New era at Chelsea!

I have posted articles similar to this at the end of last season but after Chelsea’s transfer dealings this summer so far, it has even more relevance so I need to post this again.

As we all know, Chelsea had been labelled as “has-been’s” for god knows how long. We had to put up with reading numerous articles about how we need to evolve our squad and get rid of the “dead wood” for at least two or three seasons, didn’t we?

Looking back at last season when AVB was sacked, the press and media went into overdrive about our older players and the fact that they saw it as though they call the shots and not the manager.

Everything about our “ageing squad” had been put under scrutiny for one reason or another and became tiresome, boring and got to the point where I stopped reading and listening to the same crap over and over again.

What makes me laugh is that this summer, because we have signed Eden Hazard, Marko Marin, Kevin De Bruyne and are being linked with Oscar, the press are now writing articles about how Chelsea only now, will see a “new era” at the club.

The simple fact remains that Roman Abramovich and the Chelsea board have been evolving our squad slowly but surely over the last three seasons and the squad you look at now is very very different from that of our double winning season.

Chelsea’s success since 2004 has been built around the spine of the side – From Petr Cech in goal, through John Terry at the back, Frank Lampard in the middle and Didier Drogba up front. Just think of how many different players have come into the team since then and have played alongside them. It’s quite staggering really when you think about it, and to have those four players remain a regular fixture of the side for 9 years is almost unheard of with football as it is nowadays.

Slowly but surely, Chelsea HAVE taken major steps into rebuilding our team and creating a new core of players that can take over the mantle at the club and take us forward.

Cech will remain a part of that core after signing a new four year deal and being 30, makes perfect sense with Courtois being lined up as a long term replacement.

Gary Cahill has been brought in to replace John Terry in long term and Fernando Torres to replace Didier Drogba.

Of course there are the likes of David Luiz and Ramires but I think in time, with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid on the horizon, both will find their futures in Spain, but only after Chelsea win the Premier League.

Thinking of the additions Chelsea have made to the squad, the future looks very promising and exciting for Chelsea. Whether people like it or not, this is a new dawn for Chelsea football club and if anything, the Drogba departure has sped up the process.

Petr Cech, speaking on our pre-season tour, compared this summer’s training camp to that of 2004 and said:

“In 2004 when I joined it was pretty similar. You had the guys who had been here and had experience, and we were seven or eight new players coming in, completely hungry and ready to show we were worth it.

We still have experienced players, and we have the young, new, positive, motivated players who are great to have.

And they are here to show that they are not just here by ‘Hazard’ – by accident!.

But it’s true that they want to show that they are quality players, that’s why Chelsea brought them in, and want them to be a part of this team.”

He’s right though, isn’t he. It’s great to see these new players join up with the existing ones that have just won the trophy we have been after for so long – to come and join the European Champions.

I posted yesterday that Sir Alex Ferguson had misjudged the situation with the owner and his hunger and have posted earlier today Frank Lampard re-iterating that no one is safe and everyone has to work hard to impress RDM for the new season.

That’s the thing about Chelsea. We may have won it all but we still want more and will be just as hungry for success with a new dawn at our football club!.

KTBFFH!