Chelsea in the hunt for new chief as former Kenyon is finally moved aside

16 September 2009 18:53
Chelsea have announced that chief executive Peter Kenyon is to leave his full-time role at the club. The former Manchester United head honcho will depart at the end of October after becoming an increasingly peripheral figure at Stamford Bridge. February 2009: Chelsea, who have sat on their latest annual accounts for over a month, have changed their minds about the promised press conference with chief executive Peter Kenyon, whether they publicise the figures today or some time next week. This will only add to the speculation about Kenyon's increasingly fragile position at Stamford Bridge. The first question to Kenyon would have been how can he realistically carry on when a manager was sacked against his wishes while he was out of the country on holiday? Stamford Bridge chief executive Peter Kenyon, who comes from Manchester, is now being seen as a possible replacement for Garry Cook, who irritated City’s Abu Dhabi owners with his ridiculed role in the Kaka transfer fiasco. Kenyon’s future at Chelsea must be in doubt after his lack of involvement in the Scolari sacking, which owner Roman Abramovich carried out himself. May: There is plenty of renewed speculation in Rome that chief executive Peter Kenyon, who famously led the Chelsea team up to receive their losing Champions League medals last year in Moscow in a flash suit, will leave the club after Saturday's FA Cup final against Everton at Wembley. Chelsea would not comment on the gossip but Kenyon has kept a lower profile since owner Roman Abramovich seriously diminished the CEO's standing by changing managers while he was on holiday. Kenyon, however, has stayed centrally involved in all major contract and sponsorship negotiations. He will continue as a non-executive director, representing Chelsea in various minor capacities, including committee roles with UEFA. But the end of his day-to-day duties comes after an erosion of his duties dating back to the sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari in February. Kenyon played the key role in bringing the Brazilian to the Barclays Premier League on a huge contract prior to the start of last season. But when it was time to bring Scolari's disastrous reign to an end, owner Roman Abramovich flew into London to personally sack the former Portugal boss while Kenyon was on holiday in Barbados. Abramovich subsequently instigated the appointment of Guus Hiddink as Scolari's successor and Kenyon's part in luring Carlo Ancelotti this summer is also said to have been minor. Sports Agenda revealed in April that Kenyon was becoming disillusioned and his responsibilities were reduced further this summer when Frank Arnesen was promoted from his role as director of youth development and put in charge of player recruitment as the new sporting director. Kenyon said: 'I intend to take a little time off before considering what I do next but I am certain I have at least one major challenge left in me. 'I am extremely proud of my time at Chelsea and of the friendships I have forged with everyone here. 'I have been in football for 15 years and I can say with great certainty and pleasure the experience at Chelsea is one of the best I have had. 'When I joined Chelsea it was an incredible challenge and together with all the staff, the players, the board and Roman, I think we have really built a club, in a relatively short space of time, that can be in the forefront of European football for many years to come. That is a major achievement. 'I am also delighted that our relationship is not ending and I can continue to make a contribution to keeping Chelsea in that position and to go back to visit friends.' Kenyon had to go on 'gardening leave' between leaving United and officially taking up his Chelsea role in early 2004. Under Abramovich, Kenyon took charge of the business side of the club, with Chelsea having a long-term project of becoming one of the world's most successful and best supported clubs, as well as being profitable. Chelsea have been Premier League champions twice since Kenyon's arrival, with Jose Mourinho behind both title triumphs, and they also reached the 2008 Champions League final. Reports that he would leave Stamford Bridge began earlier this summer, and he was linked with a role at Manchester City following the Abu Dhabi takeover at Eastlands last autumn. With Arnesen having taken up many of Kenyon's sporting roles, chairman Bruce Buck and director Eugene Tenenbaum may now take up the rest of his responsibilities on the short term.

Source: Daily_Mail