In an embarrassing turn of events, Todd Boehly struggled to recognize a Chelsea club legend when asked about his footballing career, admitting to playing and coaching the team, yet failing to acknowledge the person he was talking to.
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ockey boss Todd Boehly had a major faux pas when he failed to recognize one of the club's legendary players, Ruud Gullit, during a recent meeting. This stunning revelation has left fans scratching their heads about Boehly's football knowledge.
Boehly, who took over the reins of the club following sanctions against former owner Roman Abramovich, seems to have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to club history.
Gullit, ranked at 30 in our site's list of the greatest players of all time, is best known for his time at Milan and Dutch teams like PSV and Feyenoord. But his contributions to Chelsea, including 64 appearances as a player and 83 matches as head coach, were apparently not enough to make an impression on Boehly.
During a conversation on the Stick to Football podcast, Gullit revealed, "I met Chelsea owner Todd Boehly and introduced myself, 'Hi, I am Ruud Gullit'. Todd said, 'What do you do?' Well, I played football, I also played for and coached Chelsea. Todd said, 'Oh yeah, when did you play for Chelsea? What did you do for Chelsea?' He didn't know."
While Gullit took the oversight in stride, he did express some concern. "Can I blame him? No, I don't think so. But this is what it is a little bit because they don't know what the club is all about."
As Boehly's fingerprints are all over the club's many transfers, Blues supporters may be questioning whether he truly grasps the ins and outs of Chelsea FC.
Up next for Chelsea is a clash with Liverpool when Premier League action returns this weekend. Let's hope Boehly has had a chance to brush up on his football history by then!
Footnote:
Todd Boehly is a successful American businessman and the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Eldridge Industries. His ventures extended to sports ownership, acquiring positions in both Chelsea FC and French club Strasbourg. His initial experience with English football came when he considered buying Sunderland but ultimately opted for Chelsea. The acquisition, completed in 2022, placed him at the helm of a high-value football club. Boehly's consortium includes other notable sports business partners like Hansjörg Wyss and Mark Walter.
Despite his new role as the owner of Chelsea FC, Todd Boehly's football knowledge appears limited, as evidenced by his failure to recognize legendary player Ruud Gullit, a former player and coach for the club. In the European leagues, Gullit is renowned for his time at Milan, PSV, and Feyenoord, but his significant contributions to Chelsea went unnoticed by Boehly. As Chelsea gears up for their game against Liverpool in the Premier League, fans may question Boehly's understanding of the club's history and legacy.
