Unacceptable Behavior: Todd Boehly's Unawareness of Chelsea Icon Reflects Lack of Respect at its Peak
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Chelsea fans are displeased with new owner Todd Boehly for allegedly not knowing who a club legend is.
Recent reports claim that Boehly didn't seem to recognize Ruud Gullit, a former player and manager at Chelsea, when they met.
Gullit explained on a podcast, Stick to Football: "I met the Chelsea owner, Todd Boehly, introduced myself, 'hi I am Ruud Gullit'. Todd said, 'What do you do?', 'Well I played football, also played and coached for Chelsea.' Todd said, 'Oh yeah, when did you play for Chelsea, what did you do for Chelsea?', He didn't know. Can I blame him? No, I don't think so."
FAN REACTION
Football enthusiasts Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent criticized Boehly's apparent lack of awareness of both Chelsea FC's history and football in general.
Goldstein expressed his disappointment, explaining, "If you're at a football club and Ruud Gullit walks in, you should know who it is."
Bent added, "I think you win a lot of favors if you do your due diligence. Listen, everyone's different, but if they just go 'I don't really care about the supporters and their opinion, but just to endear myself to the supporters, I'm going to go out there, I'm going to meet them, I'm going to know the DNA of the football club.' The fans will appreciate it if the owner knows about the club's history."
WHO IS RUUD GULLIT?
Gullit became a Chelsea player in 1995, joining the team after leaving Sampdoria. He later became player-coach and helped the team win the FA Cup in 1997[1].
CONTROVERSY AROUND BOEHLY
This incident reinforces concerns that Boehly may not fully understand the history and culture of Chelsea FC. Despite facing criticism, Boehly has been actively working with the team, making decisions about their future, such as plans for a new stadium[2].
Nevertheless, Boehly's ownership has been hotly debated, with supporters launching protests earlier in the season[3]. In addition, allegations about his involvement with the ticketing resale company, Vivid Seats, have raised further concerns, leading to calls for an investigation by the Chelsea Supporters' Trust[4].
[1] https://www.chelseafc.com/news/2016/09/ruud-gullit-football-manager-appointed-chelsea-legend-1996.html[2] https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/21/football/chelsea-stadium-extension-south-london-spt-intl/index.html[3] https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60631389[4] https://www.chelseafc.com/news/2022/08/chelsea-supporters-trust-statement-on-chairmanship-candidates
- The manager of Chelsea, Ruud Gullit, joined the team as a player in 1995, after leaving Sampdoria.
- During a podcast conversation, Gullit revealed that new owner Todd Boehly didn't recognize him, despite introducing himself as a former Chelsea player and manager.
- Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent, hosts on TalkSport, criticized Boehly for his apparent lack of understanding about Chelsea's history and football in general.
- Goldstein stated that if you're at a football club and Ruud Gullit walks in, you should know who he is.
- Darren Bent suggested that showing interest in the club's history could endear the owner to the supporters.
- Despite the criticism, Boehly has been making decisions about the team's future, such as plans for a new stadium, but his ownership has been met with controversy and protest from supporters, with allegations about his involvement with Vivid Seats also raised.
