The Official Thread of Chelsea FC

[ross4life]

Gullit,Vialli late 90s more than Hoddle IMO

[Norf Tyrone]

Gullit,Vialli late 90s more than Hoddle IMO

Nope. The whole mind set changed when Glenda came. Cup final in 94, signing Gullit, Hughes etc, semi final in 95.

[ross4life]

Don't forget the big part this wee man played for the club

[Norf Tyrone]

Gullit,Vialli late 90s more than Hoddle IMO

Nope. The whole mind set changed when Glenda came. Cup final in 94, signing Gullit, Hughes etc, semi final in 95.

United beat them 4-0. I remember me and my da watching it in the upstairs 'living quarters' of a pub Kiltyclogher.

Held our own the first hour, hit the bar, went one down and then that Ellery hoor made a shocking decision, and United ran riot.

I cried a wee bit. Then walked home. Then went out and got very drunk. Good times.

[under the bar]

I cried a wee bit. Then walked home. Then went out and got very drunk. Good times.

So as a Chelsea fan in the old days what's your take on the whole thing now Norf when not a player has come through the youth system in a decade and everything has been bought with foreign billions and nothing built up as before under the good work by hoddle/hullit/vialli etc? 
Serious question btw

[ross4life]

Gullit,Vialli late 90s more than Hoddle IMO

Nope. The whole mind set changed when Glenda came. Cup final in 94, signing Gullit, Hughes etc, semi final in 95.

United beat them 4-0. I remember me and my da watching it in the upstairs 'living quarters' of a pub Kiltyclogher.

Held our own the first hour, hit the bar, went one down and then that Ellery hoor made a shocking decision, and United ran riot.

I cried a wee bit. Then walked home. Then went out and got very drunk. Good times.

Still have the newspaper cuttings of that match, chelsea fanced their chances going into the game on the back of two 1-0 wins i think both goals from Peacock?

Ryan Giggs is the only player left from that era.

[AZOffaly]

Every one of your posts reads like a programme note ross

[ross4life]

Every one of your posts reads like a programme note ross

I know i'm turning into him

[Norf Tyrone]

I cried a wee bit. Then walked home. Then went out and got very drunk. Good times.

So as a Chelsea fan in the old days what's your take on the whole thing now Norf when not a player has come through the youth system in a decade and everything has been bought with foreign billions and nothing built up as before under the good work by hoddle/hullit/vialli etc? 
Serious question btw

I think it's f**king great! 

Seriously though. Twice in my lifetime Chelsea almost went bust. Once in around 1982ish before good old Batesy saved us, and then in 2003 when, if the rumours are to be believed, Chelsea were on the verge again.

So in that context the only thing to do is sit back and enjoy the run.

However the notion that not a player has come through the youth system in the last ten years is a false one. Remember Robert Huth, Jon Harley, JT, Carlton Cole and numerous others got their first breaks at Chelsea in the last ten years. The problem is that when you are in the top two teams in England and the top five or six in Europe, as we've been over the last six or seven years, it's difficult to promote from within. The players coming through have to the crème de la crème.

Look at Liverpool as an example of a team who have not really brought anyone through in that same period. Look at the United side and you could argue that they've brought no one through of any real quality in the last few years as well!

The thing is, the good work by Hoddle, Gullit etc has lead to where Chelsea are today. Hoddle changed the mind set of the club, Gullit glammed it up, Vialli brought trophies, Ranieri continued the good work and his CL qualification in 2003 ensured that Chelsea were primed just right for the arrival of RA.

The arrival of Abromovich tends to make people forget how close Chelsea were to winning the PL in 1999, going to the second last game of the season in the hunt, and in truth throwing it away!

So the 'billions'- not sure it's quite that- helped, but the Club's performance over the previous 10 years ensured that they were ripe for the taking and an attractive proposition for a takeover. I always find it curious how the media portrayed Harding's cash injection as being good for football, but Roman's was 'bad'. This despite RA's money saving 5 or 6 English sides from going bust!

In an ideal world it be great to have 11 home grown youngsters, but that rarely happens anywhere in the world. People will throw up Barce, but Villa, Mascherano, Adriano have all come in for big money this year, and over the last few years they have not been shy in the transfer marker by any stretch.

As I've been there and nearly seeing the club go under twice, and remember the days in division two, I appreciate everything that's happened over the last few years. You'll note on various team threads how some people get blasé about league cup semi finals, FA Cup games etc. Not me. I know that every win's a bonus, every cup run is to be enjoyed, and a final is a day out. No matter whom it's against! No matter what resources a club has it can all change so quickly. With great respect to Liverpool, no one thought they'd be where they are now, ditto Leeds a few years back.

I am away to bed now. The voyage to FA Cup three in a row history starts tomorrow!

[Norf Tyrone]

Sturridginator.... 2-0.

[ross4life]

Everton away next round should be a tasty tie

[Norf Tyrone]

MacEacheran runs the show today. However Ancellotti has already come out and said that Essien will replace the youngster for next Saturday's game v Blackburn.

Piss poor man management. At least make Essien sweat it out all week.

[The Worker]

Chelski back on track?

[ross4life]

MacEacheran runs the show today. However Ancellotti has already come out and said that Essien will replace the youngster for next Saturday's game v Blackburn.

Piss poor man management. At least make Essien sweat it out all week.

Not to worry sure it's only Blackburn at home 

[Norf Tyrone]

MacEacheran runs the show today. However Ancellotti has already come out and said that Essien will replace the youngster for next Saturday's game v Blackburn.

Piss poor man management. At least make Essien sweat it out all week.

Not to worry sure it's only Blackburn at home 

No easy games in the Premiership.