Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has criticised the club’s current direction, claiming that Roman Abramovich would be crying his eyes out at the transformation.
The Roman Abramovich era transformed Chelsea from an underachieving club into a global powerhouse, defined by a ruthless winning culture and major investment.
Between 2003 and 2022, the club secured 21 trophies, including five Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns. This period was a managerial merry-go-round, where coaches like Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, and Thomas Tuchel were hired.
Beyond the financial backing, the era was built on a core of legendary figures, including John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, and Petr Cech.
Chelsea became the most successful English club of the two-decade span.
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Roman Abramovich would be ashamed of Chelsea right now
John Obi Mikel, when speaking on the Obi One podcast, was dreading to think what Roman Abramovich would think of the state of Chelsea right now.
“Roman Abramovich would be sitting in his home right now, crying his eyes out, thinking about what his club has turned into. His sweat, his money, his energy, his time that he invested.
“He was not there for money; he was there for the love he had.”
It’s a sad state of affairs, where the current owners have spent all the money in the world, but have nothing to show for it, as things continue to deteriorate.
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Where did it all go wrong for the Chelsea owners?
Chelsea’s ownership issues stem from a private-equity model that has often prioritised asset accumulation over immediate competitive intent. Under the Clearlake-Boehly consortium, the club has invested over £1.5 billion primarily in young, high-potential players, creating a squad that lacks the prime-age leadership and emotional maturity required to sustain success.
This experimental approach has led to managerial turnovers, with four permanent head coaches in as many years.
Furthermore, the implementation of an incentive-based wage structure and a buy now, pay later financial mechanic has strained the club’s long-term stability.
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