Source: Daily_Mail
Patrick Collins: Will Abramovich now look for another expensive toy?
Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich owns a number of yachts. The largest,Eclipse, has been valued at �300million and comes equipped with twohelipads, two swimming pools, a submarine and a missile defence system. Another, Pelorus, issmaller and has fewer optional extras, yet still it is worth some�200m. He also owns a Boeing 767 aircraft, costing �100m, and at leastthree helicopters. [LNB]Add them together, and you will see that Abramovich has invested the thick end of �700m on luxurious modes of transport. This, by a remarkable chance, isroughly the same amount that he has spent on Chelsea Football Club. [LNB]So far as we can tell, the oligarch seems satisfied with histransport toys. At least, there have been no reports of furiousshowdowns with dilatory pilots or drunken sailors. Not so with Chelsea.[LNB]On the day after their frankly humiliating Champions League defeatby Inter Milan, we learn that he conducted a fraught inquest. In thecourse of this, he apparently asked his chastened staff: 'Are you goodplayers, or are you well-paid players?' It seems that nobody was anxious to answer.[LNB]A bored spectator? Will Abramovich leave Chelsea[LNB]Not that he would necessarily have understood had they attempted toexplain. For this is a man whose efforts to achieve European dominationhave involved spending hundreds of millions of pounds, whilecapriciously changing managers: from Ranieri to Mourinho to Grant toScolari to Hiddink to Ancelotti. His mood was doubtless darkened by theway in which one of the fallen, Jose Mourinho, seized the chance topatronise his old employer. [LNB]'I know Roman is a very intelligent person. And because of this heis not the same person he was one year, three years or five years ago,'blathered Mourinho. [LNB]'Probably when he arrived in football he thought it would be easierto do it. It is not easy... Roman knows very well how to read,understand and analyse the game. For sure, he knows his team lost to ateam that deserved to win.' [LNB]Mourinho has many shortcomings, both as a man and a manager, butwhen it comes to twisting the knife, then nobody does it moregleefully. For he is aware that Abramovich knows pitifully little ofthe game, and was increasingly assumed to be listening to the seniorplayers rather than the fall guy who happened to be occupying themanager's office. [LNB] More from Patrick Collins... PATRICK COLLINS: English discover hope in France's moment of glory21/03/10 Patrick Collins: So football needs more English managers? Tell that to the WI13/03/10 Patrick Collins: France will be licking their lips if this is England's best13/03/10 Patrick Collins: No sympathy, just sniggers for arrogant Kevin Pietersen's latest failure06/03/10 Even Jonny Wilkinson's willpower cannot halt green machine28/02/10 PATRICK COLLINS: Even Jonny cannot halt Ireland's green machine28/02/10 PATRICK COLLINS: Football does not deserve a decent man like Bridge27/02/10 Patrick Collins: Arsene Wenger's dark side is fed by his fear of failure20/02/10 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE In particular, the owner was said to be consulting men like Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and the captain, John Terry. [LNB]That would be the same, witlessly irresponsible Drogba who has beenred-carded three times in three years in the Champions League. The sameLampard who, on being asked about prospective players at StamfordBridge, replied: 'I'd love Chelsea to sign Lionel Messi... so when weare having a bad day and you can't make much happen as a team, hedribbles past three or four players and puts it into the top corner.' [LNB]Messi! Who'd have thought it? Only a man as devilishly shrewd asLampard could have come up with such a name. And, of course, the samedignified Terry who departed the Inter match with a foam-flecked tiradeat the fourth official. The wretched man offers living proof that whileform may be temporary, the absence of class is permanent. [LNB]But these precious individuals were seemingly indulged byAbramovich, while some genuinely gifted managers were allowed toshuffle away, with pockets full and pride deeply dented. And some willsee this as evidence that Abramovich regards success as a long-termproject, one that is delivered by assiduous, intelligent planning,rather than a brazen blast of new money, squeezed out of the old SovietEmpire.[LNB]But, most intriguingly, we wonder how Abramovich really sees it. Will he economise over his largest yacht: a single helipad, perhaps, or a defence system which gives the odd missile a sporting chance? Will he go the whole hog and recognise his whole transport thing is a risibly extravagant piece of self-indulgence. And will he thereafter decide to take on the endlessly wealthy sheiks of Manchester City and the brilliantly resourceful and passionately supported democrats of Barcelona? [LNB]Or will he conclude that enough is enough, that all those yachts and planes and helicopters are sufficient toys for a man of obscene riches, that his purpose has been served, his money spent? [LNB]I have no idea. But I do know that the answer to those questions will shape the immediate future of the national game. [LNB]Roman Abramovich may not be a particularly admirable character, but in some strange way, he may hold the future of English club football in the palm of his hand.[LNB] Simple joy of Cheltenham's crowning glory Paddy Brennan, from Ardrahan, County Galway, declared it was 'the greatest day of my life, by far'. He was sitting astride a horse called Imperial Commander at the time, and together they had devoured the miles and flown the fences to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.[LNB] As the bold Brennan announced his satisfaction, a steady stream of fine sportsmen cantered alongside, thumping his back and embracing his slim shoulders. Among these was AP McCoy, who may just be the most accomplished sportsman in these islands, and who had seen his own Gold Cup hopes torn away by Paddy and the Commander. McCoy's actions were movingly sincere.[LNB] McCoy on Denman and Ruby Walsh aboard Kauto Star had seemed likely to monopolise the blue riband event of the Festival meeting, but Paddy's demented surge had re-affirmed the glorious perversity of sport.[LNB] Paddy Power: Brennan toasts his magical Gold Cup win[LNB]'I'm so thrilled, I'm likely to be talking a lot of bull from here on,' said Brennan, moments after bringing his horse home safe and well. And we sighed at his modesty, just as we had shuddered at the cruel vulgarity of television's licensed clown John McCririck earlier in the meeting.[LNB]The oafish self-publicist had aimed a babble of abuse at the jockey Brian O'Connell, following Dunguib's defeat in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. And the fraternity of jump jockeys was outraged by the cruelty of the criticism.[LNB] Long before dismounting from his winning ride on Weapon's Amnesty in the RSA Chase, Davy Russell accused the buffoon of 'cowardice' and demanded an apology on behalf of his friend. 'John McCririck doesn't know one end of the horse from the other,' he declared.[LNB] And even as we applauded his decent disdain, we acknowledged one more reason to celebrate a joyous Cheltenham. The world of sport will be hard pushed to come up with its equal over the next nine months.[LNB] Beckham can only lose by going to World Cup As a footballer, David Beckham has much to offer. His ability to strike the ball shrewdly and damagingly is unmatched by anybody in the English game. [LNB]Of course, he would not have been a starting player in the England side, but his instant control and acute appraisal would have been a vivid asset in the final third of a World Cup match. His injury was a cruel blow. [LNB] Cruel blow: David Beckham deserves better[LNB]But as a non-playing, cheer-leading figure, Beckham would be a distressing distraction. You see, he couldn't win. [LNB]If things went well, he would have played no part and would receive no praise. If they went badly, then he would be blamed. Either way he would surely lose, and he deserves better than that. [LNB]Fabio Capello makes very few errors. But inviting Beckham to shuffle aimlessly around the England camp is one of them.[LNB] PS A week ago, this column considered the limitations of English managers in the Premier League. I suggested that they were undeniably capable yet predominantly crude. [LNB]Among these dogged trundlers I included Tony Pulis, of Stoke. And, as so many of you pointed out, I was wrong. Pulis is as Welsh as Dylan Thomas, Shirley Bassey or Ivor the Engine. True, he was born in Newport, just a long throw from the border with England.[LNB] But he is not English - and I was wrong to suggest otherwise. 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