Soccer Training Tips

Chelsea may have an outstanding recent domestic record, a squad packed with talented players who play open attacking soccer and be one of the richest clubs in world soccer, but the owner Roman Abramovich has one major problem to resolve. The issue facing Abramovich is that despite his vast personal wealth and his willingness to spend it on the team, each season Chelsea finish it is likely to see a major debt accrued on the clubs balance sheet.

While Chelsea’s massive soccer merchandise machine may bring in cash, as will the sale of a player or two, sponsorship deals and prize money winnings, the fact is that Chelsea’s costs far exceed their income and so far it has been the owner that has covered these debts. UEFA’s adoption of tough new rules regarding a teams allowance to enter their competitions with reference to being financially profitable, means that Chelsea have a need to find a long-term answer to their debt.

Steps to reduce the debt began in earnest last summer when several top division players were either released or sold. Players like Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Deco did not have their contracts renewed while Ricardo Carvalho was transfered to Real Madrid and manager Carlo Ancelotti chose not to replace them with renowned players, instead promoting youth from within the club’s junior ranks. Even this reduction of the team and more reliance on younger players has not been completely effective in stopping the club’s annual tumble into debt.

The startup spending made by owner Abramovich was targeted at giving Chelsea the fast-track to becoming the most known club not only in the Premier League, but also European Leagues and world soccer. This title is currently held by either Manchester United, Barcelona or Real Madrid, depending on which criteria you wish to use and there are several key reasons why Chelsea have been unable to compete with these three established teams: The gate receipts collected by the relatively modest Stamford Bridge and the appeal of the clubs merchandise worldwide.

Addressing the issue with the stadium capacity and revenue generating capabilities of Stamford Bridge is something which Roman Abramovich may be reviewing sooner, rather than later. Stamford Bridge may, if rumours are true, soon be part of Chelsea’s decorated past, rather than their future. Soon, Chelsea fans may be watching their home games at a 60,000 capacity purpose built stadium close to the current Stamford Bridge and it is hoped that this new stadium will generate the income and give the club the renown it needs to truly rival the world’s soccer giants.

Such a move to the new and improved ground would have great and immediate effects on improving Chelsea’s financial standing. The increased revenue from the larger ground would, provided the club can fill the larger stadium, provide considerably more income for the club at each home game. This added income will put the club in a better position to follow to the new UEFA guidelines, which are due to be begin in 2012, by rapidly increasing the amount of cash the club can hope to generate each season from their home games.

A new home ground will also allow Chelsea to sell the naming rights for a large sum of money, as neighbors Arsenal decided to when they chose to name their own new stadium after major sponsors Emirates Airlines.

The construction of a new ground could also improve the clubs ability to expand merchandise sales because the added exposure would see the club achieve popularity in overseas markets such as the Far East and the Americas.

The long term success of Chelsea relies on the owner investing his time and money not just in world class players, but in the foundations of the club. If Chelsea truly do harbor ambitions to overtake the others and become the world’s biggest soccer team, then upgrading or moving from Stamford Bridge ground is the first and most important step they need to take in order to achieve that.

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