Oct 05, 2006 01:53 AM
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(Updated Oct 05, 2006 01:56 AM)
Chelsea were this week voted the team with the poorest image in the country. Apparently most football fans belive the Blues bought success rather than earned it and a good proportion believe the club considers itself above the law?
Who'd have thunk it?
Chelsea's poor image, revealed in a survey published in PR Week, seems to go deeper than fans' mere resentment of their success - which supporters used to feel against Manchester United and Arsenal back when they were the team to beat.
It comes down to the fact that it took a Russian sugar daddy to bring silverware and their manager seems to have little regard for authority and the way things are done round these parts.
In other words, in the eyes of fans they are the footballing equivalent of the horrible nouveau riche that ruin your local pub by turning it into a place that serves hideously expensive Trappist ale to wash down foie gras fritters.
But even though they have been voted the most disliked club in the land, watch Chelsea do absolutely nothing to dispel their image of being a pack of zillionaire mercenaries. Beacuse they don't need to be liked to win games.
They don't need to be liked to bag a third title which, even though Manchester United top the Premiership for the time being, they are still heavy favourites to do so. It also seems that they don't even need to be liked by their own fans in order to pack the stadium.
A third of football fans throughout the country say the Blues' reputation has gone down since the Russian revolution - but 46 percent of Chelsea supporters believe it is Roman's fault. Blame must also be laid at the feet of the manager Jose Mourinho for the Blues' poor image.
Anybody who tells the po-faced press that he is "the special one" on his first day in the job sets himself up for stick, no matter how far his tongue was in his cheek. Admittedly he has shown an astounding lack of humility and tact at times since taking over at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea's honours after the Russian invasion (Abramovich's takeover)
Premiership Champions (2004, 2005)
Carling/League Cup (2005)
Since Roman Abramovich's takeover in 2003, Chelsea has reported two sets of financial results. In 2004 it made an £87.9m loss and last year it was £140m in the red. But this is just another drop in the ocean of his multi-million empire.
By the way, before any disgruntled readers comment saying I am yet another Blues convert climbing on the Chelsea bandwagon, enamoured by Jose Mourinho's every word, I would like to point out that I am not a fan of the team.
I am all for Liverpool. Once a Kop fan, always a Kop fan.
