‘The fact you can’t buy a match schedule must mean Putin himself is ******’: Former Chelsea boss Ken Bates criticizes the sanctions imposed on the club as he claims ‘It is the common people who are suffering’
- Chelsea boss Roman Abramovich was approved by the UK government
- Kane Bates is furious, sanctions affect Chelsea fans and staff
- Former Chelsea boss sells club to Abramovich for around £140 million
- She has no sympathy for Abramovich but feels ‘ordinary people’ are suffering
Ken Bates has never been one to imitate words and ex Chelsea The owner condemns the government restrictions imposed on the club.
While the outspoken former football executive agrees with the decision to freeze the most famous Roman AbramovichOf property, Bates is angry that Chelsea fans and staff have also been forced to suffer, ticket sales have halted, club facilities are closed and jobs are said to be at risk.
He does not understand what meaningful effect such measures can have. Vladimir Putin and russian invasion of ukraine, ‘The fact that you can’t buy Chelsea match schedules must mean that Putin himself is a ****g and all the normal people in Moscow are hiding in their basements because they can’t watch Chelsea matches on TV, ‘ said Bates speaking from his home in Monte Carlo.
‘As always it is the common people who are suffering. You’ve probably been asking people who work at Chelsea, do they have jobs? What is their future? Do they have security? And fans at Chelsea. What does that have to do with Putin’s bombing of maternity hospitals in Ukraine?
‘It is hurting ordinary, English citizens. Russia doesn’t care. This makes civil service the laughing stock of the world. I have worked with civil servants most of my life and overall, they are all useless.
’ Abramovich turned and said, “I am going to sell the club and I am going to donate whatever I get.” They [the Government] The club has taken over. Fine. Why didn’t he appoint an administrator and continue with it?
‘Instead we’ve got all these rules, which get some good headlines. ‘England took strong action against Russia.’ If we are trying to help Ukraine, we should do things that are meaningful.
Kane Bates has condemned the government sanctions imposed on his former club Chelsea
Bates famously bought Chelsea in 1982 for £1 and a reported deal worth around £140 million before selling it to Abramovich 19 years later.
Abramovich had become wealthy and close to Putin, having acquired state-owned wealth after the breakup of the Soviet Union, then serving his first term as president, but the source of his wealth was scarce in Britain at the time. investigation was done.
‘Selling it to a Russian was like selling it to someone else,’ says Bates. ‘It was no different in those days. My dealings with him were always straightforward and simple.
What is his reaction to the wealth-freeze of the oligarchs? ‘I have no sympathy for him. Why should I? He is worth 7-8 billion pounds. But he can only eat steak and chips twice a day like me. When he goes to his grave, there will be no pockets in his shroud.’
The government has said it would allow Abramovich to sell the club despite the restrictions. Potential bidders who want to extend Stamford Bridge will face the same problems the current owner has faced.
The brainchild of Bates during his time in charge, the Chelsea Pitch Owners Group held a leasehold for Stamford Bridge and the club’s name, giving them veto power over any proposed venue.
Bates has no sympathy for Roman Abramovich, whom he sold to Chelsea 19 years ago
Bates, however, feels the sanctions are hurting Chelsea fans and their staff members
Government will allow Abramovich to sell Chelsea despite sanctions
Bates is proud that he empowered fans with an idea inspired by an enterprising Irishman he had heard about. ‘The Irish are all over the world and they become passionate about the “old land”. This man bought four acres of land north of Dublin. Sold it in pieces of square foot. 100 quid each or whatever. Then he went around the world saying that take a piece of the old land.
‘I thought what a bloody clever idea. I would do the same with Chelsea. But the lawyer called me and said Ken if you do this then you are trading in the land. You will probably be charged VAT. And you have to pay the registration.
‘Then I came up with the idea of forming a company, Chelsea Pitch Owners. I had given him a lease of 999 years on the pitch. And I made a rule that no matter how many shares you have, you only have one vote.
‘I even named them Chelsea Football Club and I said you can only use that name when you play at Stamford Bridge. So the fans own the name and the pitch. Stamford Bridge is perhaps the most valuable land in London. But it belongs to the club. This is my legacy.