Redefining Irony, Real Madrid Objects to Chelsea’s Spending
By: Bob | October 5th, 2006
Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon is showing deep concern for Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich’s bank account. In a radio interview today, Calderon questioned Chelsea’s free spending ways.
“I think it’s a problem – it’s putting the prices very high,” Calderon told BBC Radio Five Live. “He is paying a lot of money for players, but we have to compete with it. In Abramovich’s case, he admitted to having lost 220 million euros last season. For me, it’s very dangerous.”
Never one to bend over, Chelsea hit back in this entertaining game of wealthy club bitch slapping.
Said director of communications Simon Greenberg:
“We run ourselves as much as we can as a plc. We are completely transparent about our accounts – which is something that cannot be said for many of the top European clubs including, I would say, Real Madrid.”
The irony, of course, is that Real Madrid has been overspending for players for years and have done more than their fair share to drive up salaries. In my view, Mr. Calderon wouldn’t be objecting to things if his club still had the deepest pockets around.
The other irony in all this is Chelsea referring to themselves as transparent. The Ashley Cole saga comes to mind for some reason…
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Comments
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Not to mention that Madrid still own the biggest transfer fee of all time (something like 900 quintillion GBP for Zidane).
Posted from
United States
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You’re right, but there’s a difference that many English fans (admittedly anti-Chelsea) often point out between Madrid’s spending ways and Chelsea’s. Madrid did drive up player salaries during the galactico period but they did this with one player per season — Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo, Beckham. Chelsea, on the other hand, spends loads of money on 2 or 3 big name players per season.
Posted from
United States -
The best money Abramovich has spent is arguably on getting Mourinho to coach the side, rather than on any one individual player (remember Ranieri?).
That said, Calderon really seems to be putting his foot in it these days; what with ‘letting slip’ that Beckham would retire in two years. I fear we have a bunch of rank amateurs in charge of the club, at least as far as PR is concerned…
Posted from
United Kingdom -
I think thats this is a completely contradictive statement by calderon. While chelsea may have pushed up transfer values in england, it has also contributed to more cash flow between clubs. Real seem to constantly be in debt then suddenly splash 37 million on figo and 45 on zidane. He who is without sin……
Posted from
United Kingdom -
That’s not irony.
It’s hypocrisy.
Posted from
United States
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