With the current uncertainty surrounding the new ownership of Chelsea, insider Rob Segal has claimed Chelsea should appoint a British owner.
Many different buyers from various parts of the world have expressed their interest in buying Chelsea, but Segal thinks the club has to think about their identity, not just the success they promise to bring.
“As things stand, we still don’t know what is going to happen with Chelsea, or who may eventually end up taking over the club but it would be nice if the new owners were British because I think, although you can have success, you can also lose your identity,” said Segal, speaking exclusively to Caught Offside.
Nick Candy has reportedly submitted a bid for Chelsea, and he is someone who you’d like to think wouldn’t want to tarnish the identity of the current European champions. Candy is an English property developer, who is a boyhood fan of the London club.
Appointing someone who supports Chelsea could be a smart move. Naturally, a fan will have the best interests of the club at heart, a trait that not all owners in the Premier League have proven to have.
As long as he has the money to match his ambitions, Candy will likely do everything in his power to bring success to the club.
However, Segal does have concerns over British owners, saying: “But, unfortunately, for British owners, the agenda seems to be ‘buy a British club in the Championship, hope you can get them up to the Premier League and sell the club to a foreign owner’.”
Chelsea fans would hope Candy can be an exception to this rule, due to supporting the club he wants to take over. As a fan, all you want is for your club to be successful.
Many buyers currently interested in Chelsea might not have their best intentions at heart. Those who have no affiliation to football in England may be looking to take over the club to boost their brand, solely make money, and simply not have the knowledge of football to make the right decisions.
Petr Cech is currently the Technical And Performance Advisor at Chelsea, so he has a say in the day to day running of the club. Chelsea fans will be hoping he can keep his job under new ownership, to ensure someone with the footballing knowledge is still involved at the club.
Cech will also help to keep the identity at Chelsea, due to him being a former player. If he’s able to continue to work with new owners, his experience in the game can help them ensure they run efficiently on a football level, regardless of their understanding of the sport.