Tweet
CHELSEA'S 3-0 home thrashing by Sunderland on November 14 started the string of events that would eventually see Fernando Torres sign for £50million.
As Chelsea collapsed to their heaviest defeat in the Roman Abramovich era, the furious Russian billionaire realised that Plan B had failed.
This had been that, under sporting director Frank Arnesen, Chelsea would grow their own rather than continue spending fortunes in the transfer market.
But as Abramovich watched Chelsea surrender, he couldn't believe his eyes.
At centre-half in place of the injured John Terry was Paulo Ferreira, a player even well past his sell-by date as a full-back.
Yet sitting unused on the bench was Jeffrey Bruma, a young central defender who Arnesen believed was the embodiment of "the next generation of star talent" he said he would unearth on his appointment in 2005.
Abramovich would soon discover Carlo Ancelotti - as well as some senior players - were not of quite the same opinion.
The Russian was left to weigh up the £100m cost of the Chelsea Academy under Arnesen and what it had actually produced.
Apart from the impressive Josh McEachran, none were equipped for the Premier League. And certainly not in a crisis.
He was further aggrieved by the sight of young stars pouring off the production line at the Emirates, none more than Jack Wilshere who, at 18, was not only an Arsenal regular but a member of the England squad.
Little surprise then that just two weeks later it was announced Arnesen, who had cost Chelsea £17m in wages and his own "transfer fee" from Spurs, would be leaving at the end of the season for "a fresh challenge".
Over the last five years Chelsea have spent untold millions on attracting well-paid young talent.
At the start of the season, five Academy players were in Chelsea's 25-man squad.
While McEachran remains, Gael Kakuta (whose acrimonious move from Lens cost Chelsea a £100,000 fine and a transfer window embargo) is on loan at Fulham and Patrick van Aanholt at Leicester.
Bruma is expected to join him at the Walkers Stadium while striker Fabio Borini could be off to Parma.
Of the others, Serbian centre-half Slobodan Rajkovic (a £3.8m purchase as a 16-year-old) is on loan at Vitesse Arnhem while Daniel Sturridge (£60,000-a-week at 20) is at Bolton.
Franco di Santo, who cost £3m, went to Wigan for £1m, Miroslav Stoch to Fenerbahce while Nem-anja Matic is off to Benfica as part of the deal that took £23m David Luiz to Stamford Bridge.
Then there's Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo, subject of a Ken Bates explosion when Chelsea enticed the pair from Leeds before paying £1.6m apiece in compensation.
Woods, plagued by injury, has recently been on loan at Notts County while Taiwo joined Carlisle on a free.
So much for Plan B (and saving money).
Instead, Abramovich went back to Plan A, throwing more millions around with Luiz quickly identified as the man to play alongside Terry.
At the same time - and with Chelsea in free-fall - Abramovich wanted to know how much it would cost if they missed out on Champions League qualification.
When told, allegedly as late as mid-January, that it could be as much as £40m, he hit the panic button.
The order went out to get Torres, especially with the Luiz deal foundering at the time.
Unlike Luiz, Torres WAS available for the Champions League, Abramovich's Holy Grail and the trophy now once again the No 1 target with Chelsea so far behind Manchester United in the Premier League.
In comparison with what it cost Abramovich to get virtually nothing out of his academy, £50m could prove to be quite cheap.
As Chelsea collapsed to their heaviest defeat in the Roman Abramovich era, the furious Russian billionaire realised that Plan B had failed.
This had been that, under sporting director Frank Arnesen, Chelsea would grow their own rather than continue spending fortunes in the transfer market.
But as Abramovich watched Chelsea surrender, he couldn't believe his eyes.
At centre-half in place of the injured John Terry was Paulo Ferreira, a player even well past his sell-by date as a full-back.
Yet sitting unused on the bench was Jeffrey Bruma, a young central defender who Arnesen believed was the embodiment of "the next generation of star talent" he said he would unearth on his appointment in 2005.
Abramovich would soon discover Carlo Ancelotti - as well as some senior players - were not of quite the same opinion.
The Russian was left to weigh up the £100m cost of the Chelsea Academy under Arnesen and what it had actually produced.
Apart from the impressive Josh McEachran, none were equipped for the Premier League. And certainly not in a crisis.
He was further aggrieved by the sight of young stars pouring off the production line at the Emirates, none more than Jack Wilshere who, at 18, was not only an Arsenal regular but a member of the England squad.
Little surprise then that just two weeks later it was announced Arnesen, who had cost Chelsea £17m in wages and his own "transfer fee" from Spurs, would be leaving at the end of the season for "a fresh challenge".
Over the last five years Chelsea have spent untold millions on attracting well-paid young talent.
At the start of the season, five Academy players were in Chelsea's 25-man squad.
While McEachran remains, Gael Kakuta (whose acrimonious move from Lens cost Chelsea a £100,000 fine and a transfer window embargo) is on loan at Fulham and Patrick van Aanholt at Leicester.
Bruma is expected to join him at the Walkers Stadium while striker Fabio Borini could be off to Parma.
Of the others, Serbian centre-half Slobodan Rajkovic (a £3.8m purchase as a 16-year-old) is on loan at Vitesse Arnhem while Daniel Sturridge (£60,000-a-week at 20) is at Bolton.
Franco di Santo, who cost £3m, went to Wigan for £1m, Miroslav Stoch to Fenerbahce while Nem-anja Matic is off to Benfica as part of the deal that took £23m David Luiz to Stamford Bridge.
Then there's Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo, subject of a Ken Bates explosion when Chelsea enticed the pair from Leeds before paying £1.6m apiece in compensation.
Woods, plagued by injury, has recently been on loan at Notts County while Taiwo joined Carlisle on a free.
So much for Plan B (and saving money).
Instead, Abramovich went back to Plan A, throwing more millions around with Luiz quickly identified as the man to play alongside Terry.
At the same time - and with Chelsea in free-fall - Abramovich wanted to know how much it would cost if they missed out on Champions League qualification.
When told, allegedly as late as mid-January, that it could be as much as £40m, he hit the panic button.
The order went out to get Torres, especially with the Luiz deal foundering at the time.
Unlike Luiz, Torres WAS available for the Champions League, Abramovich's Holy Grail and the trophy now once again the No 1 target with Chelsea so far behind Manchester United in the Premier League.
In comparison with what it cost Abramovich to get virtually nothing out of his academy, £50m could prove to be quite cheap.
Comment