting older but I'm just interested to know if I'm alone in this or if people still feel the same about the club. For me, so much has changed, so much has been disposed of unceremoniously and even the people who go to matches have changed, although you could say that's the case everywhere.

 

But last night I realised I didn't care about the result because it had no real consequences. We're not on some journey with a group of players like we were in 2006, 2008 or 2012. This isn't them doing it for the club. This is just a random collection of players who want to win the CL for personal glory and maybe I'm naive to think that it was different with Didier, Frank, Robbie and JT in 2012. 

 

I think maybe what it comes down to is that there's a lack of soul at the club right now and it's horrible to think that maybe all those bitters back in 2004 were right about what we would become. I hope I'm wrong.

Heartfelt sentiments mate, it is hard to associate the club now with 10 -11 yrs ago, but unfortunately thats the evolution of the club, the club could definitely do more to communicate with the fans on its forward plans and ambition, because we don't see an immediate Heir to "Mr chelsea", we feel an impending sense of doom because we feel we have lost direction, we need a statement of intent from the club, because we are left feeding on scraps, and expectation does nothing to garner real hope for success..

[ShedEnder91]

win or lose, up the blues.

 

I made a rant about this a while ago.. if you cant support us when we aren't winning games, don't turn it around when we come good again.

 

Managers, players, staff and owners come and go. Fans are forever.

 

Winning or losing isn't the issue. The results don't really matter.

 

Last season I walked out of the Bradford games almost in amusement because it was just so random, but also because it didn't matter too much. The club was seemingly moving in the right direction.

 

Even this season the losses didn't matter as much as it did to some because like you said, win or lose up the blues.

 

It's when you stop having an affinity with the club that you're in trouble and that's the issue. The supporters will always be the most important thing about this club, although as a CPO member I don't think the club agrees, but who exactly at the club are we supposed to identify with once JT is gone? Who is there for us to take a little bit of pride in no matter the result.

 

Maybe I'm alone in that but based on the atmosphere at matches at the moment, I'm not sure.

[Beerqueen]

I think you're just overthinking all this.  Clubs ebb and flow, things can't stay the same.  Players and managers will come and go.  Results will (normally) fluctuate.   It's natural.  It's not an easy time and things are very disjointed but it'll pass.

 

I still feel better about this season than when FSW was in charge.

[ForeverCarefree]

I can sympathise.

It's difficult to keep emotionally investing yourself when you disagree with a lot of off the field goings on.

The current squad is probably the least charismatic and likable since I've been watching Chelsea (since 96) so it makes it that little bit harder to invest in them.

[drjonesy1994]

Fair points - apologies for jumping down your throat.

 

From a personal point of view - I've never felt as though I'm losing affinity with the club. Yes they make me angry and frustrated at times, but moving on I will continue to get behind the team.

 

When Mourinho was sacked - I was furious, but these things happen in football and not just at Chelsea either. I had a period of being angry with the club but you move on.

 

In terms of the hierarchy at the club, I feel as though Abramovich honestly believes what he is doing is best going forward, I just think at times he has been poorly advised.

 

In terms of the atmosphere - agreed it is pretty flat at home at times, but I feel like in recent weeks the atmosphere has picked up and has been really good. The Newcastle and Everton games spring to mind here.

 

Like BeerQueen said - clubs go through these patches, and I've no doubt that we will come out if the other end and go on as a club and have more success.

 

I just think we've had a pretty rosey 10 years or so.. 4 league titles, a European cup and various other trophies. It will take a lot more than one bad season for me to lose my affinity with them.

[JAT]

I must say I find it hard to have any affection for the current group of players, bar a couple. Over the last 40 years of supporting Chelsea there has been plenty of good times and bad, but for me at least, its impossible to stop caring about our club. I have long been priced out of watching live due to kids, mortgage etc, like many others but it will always be our club. Funnily enough, I was at a funeral the other day and saw someone for the first time in 30 years and he said he remembers me running round the playground shouting DIXON when I had scored!! Great days!!

[OblongCubeSphere]

Really good thread, ShedEnder91.

 

It's hard to feel any kind of connection coming from the club at the moment, and whilst it has nothing to do with the results on the pitch, the seeming lack of effort or loyalty coming from the players towards Mourinho/the fans/the club make it difficult.

 

Cech, Terry, Lampard and Drogba were much more than just a spine of the team. They were all leaders, respected. They all loved the club and we loved them. No matter what they would put in that extra effort for every single game. Now that 3 of the 4 are gone with the last soon to leave, the club has been left wandering and the void in the dressing room has been filled with sense of numbness because seemingly no-one quite knows what to do.

 

The real problem all those years back wasn't the getting rid of Jose the first time around, or even Carlo.

 

It was not phasing out our legends in a way that hasn't left the team with any genuine leaders or desire. Terry is the only one holding it together at the club at the moment, and you can tell he's struggling.

[EmeraldBlue]

Sometimes you need a a fallow period so that things can grow again. That goes for humans and, to a lesser extent, institutions. Remember, institutions, and that includes football clubs, have no soul. We the fans do and that is what makes things tick. All the rest is illusion.

Edited February 17, 2016 by EmeraldBlue

[Haz139]

You wouldn't be the fan who the BBC are quoting as saying Chelsea are turning into City- a club with no soul would you shedender91? Not an accusation, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, just wondered where the BBC sh*tstirrers have got this one from

http://bbc.in/1OfMqOiThe link for anyone interested

Edited February 17, 2016 by Haz139

[SHELLY]

I felt sick to my stomach with nerves last night, so no I do care about matches at the moment. I do think that some fans who haven't been watching Chelsea for that long, come across as having a real sense of entitlement.

 

I genuinely don't mean to have a pop at other supporters, there is no wrong or right way to support a club, but I just feel that at times under Ken Bates for instance, things were not always rosy, his feud with Matthew Harding for instance, sacking Gullit and replacing him with Vialli when it was rumoured they didn't get on. Then sacking Vialli which was gutting as well...I just think what happened with Man Utd when they got rid of the "Coolmore mafia" and ended up with the Glazers, be careful what you wish for.

 

Maybe a season or two without success might put things in perspective, we don't have a God given right to win things and stability has never really been our thing.

 

In short my affinity with the club remains the same, players will leave and we'll just have to learn to love the new guard and get over losing the old guard. Ditto managers.

Edited February 17, 2016 by SHELLY

[ShedEnder91]

Fair points - apologies for jumping down your throat.

 

From a personal point of view - I've never felt as though I'm losing affinity with the club. Yes they make me angry and frustrated at times, but moving on I will continue to get behind the team.

 

When Mourinho was sacked - I was furious, but these things happen in football and not just at Chelsea either. I had a period of being angry with the club but you move on.

 

In terms of the hierarchy at the club, I feel as though Abramovich honestly believes what he is doing is best going forward, I just think at times he has been poorly advised.

 

In terms of the atmosphere - agreed it is pretty flat at home at times, but I feel like in recent weeks the atmosphere has picked up and has been really good. The Newcastle and Everton games spring to mind here.

 

Like BeerQueen said - clubs go through these patches, and I've no doubt that we will come out if the other end and go on as a club and have more success.

 

I just think we've had a pretty rosey 10 years or so.. 4 league titles, a European cup and various other trophies. It will take a lot more than one bad season for me to lose my affinity with them.

 

No worries and I understand your thinking but I think you're seeing this as a blip. I think this season was coming for a while and it could've happened in 2012 had we not somehow won the Champions League. That would've left us in 6th and possibly looking to rebuild from then.

 

Jose then seems to have worked wonders to get this squad to where it was but then this summer everything fell apart. 

 

I also agree about Roman but I think he's simply not delegated enough. Basically if he had used the same technique of hiring unqualified people to design the new stadium as he had done for designing the squad, it would be made out of sticklebricks and chewing gum.

 

But also.....

 

It was not phasing out our legends in a way that hasn't left the team with any genuine leaders or desire. Terry is the only one holding it together at the club at the moment, and you can tell he's struggling.

 

This, this and this. We went from having 8 or 9 potential captains with 5 or 6 national team captains in the side to a team with no obvious candidate to replace JT when he leaves.

 

Now maybe that's got something to do with AVB's reign? Was that Roman's second or third attempt to make us more pretty to watch? Either way the stories of him being undermined by experienced, dedicated legends naughty troublemakers never went away so maybe we wanted a squad of players who were less vocal? That's pure speculation on my part but if that wasn't the plan it's most certainly the outcome. 

 

I think the crux of my issues with the club is that I don't think this is one bad season. I think this is closer to the new normal. 

[ShedEnder91]

I felt sick to my stomach with nerves last night, so no I do care about matches at the moment. I do think that some fans who haven't been watching Chelsea for that long, come across as having a real sense of entitlement.

 

I genuinely don't mean to have a pop at other supporters, there is no wrong or right way to support a club, but I just feel that at times under Ken Bates for instance, things were not always rosy, his feud with Matthew Harding for instance, sacking Gullit and replacing him with Vialli when it was rumoured they didn't get on. Then sacking Vialli which was gutting as well...I just think what happened with Man Utd when they got rid of the "Coolmore mafia" and ended up with the Glazers, be careful what you wish for.

 

Maybe a season or two without success might put things in perspective, we don't have a God given right to win things and stability has never really been our thing.

 

I remember reading posts like this on RedCafe after Fergie left and they appointed Moyes. If you're talking about the 90s then we still had players like Wisey, Super Dan, Clarkey, Doobs, Soxxy, Flo, Morris, Zola, De Goey, LeBouef....all players who I'd say we identified with and who new what the club was about because a few of them were there in 1993 when we were in a relegation fight for a bit before signing Stein.

 

Does that make me entitled though? I'll admit that since I've been properly following this club it's always been on an upwards trajectory. My first full season had two trips to Wembley, but even then it was perhaps a bit of a one-off and we were stuffed in the Final. But then the club had people like Matthew Harding and Colin Hutchinson who were revolutionary in their thinking. The way we attracted so much amazing talent whilst having this vision for the club was incredible.

 

Who are those people now in your opinion? The most senior one I can think of is David Barnard who is a proper football man. Then who?

 

Who is the one authoring our future on the pitch? Michael Emenalo was for a few days last year the most senior footballing presence at the club. That is terrifying to me.

 

Ultimately we're not entitled to anything and yes things were worse in the 1980s. The supporters saved the club then and just a few years ago the board repaid them by trying to screw them over so maybe things aren't that rosy. 

 

I'd take a few years without success but it'd be nice if that was working towards something rather than drifting listlessly below the title contenders. But it would be nice to hear something from the owner about what we're doing, or is that something that makes me sound entitled too?

[Jezz]

There is an element of bitterness that I'm experiencing at the moment that I can't seem to shrug off at the moment. The way things transpired early in the season really taught us a lot about the current functioning of this club. The players may have improved under Hiddink but where on earth was the effort when the season was actually on the line and a manager's job was becoming under increasing threat in each passing week?

 

I find it difficult to warm to some of the playing squad at the moment. Yes it's positive that they've improved now after a torrid few months but their attitude and professionalism in the early stages of the season was nothing short of a disgrace and bordering on unforgivable especially having won the title and proving themselves to be capable players so it's hard to get behind them 100% without reminding yourself of the issues we experienced recently.

 

I'll always love the club no matter what but the events of this season have left a bitter taste in my mouth. I think the decisions by our board from the last few years have finally accumulated to the point that many feel alienated and disappointed by the direction that the club is heading under this administration.

 

Don't get me wrong I want to see us win every match we can but the emotional investment I've had towards the club for many years isn't there this season and it wasn't there during the Benitez saga either.

 

Some have left this forum (most notably Chippy) because they're fed up with the way the club is functioning by those in high places and I think there's an element of frustration that we're repeating the same mistakes from the last few years and we haven't learnt from the past and therefore we're going around in circles.

 

Guus is only a short-term solution so we need to think long-term despite the slight improvement we've had under him his tenure, but does the club have long-term goals or ambitions or is it still eager for immediate success and ensuring that the trophy cabinet fills up sooner rather than later even if it comes at a great cost in the long-term.

 

We're at the crossroads because most of the old-guard who were with the club are long gone now and the board can't keep hiding behind them producing good performances year in year out despite incompetence from behind the scenes so a true rebuild and altering of expectations needs to occur.

 

The supporters need to feel connected and appreciated! The club needs to get proactive and start relating to the supporters if it wants to retain any heart or soul because we have a divided supporter base whether you want to believe it or not.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Jezz

[SHELLY]

Yeah I have to say you do sound a bit entitled shedender91...I tend not to over analyse things and try to remember that as a supporter we've seen some very dark days indeed, and it seems some people only come out of the woodwork when things aren't going well...(not you I hasten to add) but we certainly have had an influx of new posters who were not around when all was well.

 

But that's the way of the world, the match day thread is always busier when we lose, or so it seems to me.

 

Things can change, World markets can go t*ts up, owners could possibly go skint, success is also cyclical and we are at the bottom of the cycle at the moment, we can't just import a new set of people we feel an affinity with, it takes time and some of our players will never inspire the fondness that others do.

Edited February 17, 2016 by SHELLY

[ShedEnder91]

Yeah I have to say you do sound a bit entitled...

 

Fair enough. What is it you think I'm entitled to? Trebles every year?

 

I just want to see something in my club that I can identify with and be proud of. We had that for decades on the pitch but now I'm not so sure.

 

Out of interest, what is it you actually feel an affinity with at the moment? Even in May we saw players like Drogba being carried off the field, we saw JT falling backwards into the MHL to be cradled by the fans and we saw in November a coach under pressure being given overwhelming support by the travelling support.

 

So what is it for you now that you feel an affinity with? The owner who has never addressed us apart from a page in the programme? The footballing men on the board? The coach who is here for six months or the players who didn't show up for the first-half of the season?

[SHELLY]

I do feel an affinity for Hiddink as it happens, I find him genial and likeable and a safe pair of hands. I have never had a particular feeling of closeness to the men in suits who run things, and I don't know anyone else personally, who cares too much about boardroom types, unless they plan to bankrupt us.

 

I was angry over Mourinho and still am, but I guess we'll find out when someone writes a book, what really happened there. In short I understand that he's gone now, so I just have to get over it.

 

We are going to (hopefully) get a brand new stadium while not having to relocate to the back of beyond not many clubs are/will still be playing in the ground they started off in, and that pleases me greatly.

Edited February 17, 2016 by SHELLY

[ShedEnder91]

I do feel an affinity for Hiddink as it happens, I find him genial and likeable and a safe pair of hands. I have never had a particular feeling of closeness to the men in suits who run things, and I don't know anyone else personally, who cares too much about boardroom types, unless they plan to bankrupt us.

 

I was angry over Mourinho and still am, but I guess we'll find out when someone writes a book, what really happened there. In short I understand that he's gone now, so I just have to get over it.

 

We are going to (hopefully) get a brand new stadium while not having to move out, and that pleases me greatly.

 

Hiddink's a nice man here for six months and there's a great deal of affinity because he was marshalling a truly stellar group of players whom I admired and loved, like Lamps, JT, Ballack, Drogba, Ashley etc. The club then was still very much built on what Jose did and so his aura (to use a w**ky word) was still there.

 

The stadium is a double-edged sword because I basically grew up (sorta) at the Bridge. My memories are intertwined with that place and whilst it's great that we'll stay in the area, it means three years at Wembley which is perhaps the most soulless of places.

 

But there's that word again - soul. And Haz139, it wasn't me who said that but it's by no means a lone voice.

 

Actually listening to that bloke on the radio, I can't disagree with him. Maybe we are becoming a soulless club and if we were on the road to becoming that, there's no-one left at the club who would stop that nor is there anyone there left to be OUR voice. 

Edited February 17, 2016 by ShedEnder91

[CFC_RFC_TID!]

Just thought I'd ask since a few of us have been saying this over the last few weeks. 

 

A bit of background. Raised as a Chelsea fan, been going since 1991 (hence the name), been a member since 1993, season-ticket 1995 and been going ever since. But in recent months I've found myself caring less and less about the matches and becoming more and more disillusioned with what the club's doing. That might not be news to some of you since I've made those feelings known and if that's offended or upset you then I apologise and this thread probably won't change that perception.

 

But ever since Roman took over we've been told that we were nothing but a rich-man's plaything and that was easy to brush off as jealousy. There was still so much that you could relate to at the club and specifically on the pitch. We had JT and Lamps who were important, because they represented a lot of the lads who went to the matches. Jose was key to that period too because he helped to define who Chelsea would be in the post-Roman era. We were hated because of the money and he taught us how to deal with it with a swagger, although I know not everyone liked that.

 

But now we've lost most of that and in the Summer we'll lose JT and there's no replacement in any sense of the word. Off the pitch the club barely communicates with the supporters and seems to have no idea what we're about. 

 

Maybe I'm just getting older but I'm just interested to know if I'm alone in this or if people still feel the same about the club. For me, so much has changed, so much has been disposed of unceremoniously and even the people who go to matches have changed, although you could say that's the case everywhere.

 

But last night I realised I didn't care about the result because it had no real consequences. We're not on some journey with a group of players like we were in 2006, 2008 or 2012. This isn't them doing it for the club. This is just a random collection of players who want to win the CL for personal glory and maybe I'm naive to think that it was different with Didier, Frank, Robbie and JT in 2012. 

 

I think maybe what it comes down to is that there's a lack of soul at the club right now and it's horrible to think that maybe all those bitters back in 2004 were right about what we would become. I hope I'm wrong.

dont know if its necessarily chelsea specific, i just find myself less excited / inspired by the premier league in general. 

 

its just a money generating machine now and the atmosphere at games is sh*t these days. people slate stamford bridge for being low key but some of the supposed hot atmospheres in english football are tepid and insipid at best, think anfield, the brittania, old trafford. all crap. 

 

i find myself less passionate than before, but still follow the blues and dont see that changing, even though the game itself has. that said, i've totally abandoned going to champions league games, i f**king hate that competition, absolutely sh*te. 

[Thrives]

I have never been more engaged with the team than this season really. Scary at times, but nice to feel that there is only one club in my heart, and only ever will be.  

 

Often at this point in previous seasons, you had the feeling that we were cruising towards our objectives, and it was easier to take the eye of the ball. Now, we're either stuck in the middle of the PL, or get a run going and start snapping for the upper end of the table. It will be a fantastic finish, and I think we will loathe the league ending in May because we probably will be playing really well when it does.  

 

As for the CL, that is a roll of the dice at this point, and always will be.