About Those Chelsea Departures….
How fickle are some supporters eh? Not only that but they seem to have very short and very selective memories.
There was me not even able to get my head around Joe Cole leaving and yet I was stunned to read others going on about how it was good to see the back of him because he’d got some inflated ego. I mean wtf? Are these people even talking about the same player?
Here’s a player who has loyally worked his arse off for our club season after season for seven years, fair enough, he struggled to find his form after injury last season but does that really render him ‘overrated’? I hardly think so. Did he really demand the inflated salary quoted in some quarters of the press rather than a bit of a raise? Again, I doubt it. And yet because the club have taken the decision not to renew his contract, supporters who not that long ago would have been bragging about ‘that’ goal he popped up with against United suggest we’re better off without him. I wonder if they’ll still be saying that when he’s playing against us?
And what about Michael Ballack and Juliano Belletti? Obviously Belletti’s departure was no surprise really but most of us probably expected Ballack to get another year given the part he’d played in our double-winning campaign. Yet completely out of the blue – for Ballack as well as us it seems – we find out he won’t be back next season either. And again, despite the service we’ve had from him in the last four years – and he’s hardly lacked conviction throughout that time – there’s supporters out there more willing to slate him than wish him well.
Is the club’s apparent disrespect for players they choose to dispense with not shameful enough without supporters adding to the embarrassment? Don’t get me wrong, financially the club have probably made the right decision. Letting Belletti, Ballack and Deco go (now that’s a player we can safely say won’t be missed), they’ll be cutting the wage bill down significantly, although for anyone getting excited at the prospect of our younger players being introduced to the depleted midfield position, the news that Stoch has also left the building doesn’t exactly inspire! Even with Joe Cole, as gutted as I am to see him go, if he didn’t figure in Ancelotti’s plans (and to be honest, Carlo’s midfield was never really Joe-friendly), then going up as high as £100k a week wouldn’t have been justifiable.
Here’s my real problem with the departures though – it’s the way they happen rather than the fact they happen in the first place. Isn’t the least Michael Ballack deserved to have been told by the club rather than hear it from the media? Didn’t Joe Cole deserve to know of his fate at the end of the season so the media could get most of it out of their system rather than a couple of days before England’s first World Cup game so he’ll have the press up his arse during his preparation? And in the very least, don’t they both merit a bit of gratitude on our part? Because it strikes me we’re lucky to have had players of that calibre wearing the shirt in the first place and should acknowledge that with pride rather than poison.
TheChelseaBlog would like to thank them for their service and wishes them well in the future.
Filed under: Current Players, Ex Players, Rants
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Amen
seems like a Chelsea blogger who knows their stuff and who isn’t influenced by the media farce. Well written and educated article.
That is a really good article! And for what it’s worth – I agree completely…
Chelsea D, i agree about Joe Cole.. check out my tribute to Joe.. http://www.chelseadaft.org/2010/06/joe-cole-one-of-most-naturally-gifted.html
Spot on!
Give a big “THANK YOU” to MB, JC and JB. And wish you all the best in the future
Come on Chels!
Adeus Juliano Belletti, Auf Wiedersehen Michael Ballack, Bye Joe Cole. Wilkommen Bastian Schweinsteiger? Welcome anyone?
I’m glad for the years I got to watch them, especially Joe play in Chelsea Blue. We really should have handled their departure better. Wish them all the best.
I think it was about time to let Ballack and Baletti go. I want to see more young players brought through. Selling Stoch, who has just won the dutch league as a first team player and is only 20 for £2.5M is amazing to me. I have no idea why we have let him go, if at all. Either the club is up to something interesting and we don’t have all the facts yet or someone is badly managing things.
Forgive me for not weeping into my cereal when it’s reported that Joe Cole wants to earn as much as the likes of Frank Lampard and John Terry when he has rarely if ever put in 2 or 3 good games on the trot over the last three years. I am more than grateful for his service in the Chelsea shirt and voted for him as our player of the year in 05/06 but since then he has been nothing short of average. The “hard work” player of the year award he won last year was laughable especially when he could barely score or create chances, it says an awful lot that when you play the majority of the games and more than Salomon Kalou that if he is scoring and creating more than you then perhaps you just aren’t very good. However despite that show of utmost faith by the Chelsea fans what does Joe “Chelsea fan” Cole do? He goes and wants more money whilst playing inadequately, he constantly moans about how he has to “work twice as hard as anyone in the squad to earn a place” whilst rarely looking anything more than average.
The season defining moment for me of Joe Cole will be that 45 minutes against Cardiff City, possibly the worst 45 minutes I have ever endured at The Bridge from a single player since Slavisa Jokanovic.
To top it all off Joe Cole is looking likely to join either Manchester United, Arsenal or Spurs… do you reckon any of them are going to pay him the extortionate wages that he’s asking for, for the privilege of putting in inadequate performances? I’m suspecting not.
As for Michael Ballack I was gutted to hear he was leaving us. Exemplary attitude, always giving his all for the cause despite major criticism after his first season. I thought he was integral to last seasons success particularly at the beginning and end when we needed him most. I wish him all the very best.
Juliano will always be a cult hero at The Bridge… even if he can’t defend. His goals against Spurs and Wigan will be remembered by this Blue for many a year.
I am delighted that the club are starting to tighten their belts with squad players however. Less than delighted to see good young talent leaving though.
I wa snot sorry to see Cole go myself, he is too much of a an extravagence for my liking and made his best contribution when Arrogantio was constantly on his case. Yes he scored a good goal against the Mancs. This will also give Kakuta space I hope, to the extent that it will become Joe Who?
Belletti is too old now but has given us good service.
The departure I rue is Ballack, not because I have to get a new shirt now but because for my money he was key to the latter part of our season and winning the PL. If it is true that Abramovic decided to get rid of Ballack after the Inter game then how many other games did he watch from then till the end of the season – we will miss Ballack, especially when Essien is injured again (or if he does not recover this time)
first of all: Thx to JC, MB and JB.
second: I completely agree with J Spencer about Stoch, at least we hoped that prospect young players will be given more attention and minutes. ancelotti said that he will push Bruma and Aanholt to our defence, but why is he letting go such a player like stoch? Either the player is really overrated in the dutch press (which I doubt), or the club is preparing something really special for this season (most likely). I really doubt that a club like chelsa is badly managed
I´ve seen Stoch and I got to say I think he´s too weak to ever be a starting player in Chelsea. He got pretty good pace, good technique and a shot thats not so impressing. He actually reminds me a lot of Joe Cole, it looks pretty good when they handle the ball, but against better teams they kind of disappear. They don´t get past their defender as much as you would like, I mean pace and technique are their biggest assets, but still they aren´t fast enough, and without a good shot defenders just run with them in defence and a good chance pan out into nothing. Kalou is better in those aspects.
I am really baffled with our transfer policy. Last season we didn’t let anyone out ,other than sheva. That made me think that we were careful not to disrupt balance, but now we’ve almost axed our entire midfield. Suddenly there is a lack of central mids in the team. Kalou’s in and out, deco is not himself anymore. What were they thinking?? There was talk of Cork leaving as well. I pray to god that he doesn’t. Isn’t the entire idea of a youth academy laid on the prospect of grooming youngsters in the first team so that we don’t have to go hammer and tongs at the transfer market?? We could have given stoch a chance. now we’re gonna chase stupidly over-priced players in the transfer market. Alteast keep cork, bruma, aanholt, mancienne in the squad. The last thing we need is playing with a completely new midfield.
I understand it had to be done. Ageing legs in Ballack, over-inflated wage demands, or was it an over-inflated opinion of himself leading to demands for more playing time in the case of Joey Cole? Time to move on, in the case of others.
We have to keep the squad fresh, hungry and above all improved.
But all down the years, from as long ago as I can remember, the club have disposed of their stock ruthlessly. I use the word stock because judging by the attitude of the men in charge, they dont see them as people.
I sincerely hope for the sake of future players and for the club itself, that there were justifiable reasons for the way they handled these decisions, because from the outside it looks pretty shabby and small-minded – exactly the sort of club Roman is trying NOT to build.
PLEASE, you suited gents and ladies with the decisions to make, can you come clean with your reasoning, so that we arent lewft with the feeling that we are supporting a second rate club. Cheers.
Don’t really know why you people are feeling so dodgy about these releases.
1) I don’t really notice Ballack when I watch a game, even if I try.
2) Joe Cole just doesn’t fit anymore.
3) Belletti is just old, doesn’t play much.
I would have kept Ballack sure, but this paves the way for more players coming in. Chelsea aren’t gonna leave those holes unfilled.
It’s a 9ice move except 4 Jo Cole. Am gonna miss him good bye Jo ! good bye fantastic futball ! goodbye Chelsea wonder boy !
I feel Chelsea FC threw Ballack under the bus. The dude was willing to take another pay cut to play at Chelsea. That is what we call love and commitment. He played top notch football this season. He brought character to the midfield. You can see the fire in Ballack’s eyes, he always wants Chelsea to win and he is willing to bull doze any opposition out of the way to do it. I’m proud Ballack wore the Blue Shirt.
On the issue of Joe Cole, I love the guy, he has played 7 seasons for us. I can’t imagine him in another shirt. I know he is past his best but I did see flashes of brilliance in him last season. I hate to see him go but I understand the club wants to trim the wages down. I will forever be a fan of Joe Cole unless he is playing against us.
Deco is a player also past his mark. He was brilliant when Scolari signed him but I believe after Scolari left, he hasn’t been at his best. Deco has scored some beautiful goals but it doesn’t justify him another season with us.
Belletti is one I expected to go. He did well in January when our African players were out. He also performed when we had injuries to some of starting 11. I wish him all the best.
On the matter of Stoch, I’m actually gutted. I believe he must be our best youth product since JT. He is good. I started dreaming that he will replace Joe Cole. Well thanks to Chelsea management, that dream will never materialized. They had to go sell him to Fener! I’m totally disappointed with management’s decision on him.
Stoch – our best product since Jt? No way! He’s not quick enough over distance, can be too selfish at times and isn’t big enough for the Premiership . . . add some doubts about his character and the presence of Kahuta andit’s easy to see why we are cashing in on him.
Have a bit of faith fellow Chelsea fans . . . think back only a few weeks . . . we completed a double and that was achieved with little spending last Summer. Carlo has had the chance to have a good look at the squad, the cuts have been made, now we have to wait until after the World Cup to see who is signed and who is promoted to be a serious first team contender.
Cole & Ballack real Chelsea legends. Wish you all the best in the future.
Hope to see Ballack back at Chelsea when he decides to take up coaching
First of all, thank you for a great article Chelsea D, sometimes I have to check myself, just to be sure, that I’m not you, we seem to agree on most things about Chelsea.
First of all, unlike many people here, I don’t believe every single thing I read in the papers or on internet.
I absolutely love Joe Cole, and I would never blame him for leaving, he’s not getting enough time on the pitch, and he deserves to play every game, so going to a weaker side like Arsenal or Tottenham will be a clever move for Joe and them. Personally I still hope he’ll go to AC Milan or somewhere abroad so we won’t meet him. I really would hate to see him against us.
Belletti and Ballack have been great players for us, and I wish them the best of luck, whereever they go. It was clear, that neither player was going to get to much time on the pitch, so keeping such quality players would be a shame, they deserve to go to a team where they get to play.
On the subject of Stoch, what is Chelsea doing, int the 2008/09 season, he was without a question the most impressive of the youngsters who got first team chances. And with a season in Holland under his belt, he is ready to step up.
Mark my words, in a near future he’ll be a great star, and his departure will come back to haunt us.
Lots of stuff in this article i agree with – feel that the hate joe cole because he’s leaving stuff is childish to be honest – his record in big games, the effort he’s put in for the club and in convincing managers to play him which he’s done constantly all deserve respect — he’s never given less than 100% for us never. I even think his wage demands are ok considering his career at chelsea – its just unfortunate that he’s asked in a recession – 3 years ago he would have got it.
However the club have a point too — they have to trim the wage bill so somebody has to go, they have a lot of youngster who they’ve invested heavily in and they have to get a go. This is a reasonable position. They can’t let frank or JT go and it has to be someone
As for Joe well if i was him i’d go to to be honest — he’s spent his entire career at SB convincing coaches to play him, he’s buckled down and played as a winger when he wants to play some where else and he’s never complained – he’s 28/9 and wants to prove to himself as much a anyone else he can play central midfield — carlo is a great coach but he clearly doesn’t rate him — whats to blame in all of this? Its just life –
Both sides are right from their POV – its just the way it goes.
I can’t really understand Stoch but you know, hell it happens – its Carlo’s job to make these calls and i trust him.
What would really piss me though is if we sign that show pony Ibramovich; now he would be a waste of space.
thanks to micheal . joe and belleti. for their wonderfull service at chelsea. i mis all of you guys. especiall mr german boar micheal. am still your fan . good luck
Glad to see Joe Cole leave.What we need on the right side is someone with real pace that can beat a player and get in good
crosses.Over the last two years Coles performances have been
to be generous pitiful.When he came up to a full back he rarely
went passed one,i do remember him beating the Birmingham one getting to the end line and crossing for Malouda to score.All
too often he passed back to Ivanovic or inside and we had to start all over again.After watching Jesus Navas for Seville in the
Spanish Cup Final it made me all too aware of what we’re lacking,electric pace,turning defence into attack with incisive
running and superb crossing.Joe became so static and Carlo
could see it.Don’t forget Joe started 22 games last season and 17 as sub.He was taken off in 14 of these and i think that say’s it all.The club are moving forward not standing still and Joe is not
the player he once was.
I still can´t believe Ballack won´t be here anymore, he didn´t deserve to leave
Good luck to all the players