Chelsea FC is currently not having the best of times. The Blues are struggling to find a rhythm with their new manager, Graham Potter. American Businessman, Todd Boehly took the English soccer giants in 2022. Boehly is a known personality in the sports universe because he currently owns a 27% stake in Los Angeles Lakers. He also co-owns the Los Angeles Sparks and has a 20% stake in the Dodgers.
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Todd Boehly seems to be well-versed in sports like basketball and baseball. However, the American businessman appears to be struggling to kick-start his journey in soccer after parting ways with Chelsea’s previous manager, Thomas Tuchel.
Is Boehly’s Chelsea investment after Los Angeles Lakers unsuccessful?
Chelsea fans were always very varied in this takeover. This is because soccer fans have never had the best experiences with American owners. Their lack of knowledge of the sport can sometimes hinder major sporting decisions at the soccer club. Such is the current case with the Blues.
After acquiring a stake in the Los Angeles Lakers, Todd Boehly took over Chelsea in 2022. However, he never got along with Chelsea’s manager, Thomas Tuchel. The German head coach, always liked things being done in a certain manner. Tuchel was fairly comfortable with Chelsea’s previous owner, Roman Abramovich. However, Abramovich was forced to sell the club after his ties with Vladimir Putin.
According to The Athletic, Boehly tried to interfere with Tuchel’s match tactics. One day, the American businessman drew up a 4-4-3 formation and showed it to Tuchel. While the formation didn’t make sense because of the extra player, Tuchel was very unimpressed with the constant interference.
🗣️ @Matt_Law_DT: “The ownership were very keen to sign Jules Kounde in the summer but Tuchel eventually decided against it. I think the ownership wish they would have gone against Tuchel because Kounde would have provided them with a [RB] solution now.”
🎙️https://t.co/QeULcXMoQb pic.twitter.com/IoOliP3xUl
— London Is Blue Podcast ⭐️⭐️ (@LondonBluePod) January 11, 2023
After Boehly took over, he tried to do things his way. Thomas Tuhcel certainly did not like that. Tuchel’s assistant was always involved in the daily recruitment meetings. However, as time passed Todd Boehly started taking major recruitment decisions himself, without consulting Tuchel.
The German head coach also refused to sign Cristiano Ronaldo. For the simple reason that the Portuguese star did not fit into his tactical plans. However, Boehly couldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Such a series of slapstick moments worsened their relationship. Boehly eventually sacked Tuchel in September 2022.
Christian Pulisic could have been the main man!
However, the problems did not stop after getting rid of Tuchel. Boehly appointed Graham Potter as the new manager. The English soccer manager had no choice but to play many players he did not prefer. However, Christian Pulisic was in Potter’s long-term Chelsea plan. The USMNT star started to get a bit of game time prior to the FIFA World Cup.
Our signings last summer under Tuchel/Boehly have been nothing but a disaster.
🥈 Sterling
🥈 Fofana
🥈 Zakaria
🥈 Chukwuemeka
🥉 Cucurella
🥉 Koulibaly
🥉 Aubameyang£200m+ spent and we've regressed. Potter needs time and his own transfer windows to resolve this mess. #CFC pic.twitter.com/x4QXOEpE4M
— CFC-Blues (@CFCBlues_com) January 6, 2023
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After having an impressive World Cup campaign, Pulisic was all set to finally make an impact at his club. Even the fans could not wait to finally watch a fully confident and injury-free Pulisic. However, after starting three games in succession, the USMNT star picked up a painful knock during the third game.
Potter recently revealed that the injury was not a minor one. The USMNT star will miss the next months due to injury. Currently, this injury impacts his own career and also a struggling Chelsea FC since after the takeover last year. While Todd Boehly might be a very good owner for clubs like the Los Angeles Lakers, many soccer fans are unsure of his capability in soccer.
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Watch this story: Lionel Messi Receives One Word Message From Hendrick Motorsports Legend Jimmie Johnson Post World Cup Heroics
How do you feel about American businessmen buying soccer clubs? Let us know in the comments below.