Premier League - Kenyon: Abramovich committed

Eurosport - Mon, 21 Sep 21:52:00 2009

Chelsea's Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich is committed to the London club for the long term according to outgoing chief executive Peter Kenyon.

FOOTBALL Roman Abramovich - 0

Kenyon said Abramovich was committed for the right reasons and that so-called "sugar daddies" should not necessarily be turned away from the sport.

His comments came after UEFA last week approved president Michel Platini's "financial fair play" plan aimed at curbing the influence of rich owners who pour huge financial resources into their clubs. Platini wants clubs to live within their means.

"Just because you have a lot of money, it doesn't mean you are a bad investor in football," the former Chelsea chief executive said.

Kenyon will leave his post on October 31 but will continue to serve as a non-executive director and thinks Abramovich will continue to back the Blues.

"Roman Abramovich has put money in and he is committed for the long term for the right reasons," he said.

"Roman Abramovich's investment has been fantastic for Chelsea. Football does need these investors."

Chelsea, who reported losses of £65.7 million up to June last year, are members of the European Club Association which approved Platini's plan before it went to UEFA's executive committee.

Kenyon said the club's finances were sound.

"We have got no external debt," he said. "We have got secured ownership with secured financing."

Kenyon added that transfer speculation and spending, criticised by many as excessive, had become part of the sport.

"You should not underestimate the frenzy that comes around during the summer. It is part of the pre-season," he said.

Kenyon said Chelsea, who won the league in 2005 and 2006, had broken the Arsenal-Manchester United domination of the Premier League during his six years at the club.

"We broke the cartel and we became a respected domestic club and a respected European club," he said.

"We have grown the business, we have doubled the turnover, we have increased our sponsorship revenues, we sell out every game and we have got a squad as soon as anyone."

Kenyon added the sport had survived the economic downturn.

"We have not seen that collapse that everyone was talking about," he said. "But it has accelerated the discussions about financial stability in football.

"Very, very few clubs disappear. They may go into administration and they may undergo a change in ownership but very, very few clubs disappear completely.

"People want an escape and are prepared to spend part of their disposable income to watch 90 minutes of football."

Reuters

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  1. Why are there so many idiots who post ignorant messages­ on this site, Kenyon was expressing his opinion, why­ can't the responses be considered without being­ abusive? I guess it says more about those that post the­ messages than it does about Peter Kenyon.

    From Graham, on Tue 22 Sep 8:51AM
  2. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    abramovich fully committed to being a ponce. chelsea,­ the fa, fifa, would be well rid of peter kenyon. i­ wouldn't trust him as the (non-executive) director­ of anything, regardless of whether that entails duties­ to go along with the pay packet or not.

    From joga, on Tue 22 Sep 6:45AM

  3. Dazmanutd - Your comments are rich and typical of a­ Manure fan,you never spend excesively and are totally­ debt free. Where are the mancs who were whingeing last­ year when the season ticket prices went throught the­ roof.

    From ian, on Tue 22 Sep 1:24AM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    When did Peter Kenyon say Chelsea will break even?Was­ it 2007,2008,2009 0r 2010?????
    Never mind ,at least he­ has got his European Cup(Losers!!)medal!!!!
    He should­ go back to Umbro and sell some shirts!!!!

    From Matt, on Mon 21 Sep 11:44PM
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    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Abramov$ch­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$4­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$­ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

    From webbski, on Mon 21 Sep 11:39PM

  6. dazmanutd:: maybe he will buy ot and build housing and­ let scousers live there,no rent.
    cfc forever forever­ cfc...

    From walt jabasco, on Mon 21 Sep 11:32PM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    theres always another rich @#$% around the corner to­ replace abramovich when he gets bored of his chelsea­ toy!

    From jamie.fear, on Mon 21 Sep 11:11PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    yeah till he gets bored and wants a bigger boat or­ house or @#$% ha ha then he will dump the chelski­ rent-boys and thats you screwed with your astronomical­ wage bill oh i would lmao if it happened

    From the real DAZMANUTD not the fake cloner, on Mon 21 Sep 10:35PM
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