Boehly defends ‘misunderstood’ Chelsea strategy | OneFootball

Todd Boehly has defended Chelsea’s under-fire ownership and said the club’s strategy has been misunderstood.

Chelsea have broken spending records since the acquisition of the club by BlueCo, a consortium led by Todd Boehly, Clearlake Capital, Mark Walter and Hansjörg Wyss.

Despite record-breaking investment, Chelsea have missed out on Champions League qualification in each of the last two campaigns.

Currently, Chelsea are fifth in the table but have endured a dip in form under Enzo Maresca. The club’s recruitment focus has been on emerging talent, with lucrative long-term deals handed to inexperienced players with an eye on the future.

Boehly’s extravagant spending has been criticised with the American coming under pressure from fan groups.

Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London, Boehly insisted progress is not ‘linear’ for Chelsea and said the strategy has been misunderstood by those outside Stamford Bridge.

“I just think it is par for the course. The sooner you learn you are not going to keep all the people happy all the time, the freedom shows up,” he said on the criticism he has faced.

“We are just trying to execute a plan and recognise things aren’t linear, and we are trending in the right direction. The trend is moving in the right direction and that’s the thing that really matters.

“In June, it will be three years in charge. That’s not a lot of time, especially when you get to 50, 60 or 70 years old in life. It’s a whirlwind of activity and steep learning curve, but I think that’s also a good thing.

“The most misunderstood thing is we are thinking about measuring success in years. You have to think both short and long term. We are focused on the combination on both those things and seeking the best way to execute. It is a balancing act.

“Strikers are hard to find. You don’t go into the grocery store and say, ‘I am going to get a striker’. It is an amazing skillset and you have to have the right mentality.”

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