The Official Thread of Chelsea FC

[GalwayBayBoy]

Chelsea banned from any signings for next two transfer windows 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/8236187.stm

Probably reduced to a fine on appeal once a few brown envelopes are sent.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Chelsea banned from any signings for next two transfer windows 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/8236187.stm

Like the Eduardo ban this is a good thing...as long as FIFA is consistent and bans all clubs who do likewise

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Seems like this has happened before with Roma getting the same ban as Chelsea in 2004...reduced to one transfer window on appeal...and FC Sion of Switzerland...their ban suspended while they appeal to the CAS.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Seems like this has happened before with Roma getting the same ban as Chelsea in 2004...reduced to one transfer window on appeal...and FC Sion of Switzerland...their ban suspended while they appeal to the CAS.

There'll be some crying over "anti-Chelsea" discrimination with this one!

[Archie Mitchell]

Chelsea banned from any signings for next two transfer windows 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/8236187.stm

Like the Eduardo ban this is a good thing...as long as FIFA is consistent and bans all clubs who do likewise

Like when CSKA Sofia were banned from competing in the 08-09 Champions League due to unpaid debt, yet the current English teams in the Champions League this season has a combined debt of £2 billion and not banned from competiting! This was UEFA's decision but they are all the same anyway, and i'm suprised Chelsea got hit with this ban when you consider other cases such as Jon Obi Mikel, Federico Macheda, Cesc Fabregas, Jermaine Pennant and countless others and nothing done about them.

[thebigfella]

Chelsea banned from any signings for next two transfer windows 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/8236187.stm

Like the Eduardo ban this is a good thing...as long as FIFA is consistent and bans all clubs who do likewise

Like when CSKA Sofia were banned from competing in the 08-09 Champions League due to unpaid debt, yet the current English teams in the Champions League this season has a combined debt of £2 billion and not banned from competiting! This was UEFA's decision but they are all the same anyway, and i'm suprised Chelsea got hit with this ban when you consider other cases such as Jon Obi Mikel, Federico Macheda, Cesc Fabregas, Jermaine Pennant and countless others and nothing done about them.

There is a slight difference between owing money and managing that debt, as opposed to not repaying a debt due to not being able to or refusing to.

[Archie Mitchell]

Debt is still debt! Platini was mouthing off a few weeks ago about City saying fair enough if they want to spend this money, but if it puts them in debt then they shouldn't be able to compete in the top competitions, while at the same time heaping praise on Abramovich. City don't have any debt, all this spending was a gift from the new owner to try and get them competing with the big 4, whereas the big 4 has bucketloads of debt, yet don't get criticised.

[thebigfella]

Debt is still debt! Platini was mouthing off a few weeks ago about City saying fair enough if they want to spend this money, but if it puts them in debt then they shouldn't be able to compete in the top competitions, while at the same time heaping praise on Abramovich. City don't have any debt, all this spending was a gift from the new owner to try and get them competing with the big 4, whereas the big 4 has bucketloads of debt, yet don't get criticised.

Nothing wrong with being in debt as long as you can manage it correctly. It's when you cannot manage it, as the example you gave with CSKA Sofia, it becomes an issue. The scenarios you described with CSKA Sofia and English club debt are completely different.

[Main Street]

Archie, I don't think you have understood what went between Platini and Abrahamovitch.
Platini has praised Abramovich for his support for the Uefa proposals, not for Chelsea's accounting practices.

also
afaiu, under the new proposals, gifts will not count as income.

[Norf Tyrone]

Chelsea banned from any signings for next two transfer windows 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/8236187.stm

Like the Eduardo ban this is a good thing...as long as FIFA is consistent and bans all clubs who do likewise

Totally agree. I am not very well versed in all the ins and outs of the Kakuta deal but from what I gather he signed a pre-contract at Lens when he was 14/15 committing him to sign a full contract when he was 16.

It was the pre contract that was breeched.

However- and I hasten to add I know little about employment laws- is a contract signed by a 14/15yo leagally binding?

I always thought that the contracts between minors and others could be signed, however they are only there to protect the interest of the minor, and a court will rule in favour of the minor in all matters regarding.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Interesting point here...if it is legally and morally wrong to induce a 16 year old to break a contract (and it is) what does FIFA have to say about the practice of offering legally binding contracts to 14 year old "players" in the first place?

[Norf Tyrone]

Have kind of shunned this thread so far to date this season from an on field persepctive at least. Just too busy!

Stoke away is always one of them games where teams can come a cropper, so not 100% confident on today. However Ancellotti has the Blues playing much, much better than I hoped, although you could replace Ancellotti's name with Scolari's and roll the clock back 12 months.

However I have this belief that CA has more about him. He looks confident, and assured in the press conferances, and there is more of a belief in the players too.

He has Chelsea playing a system that's hard to nail down. Some say it's a diamond, some a Christmas tree, some people think it's a fluid 4-4-2. Whatever it is it's working. The key to it being the adventure of the full backs (That sounds like a Bond film), and Cole and Bosingwa are key.
The test will be when Chelsea play a team that causes our full backs to be less adventurous. Who supplies the width then?

Anyhow prediction for today... Stoke 0 Chelsea 2 (Lampard and Anelka).

[stiffler]

lampard, gerarrd and rooney all to score today, 16/1

[Norf Tyrone]

lampard, gerarrd and rooney all to score today, 16/1

I seen that 'Three lions' bet. It's not a bad en but I couldn't cheer a Rooney goal today!

[Galwaybhoy]

lampard, gerarrd and rooney all to score today, 16/1

Thats a nice little bet tbh.