Connect with us

Ex Players

Chelsea Hailed The Bad Boys As Mutu Still Refuses To Pay Up

At the start of the month, TheChelseaBlog ran a story on how Adrian Mutu had a decision to make – either he paid the £14.7million the CAS had ordered he pay Chelsea, or he faced the consequences – and the consequences for Mutu would mean never being allowed to play professionally again.

Tough consequences maybe but then shoving coke up your nose when being paid a tidy sum as a professional footballer, not delivering the service you’re employed to and setting a bad example to any up-and-coming players, not to mention impressionable young fans, shouldn’t be taken lightly.

TheChelseaBlog has never made any attempts to play down its wholehearted support for the clubs course of action over Mutu. When he arrived at Chelsea from Parma in 2003 for £15million, like any other Chelsea player, he had my backing – right up until the point he proved unworthy of wearing the shirt that is. I mean, fair play to him, he started really well for us and like many others, I had high hopes for Mutu in the Chelsea side. But his game suddenly went downhill and a random drug test at the training ground found him out.

Of course Chelsea could’ve supported him, financially it turned out they’d been ‘supporting’ his habit anyway so why not go the whole hog and splash out to put him through rehab? Surely it would’ve been good PR and the club could’ve earned themselves a pat on the back in the press? Well yeh it could’ve worked out that way I suppose, except as Mutu soon highlighted with his badboy behaviour in the aftermath of his sacking, he’d already hit the self-destruct button and needed to get it out of his system. Besides, if players can’t be arsed to honour their pretty lucrative contracts, then why should clubs have any duty to stand by them?

It’s not as if Mutu’s ever held his hands up and accepted just how out of order he was. No, he’s always been far too busy playing the victim for having to serve a seven month ban before picking his career back up again and apparently forgetting he’d not only broken the terms of a contract but also left Chelsea a player light and £15million out of pocket.

In fact, Adrian Mutu has played that victim role at every single hearing for the past five years. Whether or not his ‘advisors’ ever warned him along the way that he could find himself in the position he does now, is anyone’s guess, although in hindsight I’m sure it may have been beneficial if at least one of them had had a word in his ear at the initial hearing and suggested he took the fine on the chin and put it all behind him. Apparently though that either didn’t happen or if it did, he chose not to listen because he’s fought every judgement against him to pay Chelsea the compensation they’re owed and dug his heels in to the point where his career is seemingly on the line.

Should he be pitied though? I certainly don’t think so but there’s plenty who think otherwise. It seems the Viola, the FIGC and the Italian Players’ Association are all prepared to back him in the civil courts, whilst Fiorentina Presidents Diego and Andrea Della Valle are willing to approach Chelsea on Mutu’s behalf to plead his case. They’re even reported to be bending UEFA President Michel Platini’s ear in an effort to get him onside – as if that’s strictly necessarily given his feelings towards Chelsea anyway.

Even Goal.com seem to be doing their best to make Chelsea out to be the big bad ex-bosses, running a story yesterday detailing contact between themselves and the club, during which Chelsea had the audacity to stand up for themselves. Can you believe it? Chelsea actually have the nerve to go along with a decision taken by FIFA and the CAS? I mean can you imagine any other employers ever being as harsh as to not let their employees shove as much Charlie as they like up their nostrils before turning up for a days work? Shame on them!

Anyway, according to Goal.com, who have apparently decided to champion Mutu’s cause, Simon Greenberg, Chelsea’s Director of Communications told them “There is nothing to comment on.  We have said everything we needed to say about Mutu when the decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) came through.  (The stories about Mutu being suspended and retiring) are complete speculation. We are not going to comment on matters that are in the Italian newspapers.” 

Seems fair enough comment to me although not to Goal.com apparently, who felt the need to seek answers for the ‘angry Goal.com readers’.  In answer to this one though, Greenberg stated “We have not experienced any anger on the Mutu situation from readers, fans, or anyone – right from the start when he was sacked for breaking the law and using Class A drugs.  If you are reporting what is in the Italian papers that is up to you.  I don’t believe this is a negative story at all because the powers are with FIFA. The decision is with FIFA. There is no decision that Chelsea could take. The Italian media actually don’t understand the story.  The powers of applying the punishment lie entirely with FIFA and not with Chelsea.  We believe that our actions have been totally vindicated by the decision of the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber and CAS.  The Italian media have no idea about what Chelsea have asked FIFA to do, or not to do, or indeed what FIFA are going to do or not going to do. It is pure speculation.  Our position is very clear on Mutu. Our last statement was following the CAS ruling, and the statement was that we believe our actions throughout this whole case have been totally vindicated by the decisions of FIFA and CAS.”  Loosely translated as ‘mind your own business’ I think.

Back to the case in point though, and it seems it’s the Italian newspaper La Nazione, suggesting if Mutu doesn’t pay Chelsea the entire £14.6million in one lump sum by Monday’s deadline, then legally Chelsea can ask FIFA to suspend him from the game. From what Greenberg has said it appears this isn’t necessarily the case and to be honest, even if it was, I can’t actually see Chelsea taking up that option – not sure I’d be quite so generous if I was in their shoes though.

Categories

Archives

Blue is the colour

TheChelseaBlog.org is an honest insight to the World of Chelsea FC. Not always pretty, sometimes rather cynical, but always realistic.









Calendar

August 2009
M T W T F S S
« Jul   Sep »
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31  
Chelsea News



Chelsea Blog FaceBook Icon Chelsea Blog Twitter
Chelsea News

More in Ex Players