So in the end the Roman empire at Chelsea has lasted nearly 19 years – a lot longer than many thought when he bought the club in summer 2003 but, until recent cataclysmic geopolitical events, less than I expected given his clear love of the club and continued on-field success.
Many seem to forget that in the six years before Roman Abramovich bought the club Chelsea won two FA Cups, a League Cup and the European Cup Winners’ Cup, so were hardly the mess some portray. What he did do was quickly take Chelsea to the rarefied next step, allowing world-class managers (such as José Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte) and players to join, ushering in a trophy-laden two decades any new owner will find it very hard to replicate. He became a very effective disruptor, upsetting the cosy world at the top of English and European football, and was clearly resented because of this.
