TODD HELP US
CHELSEA’S owners have been slammed by their own fans and warned they face a tide of “irreversible toxicity” unless they make drastic changes.
Chairman Todd Boehly and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali are accused of making the club a “laughing stock” on and off the pitch because of the way things are run.
The die-hard Chelsea Supporters’ Trust wrote to both men 13 days ago to vent the anger and frustrations of fans who are growing increasingly fed up with the top brass at Stamford Bridge.
It has plunged the already rocky relationship between the club and fanbase into all out civil war.
The incendiary letter points to “disconnection felt by supporters towards the majority of the team, the manager, the club ownership and the board”.
It goes on to highlight anti-Boehly chanting at the recent match at Brentford, the perceived lack of communication from the club and a “fast growing lack of trust from the fanbase”.
Winger Raheem Sterling and manager Mauricio Pochettino were both targeted by Chelsea fans during Sunday’s volatile 4-2 FA Cup quarter final win over Leicester City that is sending the team to Wembley for the second time this season.
Chelsea are 11th in the table at present. They finished 12th last season with 44 points — their lowest Premier League tally.
Financiers Boehly and Eghbali spearheaded a £2.5billion takeover of Chelsea in 2022 when the club was facing oblivion due to sanctions imposed on previous owner Roman Abramovich.
The two men have overseen a £1bn spend on new players since but have so far only a Carabao Cup final defeat at Wembley against Liverpool last month to show for it.
The result led to the players being labelled “billion pound bottlers” by former Manchester United star and TV pundit Gary Neville.
The supporters are just as angry at what they say is the lack of “public-facing vision” from the new ownership which they say has created an overwhelming sense of helplessness.
Boehly and his sidekick are also accused of breaking promises on prices for fan travel, replica kit, food and drink and ticket prices.
There are fears among many Chelsea supporters that season ticket prices are poised to go through the roof. This season they range from £750 to £940 for an adult.
Many feel this is to help bankroll the record-breaking transfer spending and the need to keep within strict Profitability and Sustainability Rules that have seen Premier League sides Everton and Nottingham Forest deducted points this season.
The CST demands better communication between the club and the fans on a multitude of themes, including stadium redevelopment or moving to a new ground.
They want a “clear explanation of the journey” that Boehly and his pals from American private equity firm Clearlake Capital are taking their beloved Chelsea on. Since the takeover in May two years ago, Chelsea have had three permanent managers in Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and current head coach Pochettino.
But former midfielder and ex-manager Frank Lampard also had to step in for 11 games at the end of last season to try to steady the ship with results and morale in crisis amid a bloated squad of rookie players on contracts of up to eight years in length.
Boehly has entered the inner sanctum of the Chelsea dressing room after games. — Sun