Chelsea Banter Archive April 29 2014

 

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29 Apr 2014 21:13:38
Courtois has invented a new vocabulary in the game, Google "Thibauting" (tee-boh-in). The dude is going to be a legend can't wait to see him between the sticks for us. Great signing by the club.

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29 Apr 2014 19:07:53
Hey Ed,
can you please enlighten us on the G-14 clubs and the pan-european league? Thanks

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{Ed002's Note - G-14 hasn't existed for a number of years.

Without going in to too much detail: (a) A number of clubs take the opportunity a once or twice a year to discuss various issues including changes in rules, television rights, the power of UEFA, exploitation issues for new technology streams, etc.. These discussions, the last of which were in late March in Monte Carlo, also always turn to the possibility and structure of a breakaway pan European league. In March there were also discussions about possible FFP sanctions and a sponsorship cap for FFP. Several are ex-G14 clubs, several are not, and some clubs decline involvement in such discussions. (b) The plan is that at some point a number of clubs would break away from their national leagues and UEFA. They accept that they would be banned from all existing club competition and the players would initially be banned from all FIFA competitions as well, but know that FIFA would be looking to negotiate in any case. It would be the end of UEFA in all probability and UEFA are very aware of this. It would also result in a restructuring of many of the national leagues. (c) The clubs would renegotiate their television rights, rights of distribution via other streams etc.. (d) It remains the greatest fear of UEFA and all major national authorities that one day this will happen.

There is every likelihood that the big money from television, sponsorship etc. would go with a breakaway league. It would completely rupture the operations of UEFA and I would expect it would require national associations like the FA to restructure their leagues. Nobody wants this but it is the eventual consequence I would expect. If I had to speculate, I would think (1) you might eventually see something like five or six EPL teams leave for two-tier pan European league; (2) the Premier League would be disbanded as an organisation; (3) the FA would restructure in to two 20 team divisions with lower leagues regionalised as they were many years ago; (4) FIFA would ban all players from the breakaway teams from International football - perhaps rescinding that position to stop FIFA breaking up as well. I could also see many teams lose their professional status. I would think we are probably 10 years away from any significant move at this time.

I hold a reasonably strong view in terms of the need to restructure football in Europe in any case. For me an eventual a breakaway pan-European league would force the restructuring of many of the national leagues, possibly resulting in a British league with perhaps only a couple of professional tiers and then regionalised amateur leagues below that. Financially I do not see that so many pro sides can be sustained within the sport which, like it or not, will see more and more money going in to the highest levels of the game. Governments will ensure that grassroots sport get funding but everything in the middle (Southern, Northern, Conference, Division 2, Scottish Divisions 1-3, League of Wales will not get the funding needed to continue on any sort of professional basis.}

29 Apr 2014 18:32:00
Hi Ed002,

Would you be able to briefly summarise the viability of building a new stadium on the Earls Court site please?

Thank You :)

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{Ed002's Note - Chelsea won't be building at Earls Court.}

Has there been any developments within the club, or decisions made about renovating SB? or are they looking to move on? Sorry if this has already been asked, but as a club we are constantly growing and have outgrown the stadium now, and under Mourinho the fan base will continually grow. Feel we need 60,000 - 65,000 seats personally.

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{Ed002's Note - It is not viable to do anything at Stamford Bridge. There is nothing going on right now. Lillie Bridge Depot was look at last year and that is it.}

I understand the situation and the issues of doing anything at the Bridge. Do you think anything will happen with Lillie Bridge and why?

Why is there no possibillity of a move to Earls Court? Sorry for all the questions, but at least I'm not asking you about our interest in strikers haha :)

Thanks

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{Ed002's Note - All I know is that Lillie Bridge Depot was considered last year. Earls Court is not an option - it will be redeveloped for something else.}

Stamford Bridge can't be expanded or redeveloped. The cost of expansion would be around £20k per seat, which would take 25 years to pay off. We'd only be able to expand to around 50-55k seats. Overall costs for expansion would be around £400-500m.

Redevelopment of of SB would require the club acquiring all the surrounding residential land, which includes housing for ex-service personnel, which would be contentious at best. Also SB sits pretty much in the middle of a conservation area, which means the redevelopment would require a decrease in the size of the conservation area. Something the council would be vehemently against. Overall cost would be £600m+.
Neither of these take into account the issue of egress and being surrounded by railway lines.

Whilst not being 100% sure about Lillie Bridge, I believe the local council have no intention of granting planning permission for a stadium, however the Mayor could possibly step in. I do believe that currently it is our best and probably only option at this point in time.

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29 Apr 2014 16:27:49
Just read a comment from Michael Owen that Jose " accepted that Chelsea were the inferior team and could not go head to head with liverpool"
What is the matter with these scousers, just let it go. We beat you 2-0 not 1-0 with a fluke goal. We were tactically superior and all our players performed on the big stage. Liverpools panicked and basically wanted to thrash us to make a point, but failed.
We may not win the league but hopefully we have helped send it to a team where they will be a little more gracious in victory.
But next year we won't be so generous.

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29 Apr 2014 17:36:14
To be honest I don't care if Gerrard took the ball and ran into his own net or if we parked Roman's jet infront of ours. All that matters is the scoreline Scumpool 0 Chelsea 2 and that's all the history books is going to tell, and hopefully this result snatches the trophy away from them.

So Andrew mate, when you read a statement from all scousers, fans and pundits alike run their mouth on how Jose out smarted them, AGAIN! Smile cause it means we got them where it hurts real bad. :)

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Look at it this way, which players from a Liverpool team would replace someone from a full strength chelsea team. Suarez and maybe Sturridge, not even sure Gerard would get onto the team.

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29 Apr 2014 18:13:26
To post by Eli mate, their just bad losers. And I hope to god they win nothing this season and lose Saurez.

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29 Apr 2014 15:41:26
Ed is the rumour Cech fit correct

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{Ed002's Note - It is unlikely that he will play.}

29 Apr 2014 14:28:47
Hope we play 4-3-3 tomorrow. Rami, Luiz and Oscar. Behind Schurrle, Torres and Willian. Hopefully leaving us Eto, Hazard and van Ginkle to come off the bench if needed. Should be one hell of a game!

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