Since the arrival of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich at Chelsea in 2003, and chief executive Peter Kenyon in 2004, I've long been sceptical about the club's ambitious desire to become a commercial power house and a global brand around the world.
In this ruthless quest to become the greatest club on the map will their big spending, sacking of capable managers, disregard for the academy and eagerness for instant success see them fall from grace before they have reached the pinnacle of footballing success that they crave so dearly?
No doubt their long term ambition is to become the equivalent of clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid—with global recognition, a large fan base, a star studded squad, commercial success and financial viability coming along with success on the pitch.
That's why the players, staff, and fans at Stamford Bridge consistently set the standard so high each season.
But what Sir Alex achieved at United took the best part of a decade. Somehow, the Chelsea contingent believe it's possible to eclipse or even come close to that achievement—even with little regard for the development of the youth system, and how financially feasible their excessive spending is for the club as a business in the long run.
Since 2003 Chelsea's spending has exceeded £353.3 million on new players alone, and they have won only six domestic trophies. Is that money well spent?
As with every club, managers misjudge how players can fit into the team. But with Chelsea the transition to the team they are today has encountered an extensive list of expensive errors.
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