Why FIFA's Ban On Chelsea Is The Pivotal Moment In English Football

For fairness sake to all of those Chelsea fans out there, I'll start this article off by saying I'm a fan of Arsenal FC.

When I first heard about FIFA's ban placed on Chelsea, I'll admit that I was somewhat happy at the fact that one of the biggest competitors in the top four had been dealt a huge blow, meaning a more open title race.

But then I realized that this decision by FIFA, should it stick and be maintained until it's 2011 time frame, is not only as close to death blow as possible to one of England's most storied clubs, but a war on English football's dominance in European competition.

The ban on transferring players into the club, which lasts until 2011, has to be the most calculated legal maneuvering in football history. To understand why, imagine the structure of the club on which the ban was placed.

Chelsea in it's modern form is a buying club. It buys players for higher prices and often sells them for lower prices after their talents have been used up. It's not an attack on Chelsea's structure, it's simply the way the club operates.

Chelsea supporters would be truly hard-pressed to say that the club employs a strong youth program in which academy players can fill up the first-team ranks. Chelsea buy stars at their peak, win trophies, and are juggernauts in Europe. No apologies needed.

So it is too coincidental that a team of Chelsea's average age, which is admittedly getting up there in years, is strapped with this kind of punishment. It's the worst possible scenario that could've happened for what is a simple case of a breach of contract.

Think about it like this: If Arsenal were banned for buying players for a year and a half, would they survive internally? It's a far different scenario than for their London rivals.

The age of the team, a problem which Gus Hiddink smartly pointed out last year, is the club's Achilles heal. The team needs to buy players often to maintain that speed and continental skill in order to stave off other top four and European competitors.

There's no doubt that Chelsea can whether such a storm because of there competitiveness (who wouldn't want Lampard and Terry on their team?), but the question is, how long?

There simply is no contingent plan for something like this. The club has never truly invested in youth, so it's almost tragically ironic that this ban would happen over a youth product's transfer.

You can be certain too, that players within the club won't be as confident of their club with this storm hanging above their heads. Will they be able to pull through and remain winners? Only time will tell. But the added pressure will not help.

Also something to consider is the timing of the ban. It comes right as Chelsea are on a hot streak domestically, with Carlo Ancelotti behind the helm. Not just any coach ladies and gentlemen, Carlo Ancelotti. The two time UEFA Champions League winner. The man who's speciality is winning big on the European stage.

It's seems a little paranoid to call all of this a conspiracy by FIFA to stop English in-roads to Champions League trophies, but the facts just keep coming.

Let's all be fair and keep this is perspective as well. Chelsea are not simply victimized club. They currently have an ongoing suit against Adrian Mutu which can only be described as the outright murder of the player's career.

Let's also not forget that smaller clubs have their rights as well, and that big continental powers have been poaching youth for years from these little competitors.

But let's call it what it is and spare diplomacy for a moment. This is FIFA's way of all-out war on the English dominance of Europe. The 6+5 rule is bad enough (even if it has some noble intentions). This is simply an outright attack to defang the blue tiger that is Chelsea in Europe's biggest competition with one of the best coaches in the world.

It doesn't stop there. Currently FIFA is investigating the case of Paul Pogba going to Manchester United. Yes. The Red Devils could also be facing a transfer ban in this, what could be their definitive period of rebuilding before the eventual retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.

What next? Arsenal can't buy youth players like they have for near a decade? Liverpool and their frankly abysmal youth program continues to suffer even more?

If this doesn't shake English football to it's foundations, nothing will. This ban sets a horrifying precedent that could stagnate English football for years to come, should it become popularized. It's a scary thing that the most exciting, blistering, and heart-stopping showcase of footballing talents could go the way of Italy before too long.

There is one, very small glimmer of hope. If there is one coach who can make an ageing team competitive, it's Carlo Ancelotti. Can he win the Champions League with a team this old? He's done it before, he can do it again.

And hey, it could all just blow over and Chelsea could come out stronger than ever by solving their problems internally.

But the more likely answer? This is a deep wound through the heart of the London blue boys. This moment in history could be one of those that marks a decided and forced change for European football as a whole.