I think the unsaid part here as well is they have brought in a coach who is truly excellent at developing young players - rare in the modern game
Poch couldn’t do that at PSG - it’s results or die
Even the most optimistic blue blinkered legends of us on here know this season is a transitional one but this is the man who gave the world Harry Kane, Son, Tripper, Hojberg etc etc - he made stars of young players who no one had heard of before he came into sp*rs and did the same at Soton too
I loved Tommy but he was never the man to bring through the cobham graduates like Frankie did - soon as we started to show signs potter was going to take over I was in bits cos these world class talents need someone like Klopp, Pep, Poch etc who are excellent at making talented youngsters fulfill their potential
Without Poch it looks farcical this summer - with him in charge I am excited for the months ahead
Really good article. I sort of feel this youth project bares some similarities to what the Philadelphia 76ers did in the NBA. “The Process” was such a unique approach of getting rid of the big contracts and all the veterans on the team. Replaced big contracts and veterans with undervalued players and high potential young players while stockpiling high draft picks to get the best young players in the upcoming drafts with hope of competing 3/4 years down the line.
Feels like what Chelsea are doing is very similar in terms of stockpiling high potential youth players.
"The fact is these owners know what they’re doing"
Si, the triumph of optimism over experience! After last season and a lousy transfer window this summer (so far) I salute your optimism and pray you are proved right and I am proved wrong.
However, my fear is that they are changing us into a selling club - get good youngsters in and hope you make a shed load of money out of them - the new Southampton. Feeder club to the big boys at the top of the Premiership.
Why would they be spending effectively £200 million on two players (Enzo and most likely Caicedo) if they were just hoping to make money. No way would you be able to shift either of them for over that amount.
Sam, I don't see either of these as a big money gamble really. I think there is every chance they can at least make their money back. I am surprised a lot of site members are so forgiving to the ownership who frankly have been a disaster as far as I can see!
But maybe they can turn it around - I sure hope so! I will say the news today about the flats purchase from Stoll is more encouraging than transfer business so far this window - (still no GK, no midfielders, little known striker).
Because what they’ve had to do is very unprecedented. They’ve effectively had to restart a whole club. Yes I know we’d won the champions league but it’s well known that the club were a complete mess behind the scenes and stuck in the past. January was very successful in the transfer window and they’ve moved on a tremendous amount of unwanted players in a short amount of time this window. Yes I know the incomings are short at the moment but they will come I’m sure. The only window that was a disaster was last summer because they hadn’t had time to get a footballing department in and we’re relying on Tuchel. I get your points but I do think your stance is a bit harsh given what the owners have had to do, it’s such a complex thing. They’ve admitted themselves they’ve made mistakes and anyone would do in their situation. I just feel like they deserve a bit of leeway for now because of the short amount of time they’ve been here.
Top notch article Will! I am very hopeful that the youth acquisitions will help set the club up for success in the short and long term. And like you said, it needs to be drastically different than the days of old where we just shipped off players on loan that weren't wanted in the squad.
I like what you touched on at the end of the article about everyone having their own plan and not having anyone floating around. It’s great signing all these players but they need to all believe they have a chance to make it at chelsea and thus, drive their ambition to succeed. It’ll be interesting how the club go about this with making everyone feel valued to the project
I think the unsaid part here as well is they have brought in a coach who is truly excellent at developing young players - rare in the modern game
Poch couldn’t do that at PSG - it’s results or die
Even the most optimistic blue blinkered legends of us on here know this season is a transitional one but this is the man who gave the world Harry Kane, Son, Tripper, Hojberg etc etc - he made stars of young players who no one had heard of before he came into sp*rs and did the same at Soton too
I loved Tommy but he was never the man to bring through the cobham graduates like Frankie did - soon as we started to show signs potter was going to take over I was in bits cos these world class talents need someone like Klopp, Pep, Poch etc who are excellent at making talented youngsters fulfill their potential
Without Poch it looks farcical this summer - with him in charge I am excited for the months ahead
Really good article. I sort of feel this youth project bares some similarities to what the Philadelphia 76ers did in the NBA. “The Process” was such a unique approach of getting rid of the big contracts and all the veterans on the team. Replaced big contracts and veterans with undervalued players and high potential young players while stockpiling high draft picks to get the best young players in the upcoming drafts with hope of competing 3/4 years down the line.
Feels like what Chelsea are doing is very similar in terms of stockpiling high potential youth players.
"The fact is these owners know what they’re doing"
Si, the triumph of optimism over experience! After last season and a lousy transfer window this summer (so far) I salute your optimism and pray you are proved right and I am proved wrong.
However, my fear is that they are changing us into a selling club - get good youngsters in and hope you make a shed load of money out of them - the new Southampton. Feeder club to the big boys at the top of the Premiership.
Why would they be spending effectively £200 million on two players (Enzo and most likely Caicedo) if they were just hoping to make money. No way would you be able to shift either of them for over that amount.
Sam, I don't see either of these as a big money gamble really. I think there is every chance they can at least make their money back. I am surprised a lot of site members are so forgiving to the ownership who frankly have been a disaster as far as I can see!
But maybe they can turn it around - I sure hope so! I will say the news today about the flats purchase from Stoll is more encouraging than transfer business so far this window - (still no GK, no midfielders, little known striker).
So here is to keeping the faith!
Because what they’ve had to do is very unprecedented. They’ve effectively had to restart a whole club. Yes I know we’d won the champions league but it’s well known that the club were a complete mess behind the scenes and stuck in the past. January was very successful in the transfer window and they’ve moved on a tremendous amount of unwanted players in a short amount of time this window. Yes I know the incomings are short at the moment but they will come I’m sure. The only window that was a disaster was last summer because they hadn’t had time to get a footballing department in and we’re relying on Tuchel. I get your points but I do think your stance is a bit harsh given what the owners have had to do, it’s such a complex thing. They’ve admitted themselves they’ve made mistakes and anyone would do in their situation. I just feel like they deserve a bit of leeway for now because of the short amount of time they’ve been here.
Yes that's fair.
Will wrote this mate, but I do agree with him.
Top notch article Will! I am very hopeful that the youth acquisitions will help set the club up for success in the short and long term. And like you said, it needs to be drastically different than the days of old where we just shipped off players on loan that weren't wanted in the squad.
I like what you touched on at the end of the article about everyone having their own plan and not having anyone floating around. It’s great signing all these players but they need to all believe they have a chance to make it at chelsea and thus, drive their ambition to succeed. It’ll be interesting how the club go about this with making everyone feel valued to the project