"One of the worst things that could've happened to English football" - Former Crystal Palace chairman slams Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich

Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has slammed Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich for his seemingly negative influence on English football over the past 19 years. The Russian oligarch decided to put the club up for sale last week following discussions of sanctions on him by the UK government due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The 55-year-old businessman enjoyed a successful stint at Stamford Bridge, winning every trophy possible in almost two decades. He transformed the Blues into the most successful English club in his time at the helm.

Abramovich's farewell has seen the club's fanbase share emotional messages, with many calling him the man who changed English football. Chelsea's rise under the Russian stopped the duopoly between Arsenal and Manchester United.

However, Jordan is not impressed with the people thanking Abramovich. He told talkSPORT:

"People were attributing last week the evolution of the Premier League to people like Roman Abramovich. With due respect - with the exception of Chelsea - Roman Abramovich was one of the worst things that could've happened to English football."

He added:

"We were on a direction of travel that was already upwards. Our Premier League was already flying, we already had the broadcasters throwing money at us - hand over fist. What you did was you created hyperinflation."

Jordan believes the change would have come even without the Russian oligarch.

"You might have broken up the duopoly, you might have stopped the powerhouses that were [Manchester] United and Arsenal for a period of time. But that was going to happen anyway because ownership models were changing anyway. What you did was you changed the landscape by making football so financially unviable for your own reasons."

Prospective buyers have already lined up to purchase the club after Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale. The Russian has valued the club at £3 billion inclusive of an 'additional £1 billion for rebuilding Stamford Bridge. As per Si, buyers have been put off by this additional cost.

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Jordan takes aim at other football club owners after criticizing Chelsea owner Abramovich

Jordan further went on to scrutinize football owners who, he feels, do not love the game. He added:

"These people aren't buying these football clubs because they love the football clubs, they're buying them because they want to get a life insurance policy against political leanings. They want to sportswash, they want to legitimise regimes like Newcastle, they want to have a situation where they own our English football clubs."

Jordan went on to state:

"And we sit there and we go, 'That's great.' And the main beneficiaries of it are agents and players. What have we got now? A generation of players that have no character, no backbone, no substance, get paid far too much money. The immorality of football comes up for question."

He capped it off by taking one final dig at Abramovich.

"And I think it's a tragedy... Abramovich's legacy is what? For Chelsea, fabulous. For football in this country, I think it's awful... good riddance, bye bye, next."

Amidst all the chaos, Chelsea lost the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool on penalties on 27 February. They have picked up some form since the defeat, registering back-to-back wins against Luton Town in the FA Cup and Burnley in the Premier League.