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Abramovich (sitting) seen chatting with Avram Grant. Roman has been notorious for setting sky-high standards for his incoming managers, and ultimately sacking them if they fail to realise his dreams to strike gold in the European front.
The winning machine
What Jose Mourinho had reportedly claimed in his initial views about Project Chelsea was constantly reiterated by the English media. Everyone was of the opinion that Chelsea FC was just another affair for Roman and there could only be two outcomes in the near future – that he grows tired after experiencing failures or that he loses his interest after winning everything. Everyone had their reservations about a long-term relationship between the club and the owner.
However, these fears, which were also felt mildly by the supporters, were repeatedly dashed by the owner in different ways – by another spending spree or by active participation with team members.
When Roman bought the club, he had a vision of what kind of empire he wanted to build: a club which not only enjoys perennial success but is also attractive and pleasing to the eye. This would normally be the dream of any football club, though history suggests that only few clubs can successfully combine the two approaches. But Roman was adamant on achieving both.
He first splashed out money as no other owner would. Players would be offered salaries that were matched by no other club in the world. Money was flowing at Stamford Bridge. But his expectations were as stubborn as his commitment.
Claudio Ranieri’s dismissal was the first sign of the stringent rules to be established at the Bridge. In spite of having held sway at the Bridge, Jose Mourinho was relieved of his duties for not only failing to win the coveted Champions League but also for the way Chelsea had been playing towards the end of his term.
There was an evident lack of flair in their game, and the disappointment of Roman resounded in the fans’ responses to the now-frequent dull victories. At a time when managers would be given ample amount of time to build a team, Jose Mourinho was fired despite helping Chelsea win five trophies in his first three seasons, including a league title with a record number of points.
His position was taken by Avram Grant, who reportedly had a fair share in giving Jose Mourinho the boot.
In May 2008, Chelsea reached its first ever Champions League final under Grant’s management. If not for a slip by the club captain, Roman would have finally had his hands on the giant cup, in his own country. Reaching the finals at both the League Cup and Champions League in addition to missing the league title by just three points did not stop Roman from axing Avram Grant.
He was replaced by the World Cup-winning Brazilian coach Felipe Scolari. This highly respected coach was shown the exit door within eight months at the club.
His pink slip read nearly the same words as that of his predecessors. The trend had started. Every next manager at Chelsea would inherit the growing impatience of Roman in his quest for the Champions League. The new arrival would know exactly what he was in for. High expectations had transpired through every brick of the club.
Guus Hiddink was appointed as a temporary manager after Roman’s advisor Piet de Visser introduced the two parties. After another FA cup victory, at the end of the season, Chelsea missed out on closing down a manager who had won the liking of the players and the fans. Unfortunately, Hiddink would make way for Carlo Ancelloti.
By now, the press had launched an all-out attack on the club for its haphazard policy of firing managers and the inefficiency of the system that Roman had adopted.
A two-time Champions League winning manager with AC Milan, Carlo Ancelotti was backed to bring the ‘big-ears’ trophy to the Bridge if not anything else. Chelsea won an historic double of the league title and the FA cup, only the third club to do so in the Premier League era. The club also amassed the highest number of goals scored in a single season in Premier League era.
However, he failed at doing exactly what was expected the most of him. Chelsea were knocked out in the round of 16 of Champions League for the first time in Roman’s Era. A year later, Carlo Ancelotti would not have any trophy to outweigh the quarterfinal defeat in the Champions League at the hands of arch-rivals Manchester United.
This season included one of the most debated transfers in history, that of Fernando Torres for £50m from Liverpool. Consequently, Carlo was given the marching orders within an hour of his last match for Chelsea.
A year and two managers later, Chelsea finally managed to scrape through a Champions League cup journey and end Roman’s struggle for the European winner’s crown. If there is any answer for the doubts and pessimism that are created by media, it’s success.
