I resent the fact I’m being forced to do it and it pains me to even mention it in public, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to become a Chelsea supporter for the rest of the season. I have no great love for Avram Grant’s team. In fact, I don’t even like them. Mild dislike would probably best sum up my feelings towards them. The problem is, while I dislike Chelsea, I can’t stand Manchester United and that is the crucial thing as they go head to head for the Premier League title and the Champions League. In some ways it is an irrational hatred, but I’d like to think I’m a better person than that and there are plenty of perfectly reasonable reasons why I don’t like Man Yo! But please don’t ask me now why. The fact that, having over-stretched themselves in the transfer market and wages for all the pre-Abramovich revolution years Chelsea were on the verge of going bankrupt. That would have given my Newcastle United an excellent chance of establishing themselves as a Champions League side along with Man Yo, Looserpool and the Gooners. Instead, on the brink of disaster, Roman Abramovich arrived with his billions, cleared all the debt and then funded one of the most extravagant spending sprees ever seen in football but that’s the nature of today’s football. Fast forward and considering how Chelsea fought back from fourth a few weeks ago to be in contention, it goes to show they have the strength to go all the way—winning a double would surely be a shock to many but who cares? I don’t personally! No one gave them a chance five months ago but now it’s really exciting at the Bridge. It’ll be a deserved win if they manage to keep up their momentum and win the Premier league and probably the Champions League. On the other side though, Manchester United have also been in good form since last November and that’s why they are the defending Premier League champions. In an ideal world, Roman Abramovich would recognise Avram Grant’s hard work and honesty by confirming him as Chelsea manager for next season. But football is not like that. It’s a ruthless business and tough decisions are made by tough people—the Russian billionaire is a tough character, I’m afraid. Victory over Liverpool on Wednesday night was a massive step forward for Grant. But he’s got to finish the job off against Manchester United on May 21 in Moscow. Losing in the final would be a devastating anti-climax. Chelsea’s players have got the aroma of success in their nostrils and if they continue to play like they did in their last two games — against United and Liverpool — they have a great chance of lifting the Champions League trophy, the first in the club’s history. From the very first minute against United last Saturday they passed the ball much quicker than usual, changed the point of play and made it impossible for the opposition to get around them. And they kept that going against Liverpool in the second leg of their semi-final. They were efficient in every way, physically and mentally stronger than their opponents and perfectly disciplined all over the pitch, thanks to Avram Grant and his backroom staff. There is no ego about this fella. He’s such a humble man who has got on with his job in his own quiet way. As many analysts have said since the day he took over the reigns, he’s the complete opposite to Jose Mourinho in terms of character. And the absence of controversy like it was during the Mourinho days has definitely benefited Chelsea in more just one way. The majority of the squad he inherited were Mourinho’s men and he’s had to fight hard to win some of those players over and now you can see they’re are starting to believe in his methods. When the ‘Special One’ was booted out of Stanford Bridge and replaced by the ‘Ordinary One’, I went on record and expressed my reservation about Chelsea’s chances of winning any major trophy this season. But with already one hand on a double, the men at the Bridge have defied odds and in my opinion, if they go on to win one of the Premier League or Champions League or both, then they would have well and truly deserved it. Mafisango better than Migi Back at home, and talking of difficult decisions, I’m very sure the national football team technicians and whoever maters in issues related to team selection, did make one in dropping Patrick Mafisango from the squad for today’s African Championship tie against Sudan in Khartoum. The combative Atraco midfielder cum defender is surely one of the in-form players in the league at the moment—he’s been a key figure for Jean-Marie Ntagwabira’s side that is sitting two points adrift of APR in the race for the title. If players are selected basing on their form and the impact they could have on the team, then Mafisango deserved a place on that team, at least in my opinion but if the selectors don’t share that notion, then football is no-longer football anymore. So yes, I’ll be cheering for Avram Grant and his boys until the end of May. What a depressing state of affairs. I will surely look back on these next few weeks and cry! However, don’t get me wrong. My allegiance to Chelsea only starts after tomorrow and lasts until the end of May, after that, you know were my heart is—Newcastle United, for starters. Contact: nku78@yahoo.com
