Date: 12th March 2018 at 12:00pm
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Jake Rothman discusses Chelsea’s link with Russia

As the ink dried on the contract, the handshakes were exchanged, and the inevitable feeling of uncertainty lingered heavy in the air; Roman Abramovich walked out of the room a football club richer. The new Russian billionaire would soon change not only Chelsea, but he impacted enormously on the way world football operated.

This series – in celebration of this year’s World Cup – will look at how different countries have all contributed to Chelsea becoming a global club and there is perhaps no country more fitting than Russia, to begin with.

Roman Abramovich

The Roman Empire began in earnest from the moment the billionaire businessperson and (at the time) governor of the Chukotka bought the club on July 2nd, 2003. He wasted little time in creating a team that would dominate English football since.

Ken Bates had overseen Chelsea for nearly 20 years and had not only brought it back from the brink of obscurity but incredibly made them cup winners and perennial contenders. His formula was to bring in star names who often plied their trade in other nations, to forge a winning mentality at Chelsea. This fact was not lost on Mr Abramovich.

In his first year, he oversaw the purchases of Irish talisman Damien Duff, Argentine sensation Hernan Crespo, French legend Claude Makélélé, and serial cup winner Juan Sebastian Veron. This team, led by the beloved Italian Claudio Ranieri, finished 2nd in the league and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Mr Abramovich dispensed of the Italian’s services at the end of the season and brought in a young Portuguese who would forever alter the history of the club. The self-styled “Special One” would deliver the league during his first season as manager, and he retained the title the following season.

Over the next 14 years Mr Abramovich, it is estimated, spent nearly 2 billion pounds to create a team which has won astounding 14 major trophies including Champions League, 1 Europa League, five league titles, 4 FA Cups, and 3 League Cups.  The Russian owner engineered this period of success by acquiring some of the most talented players and managers in the world.

Dimitri Kharine

Our first player happens to be one of little renown in the modern footballing age due to his predecessors who were among the best in the world. Kharine was the first-choice goalkeeper for three seasons starting after his signature from CSKA Moscow in 1992 and deputised the goal for the miracle run to the 1994 F.A. Cup which ended in heavy defeat to Manchester United.

Yuri Zhirkov 

Following a glittering career at CSKA Moscow in which he established himself as a permanent fixture of a team which won 11 major honours including ten domestic trophies and one European trophy, Zhirkov moved to Chelsea for a Russian record £18M. Zhirkov played a minor role in the Chelsea squads in the years that followed but added Premier League and FA Cup titles to his collection while in the royal blue kit.

I hope you have enjoyed this first instalment of the series and please feel free to leave comments below! And most importantly my fellow Blues…KTBFFH!

Written by Jake Rothman

 

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