In the aftermath of yet another disappointing exit from the UEFA Champions League, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is rumored to be on the verge of making drastic changes to his team of highly paid mercenaries, I mean stars. As has become routine at this time of year, Chelsea players and coaches are on the proverbial hot seat. In fairness, the owner has let it be known that he covets one thing above all else, a Champions League trophy. Since his arrival, the Russian oligarch has thrown money at the problems facing Chelsea. He has reportedly spent upwards of £600 million in his quest for the crown, with nothing but six measly major trophies to show for it. By most accounts, Chelsea is one of Europe’s elite football teams. However, Roman remains unsatisfied. He needs to win the Champions League quite simply because he wants Chelsea to be the best football club in Europe.
Roman’s demanding nature reminds me of George Steinbrenner. Now far removed from active management of the club, The Boss, as he is commonly known, was a demanding and passionate figure in his day. He was so passionate about winning that he spared no expense and frequently meddled in the day-to-day operations of the team. In his pursuit for excellence, he spent lavishly on player acquisitions (to the annoyance of fellow owners) and he seemed to believe that money bought success. Indeed he was right (at least initially). However, it wouldn’t remain that way for long. Although the Yankees won four championships in his first nine years of ownership, the team failed to win another championship for fifteen years. Many franchises would be ecstatic with four championships in twenty-four years. But the Yankees with their deep pockets could have been more successful.
Many blame the underachievement to Steinbrenner’s meddlesome and impatient ways. George constantly feuded with managers and players, so much so that he fired twenty managers in his first twenety-three years of ownership. The team wouldn’t regain its winning ways until he was suspended from the game for several years. During that time, his baseball people were given the time and space required to rebuild the team. From that point on, the team won seven championships in thirteen years.
Roman Abramovich is more reserved than Steinbrenner, but they both share a love for meddling with team selection decisions. Jose Mourinho’s refusal to play certain players, notably Andriy Shevchenko, was apparently one of several factors influencing Roman’s decision to relieve the Special One of his duties. I guess when you’re a successful businessman, you become accustomed to having your way. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to assume that both Roman and Steinbrenner expected that meddling with their sports teams would yield the same results that they had achieved in business. However, there is one big difference between success outside of the sports arena and success within it; within the sporting arena there can only be one definitive winner. This unique aspect of sport requires owners to have patience in order to build a team capable of weathering setbacks and achieving greatness.
Over the course of the past few years, Roman has found it hard to deal with the disappointment of not winning the Champions League. As a result, Chelsea has had six managers in his first seven years of ownership. It is safe to say that turnover at the top hasn’t proven effective in making Chelsea the Kings of Europe. It may just be time for Roman to try a different approach and take a step back. He should give Carlo Ancelotti time and space to make his mark. If there is anything to be learnt from The Boss, it is that micromanagement and impulsive decisions to fire and hire coaches won’t bring the success the Chelsea owner craves. Patience coupled with a clear delineation of roles may just do the trick.
