Chelsea need Michael Edwards more than Liverpool. We should give him the keys to BlueCo & Chelsea.
Edwards would transform the Chelsea project
It’s been well reported this week that Liverpool are desperately attempting to bring the highly rated Michael Edwards back to the club as they rebuild their structure. It’s also been reported that Edwards is reluctant to go back, and is demanding a level of control and power Liverpool are reluctant to give him, way beyond that of a sporting director.
Edwards is seen as one of the best sporting directors in world football. It’s been reliably reported that wants a role of a CEO of Football, basically running everything on the football side, more than just a sporting director.
It’s becoming increasingly unlikely he will get offered that, though will meet with Liverpool one last time.
The role he wants at Liverpool is, of course, similar to the role he was offered by Chelsea back in 2022 by Todd Boehly and Clearlake. He was allegedly impressed by the project, and only turned it down out of commitment to his family.
Liverpool are in a strong position, where they don’t “need” the CEO of Football role too much. The basis of their structure is pretty good already.
Which brings me to Chelsea.
If there is any club in football which desperately needs a leader of Michael Edwards standard, its Chelsea.
The CEO of Football role we asked him to do, notably remains unfulfilled. Chelsea are seen as a joke. Things seem chaotic on the surface. There’s no strong, single, authoritative football voice leading the direction of the football side, both at Chelsea and in the multi-club growth at Blue-Co. We have better scouts, better data analysis, we have co-sporting directors. But no leaders. No big, best in class, respected football people spearheading the project
We should be going to Michael Edwards right now and offering him full control. Make him to CEO of Football for Chelsea & BlueCo. His role would be all encompassing, focussing first on the growth and establishment of Chelsea as an elite football club in every aspect, and then growing the network of clubs and creating pathways between them, and working with Neil Bath to create better pathways for Cobham players.
He could be the public face of the club, communicating the goals and ambitions of the club to the public. He would be the the final decision maker on signings and influencing team building, so we can end this ridiculous transfer by committee which causes so many problems. He would help select the right head coach. And of course, build a strong data department and football structure at Chelsea which can set us up for years to come.
If Behdad and Todd want to make the biggest return on their investment, this is THE most important appointment they could make. Get him in, let him pick the new manager, let him oversee the summer window, working with our scouts and the new manager.
Also, getting Edwards in, IMMEDIATELY gives legitimacy and gravitas to the project. People will start taking Chelsea seriously again, and it could easily help attract players and especially elite managers back to the club.
Finally, hiring Edwards would be both a statement of intent, especially to the fans. It would be a reassurance of what the clubs ambitions are, as well as a public acceptance that they’ve learned lessons from the last 2 years, and are willing to do what’s necessary to win. It would be the best appointment they’ve made since the takeover and would be a very positive sign to the fans we’re on the right track again. It would earn more patience and trust with the fanbase, which is currently at its lowest point ever.
If Edwards wants a small stake in BlueCo, I personally would give it to him. That would commit him to the club and project long term and would almost ensure we head back to sustained success.
In short, I would advise the owners to do almost whatever it takes to bring Michael Edwards to Chelsea.
We need him, and his appointment would transform the club and its future and reassure many fans - and the football world - we’re headed in the right direction again.
No excuses. Get it done.
Totally agree with this. But:
(1) The project is a hell of a lot less attractive than it was when they first tried to recruit Edwards - the ownership have already blown the farm on the project. Nothing left in the kitty.
(2) The ownership knew that Edwards would potentially become available at the end of his year off. They were not prepared to wait and have hired (and still hiring) a veritable plethora of bottle washers into the most bloated operational model in the League. They could have moved as soon as Edwards became available but they haven't. So they are not going to move now.
(3) These are arrogant people. The last thing they will want to hear from Edwards is a sharp and very long lesson on what idiots they have been and an even longer list of all their mistakes. Underscored by a 180 degree turnaround (a lot of hiring and even more firing) in everything the ownership have done.
(4) It's as if they have thrown a party and trashed the family home while the parents have been away. They will try and tidy the place up a bit themselves before they get in any DOF. The shame of the shambles they have created will just be too much for their pride to bear.
So, unfortunately, it won't happen.
This is so much more important than the signing of any one player. We need someone in control of this ship, or we will keep going round and round in circles. Does not matter how strong the players/coaches are without any direction.
Pay the man what he wants. Give him the control that he wants. Put contingency clauses into his contract to make sure that he succeeds (such as shares).