The wonderful people over at The Spoiler are reporting that Didier Drogba has donated 3 million pounds to build a hospital. Now I understand Drogba is no saint – he still dives, cons referees, complains about everything, and has shocking hair – but his act of giving back has opened up a soft spot in my heart for him. I really do hope other Premier League stars and athletes follow his lead. I know celebrities give back all the time, and I admire them for doing so. However, relative to the amount of money these stars are making, the amount of money they give back is hardly comforting. In fact, Drogba’s donation is far more than I’d ever expect any athlete to give. If an athlete is making 10 million dollars a year, donating 500 thousand of those dollars would hardly put a dent in their way of life. It would, however, make a huge difference in the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of people. And that’s just one athlete. I understand they work hard for their money and can choose to do whatever they wish with it, but I also understand that 500k is 1/20 of their salary, which would leave them with 9.5 million other dollars. I can think of several things to do with that sort of money.

As long as professional athletes and other rich people are being advised accordingly, making a huge donation really won’t affect their lifestyles at all. Lets take a billionaire for example. If Roman Abramovich is worth 8.5 billion dollars, surely he could donate 1 billion dollars and do whatever he does on a day to day basis with 7.5 billion other dollars. He was reportedly seen eating a 47,000 dollar lunch the other day in New York. I eat fresh at Subway for $5.55 on a regular basis and leave feeling good.

The world is full of problems that could be helped greatly with the injection of huge donations. Drogba’s 5 million dollar contribution is a huge step towards that help. I really hope others take notice of his generous act.

Chelsea Meet Carlo...

The Borough of Chelsea and Kensington is home to a number of the wealthiest people on earth, the most sublime of gastronomic delights, and is a practically unrivaled locale for a shopper on the hunt for haute couture. Yes, Chelsea is undoubtedly one of London’s crown jewels, though its extra sparkle of late can be solely attributed to one man… and his influence over their infamous boys in blue.

Several years ago when ‘The Special One’, Jose Mourinho, left the club due to a prolonged and aggravated dispute with the powers that be, Chelsea was once again thrust into football limbo. Granted this limbo included a trip to the Champions League final in 2008, but it also included player dissatisfaction, off field escapades and falling short in their quest to win the EPL, the Carling Cup, the FA Cup, not to mention losing to bitter rivals Manchester United in the aforementioned Champions League Final.

It was obvious that Avram Grant was not the answer, and it became painfully obvious to everybody, except perhaps the man himself, that Luiz Felipe Scolari was not the man for the job either. Such dissatisfaction with the team’s management had Chelsea fans in London, England, and indeed the world over, clamoring for Chelsea’s billionaire sugar daddy, Roman Abramovich, to put aside his squabble with the gifted Portuguese. With typical Russian stoicism he declined their requests and delivered unto them a saviour that has footy fans who worship the blue and white asking… Jose Who???

He knows the stakes. He knows the odds. He knows his competition, and more importantly, how to dissect and frustrate them. He is the master of the four man defensive system. Champions League? He has won it 4 times… twice with his own two feet and twice with a pad and a pen. His name is Carlo Ancelotti, and Chelsea fans, you can thank Roman later.

Of course the majority of Ancelotti’s success came while at the helm of Italian giant AC Milan. He took one of the world’s true football dynasties and restored them to the glory of the star studded Milan teams of the late 80s and early 90’s. Chelsea  fans should be honoured that he has selected their club as his next project. That is not to say that he is charged with building The Blues up from scratch. On the contrary, this is a team that is far and wide unrivaled in its collection of talent. However, much like Milan, talent counts for little if the squad does not move uniformly towards one ultimate goal. The goal, the only goal according to Abramovich, is for Ancelotti to replicate his successes with Milan at Chelsea, and to become the Champions of Europe.

Of course, like all great Italian football strategists, Ancelotti focuses on building from the net out. In Peter Cech he has arguably one of the greatest keepers of the past decade, and in John Terry he has found a captain and defensive workhorse reminiscent of a certain Milanese defender of note. Paolo something I think his name is. To that end, the Milan comparisons are numerous. A midfield previously reserved for wide attack play has been substituted for more through the middle action, focusing primarily through the artistic conduit that is Frank Lampard (Kaka anyone?). Furthermore, strong play and deft passing from Michael Essien and John Mikel Obi has allowed for more freedom of movement on the wings and of course down the middle to the strike duo of Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba. That’s right, a strike duo.

For years, Drogba has patrolled Chelsea’s opponents’ 18 yard box on his own, the tip of Chelsea’s attacking spear as it were. However, upon reflecting on his ‘modest success’ utiziling Andrei Shevchencko and Filippo Inzaghi simultaneously at Milan, Ancelotti has decided that perhaps using two of the deadliest strikers in Europe in the same starting XI would increase the team’s killer instinct in front of goal.

Lets have a look the results thus far. EPL rivals Liverpool and Manchester United have come calling to Stamford Bridge and both have been turned away by scores of 2-0 and 1-0 respectively. Chelsea currently sits supreme in the Premiership with a mighty 10-0-2 record, both losses coming away from London’s west end. Moreover, it was not until last week that Chelsea allowed a goal in this Champions League season, again in an away match.

Cech Please...

Granted the scoring touch of Drogba and new pal Anelka is ever present as is the high flying wing play of Florent Malouda. It should be noted that many teams in the premiership have proven scoring capability. Take Arsenal for example, a team of  chock full of young phenoms who like nothing better than to find the back of the net, often rely solely on this ability in order to eek out wins in their matches. Their defense, however, has for some time been a point of contention, and this year’s incarnation has not put that unease to rest.

In this writer’s opinion, much of Chelsea’s early success this season can be attributed to the stonewall goal keeping of Petr Cech and Ancelotti’s movable fortress of John Terry (et al) manning the barricades in front of him. Together this defensive unit has amassed 6 clean sheets in 12 premiership matches, and 3 clean sheets in 4 opportunities in Champions League play.  All in all a considerable improvement on the campaigns of years previous. If Ancelotti can continue to find ways to mesh his Italian style defense with a traditionally opportunistic Premiership style attack it will be next to impossible for their opponents to knock them off track en route to perhaps the greatest season in club history.

Attention football clubs of Europe, Chelsea’s Carlo Ancelotti Era has arrived. Beware not only the fortress he has built at ‘The Bridge’, but also the heights his squad can reach once he irons out their away game and takes it with him on the war path.

Un gol di John Terry al 31′ della ripresa regala la vittoria al Chelsea nel match clou della dodicesima giornata di Premier League. Prime prove tecniche di fuga per la squadra di Ancelotti che ha piegato il Manchester United, e adesso a quota 30 è lanciatissima in classifica, con un +5 sulle inseguitrici.Allo Stamford Bridge, i blues sono stati bravi, determinati e fortunati (prima del gol-partita, i ‘Red Devils’ avevano sfiorato il colpaccio con Rooney): l’esito della vittoria è che il Manchester resta a quota 25, dove ieri sera era stato raggiunto dall’Arsenal di Wenger.

Quando andarem por Nova Iorque pensem bem (…pelo menos 100 vezes) antes de irem comer ao Nello’s, ou arriscam-se a ter uma conta como esta que está no talão abaixo, e que demonstra um total de $47,221.09 dólares.

 O almoço para 6 pessoas ficou a cargo do bem conhecido Roman Abramovich, que naturalmente nem terá pestenajado perante tais valores.

Quando um café expresso custa $15 doláres, comer qualquer coisinha torna-se uma situação complicada!!!   

O empregado que os serviu é que pelos vistos prestou um serviço de alta qualidade  já que contou com uns ”habituais” $7,328 dólares de gorjeta (20% de gratificação)!!

Its finally settled. Chelsea have shelved plans of moving from Stamford Bridge. Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium is a 60,000-seater and Manchester United’s Old Trafford can accommodate 75,000-plus, Liverpool will probably in the future, if ever Hicks and Gillette realise that promises are in fact supposed to be kept, move across Stanley Park to a new home and Tottenham are already boasting of how their new state-of-art-stadium will be better than both Emirates and Stamford Bridge. Despite knowing, that we with our 42,000 capacity stadium really are slipping in the stadium-size league table, I couldn’t be happier that Chelsea aren’t moving. Stamford Bridge is our club’s home. In fact, Chelsea was one of the few clubs which had a ground and the club was formed to fill the ground and  football has been played there for over a century. I don’t know of many clubs that can claimto play at the same place where it all started?  Its ironic how so many are quick to taunt us for our lack of history!

So I would gladly watch Tottenham bankrupt themselves building their new White Hart Lane and Liverpool slowly and steadily lose that history that they are so proud off in a bid to make more money, so Rafa can spend it on some injured but allegedly superb player!

However, our 42,000 capacity stadium does put us at a disadvantage to our rivals when it comes to financial income from home games. Arsenal earn around £3million per match at the Emirates while Chelsea’s income is, on average, £2.2million.

So Chelsea are considering selling naming rights to Stamford Bridge. Now, before you panic, remember Chelsea aren’t owned by a nutter like Mike Ashley and there is no way that Chelsea would rename the ground in similar fashion as Newcastle United. I still can’t believe that Newcastle United will be playing at sportsdirect.com@St. James’ Park until the end of the season! (Will the game be real or virtual?) Chelsea have said that the name Stamford Bridge will be retained in any deal. Ok, just a scary thought but technically isn’t  St. James’ Park also kind of retained in the new Newcastle United stadium name?  Well, Roman isn’t Mike Ashley (thank God!) and Ron Gourlay in his first interview since succeeding Peter Kenyon was very reassuring.

He said, “Retaining the heritage of the stadium is paramount to considering such a move but we think that is achievable, and on that basis we would enter into discussions over naming rights with the right partner for Chelsea. We understand that this is a sensitive issue for our fans and that is why we would keep the name Stamford Bridge in any deal.”

Three Barclays Premier League clubs have stadium naming rights partners: Arsenal (Emirates), Bolton Wanderers (Reebok) and Wigan (JJB) and I think as long as we don’t go down the Newcastle United way we’ll do just fine. Selling the naming rights would make up the shortfall and will help keep the club out of losses.  It really does seem like a very sensible way to hold on to what is important while still continuing to evolve and grow. ktbffh.

Il Tribunale arbitrale dello sport (Tas) ha sospeso la sentenza della Fifa: in attesa dell’esito dell’appello contro la squalifica del mercato, il Chelsea potrà fare acquisti in gennaio. La decisione è arrivata questa mattina da Losanna e di fatto congela per un tempo indeterminato (possibile anche qualche mese) la condanna dei Blues seguita alla trattativa con il minorenne francese Gael Kakuta, spinto nel 2007 a rompere il suo contratto con il Lens.

La sentenza della Fifa proibiva al Chelsea di intervenire sul mercato fino al gennaio 2011. A questo punto, invece, Carlo Ancelotti potrà fare acquisti in gennaio. Il Tribunale ha confermato in un comunicato che l’appello del Chelsea è stato accolto e i Blues potranno quindi operare sul mercato “fin quando il Tas non prenderà la sua decisione finale in materia”. Non è stata però ancora comunicata una data precisa

Forget the recession for billionaires!! According to TMZ, Abramovich hosted nine guests at Nello’s for lunch in NYC. The tab came to $47,221.09. He added another $5,000 tip (on top of the $7,328 gratuity already included) for a total of $52,221.09.

Forbes lists Abramovich as the world’s 51st wealthiest person, with a net worth of $8.5 billion dollars.

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich seems not to be affected by the financial crisis, at least if we look at the $ 47,000 bill, paid in a restaurant after having lunch with five other friends.

The lunch consisted in seafood, veal, pasta and truffles. Only the wine cost over $ 5,000. In addition, the owner of Chelsea football team, left a $ 7000 tip.

En plena crisis económica mundial, el dueño del Chelsea decidió desembolsar cerca de 50 mil dólares en un restaurante de Nueva York, incluyendo 7 mil dólares de propina.

Él y unos cuantos más gozan del exclusivo privilegio de pagar vinos de entre 10 y 15 mil dólares. Un auténtico festín.

Si algún día pasan por el restaurante “Nello´s”, piénsenlo 2 veces antes de ingresar.

]]> http://cartellinorosso.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/berlusconi-cedo-il-milan-ma-solo-a/ Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:35:46 +0000 cartellinorosso http://cartellinorosso.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/berlusconi-cedo-il-milan-ma-solo-a/

Silvio Berlusconi si tiene stretto il Milan, ma non esclude una cessione anzi… Nelle lunghe conversazioni per il libro “Donne di cuori”, in uscita venerdì prossimo, con Bruno Vespa, il patron rossonero ha anche parlato della possibilità di farsi da parte. “Farei il sacrificio di cedere il Milan soltanto a chi potesse giovargli più di me – dice – Ma finora non si è fatto avanti nessuno che abbia questo requisito”. Berlusconi esclude anche un passaggio di consegne a Roman Abramovich (“credo davvero che il Chelsea gli basti ed avanzi”) mentre sulla cifra che sarebbe necessaria per rilevare il Milan non si sbilancia perché “per un innamorato nessuna cifra vale il sacrificio. Solo il bene dell’amato può prevalere”

Don’t hate the player..hate the game.

Last week, Roman Abramovich and i go for quick espresso at lunch and because its Friday i get my drink on early with a quickie JW Blue.

Before you know it, sh*t gets crazy and some waiter sells us out by putting the bill on the internets.

Offside.

Good times though hey Bramo.

“Con le nuove regole proteggeremo il business di Abramovich, Massimo Moratti e Glazer. Sono sicuro che vogliono vendere, ma chi comprerebbe club con tanti debiti? Chi sarebbe così stupido?”. Sono le domande che si pone Michel Platini, presidente della Uefa, in un’intervista al quotidiano inglese Daily Mail. Platini fa del ‘fair play finanziario’ uno dei cardini della sua presidenza e si sofferma in particolare sulla situazione  finanziaria di alcuni grandi club. Tra gli esempi indicati dal dirigente francese in maniera indiretta, oltre al Chelsea di Roman Abramovich e al Manchester United di Malcolm Glazer, c’è anche  l’Inter di Massimo Moratti.

“Abbiamo 3 anni per regolamentare le cose”, dice riferendosi  al progetto di varare nuove e trasparenti regole in ambito  continentale. “L’idea non e’ di affossare i club ma di aiutarli a  trovare un equilibrio migliore. La nostra linea prevede che per  partecipare alle nostre competizioni non si debba spendere piu’ denaro di quello che viene incassato”, aggiunge prima di scendere nei  particolari: “Se il Manchester United dispone di 300 milioni di  sterline e ne spende 400, non va. Se il Liverpool paga ogni anno 60  milioni di sterline di interessi alle banche, si tratta di un sacco di soldi”.

leggo stamattina sul corriere della sera (http://www.corriere.it/esteri/09_ottobre_31/abramovich-super-conto-ristorante-new-york_796fdab4-c663-11de-a5d7-00144f02aabc.shtml) il resoconto di un pranzo newyorkese di roman abramovich al ristorante nello’s che sarebbe costato 52.000 dollari, tra pasta al tartufo e i borgogna più famosi del mondo, per dieci fortunate persone. l’articolo peraltro cita come fonte il giornale di gossip americano (http://www.tmz.com/ ci ho dato un occhio, una vera porcheria) che ha dato la notizia per primo (complimentoni!) e che l’aveva oltretutto corredata della scansione della ricevuta (che eleganza, ragazzi…)

ora, premesso che sono dell’idea che qualsiasi cosa uno intenda comprare, di qualsiasi tipo di servizio intenda avvalersi, dovrebbe esserci un tetto “morale” di spesa, oltre il quale si deve fare un passo indietro. e questa riflessione la faccio soprattutto come predicozzo a me stessa.

bene, premesso questo…alzi la mano chi trova la notizia interessante. il fatto che ci siano persone che non hanno limiti di budget nella vita e che si comportano di conseguenza ci scandalizza, ci affascina? a me nessuna delle due. mi lascia totalmente indifferente. mi affascina l’idea che esista qualcuno che in effetti è interessato: vorrei capire perchè. mi scandalizza il fatto che il corriere della sera pubblichi una notizia di questo tipo, che, se ci poteva stare sulle pagine di quella spazzatura gossippara americana, non dovrebbe trovare però collocazione su quelle di uno dei più diffusi quotidiani nazionali del nostro paese.

d’altro canto non più tardi di ieri, sulle pagine, anzi, sulla prima pagina dello stesso quotidiano il soprano angela gheorghiu annunciava al mondo intero di aver chiuso definitivamente col tenore roberto alagna, a causa della di lui gelosia. epperò, lui la rivuole indietro, si è anche preoccupata di aggiungere. non sia mai che qualcuno pensi che si trova sprovvista di corteggiatori.

ok, qui non si tratta più di gente senza un tetto alle uscite mensili, ma un bel chissene, anche alla signora georghiu non glielo vuole dire proprio nessuno?

il vecchio roman

nello's restaurant

la gheorghiu e alagna nei giorni felici ...suppongo...

]]> http://santagatando.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/abramovich-pranzo-da-52mila-dlr/ Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:54:35 +0000 Francesco Lazzara http://santagatando.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/abramovich-pranzo-da-52mila-dlr/ http://artwithoutskin.com/2009/10/31/affaire-madoff-une-provision-de-299-millions-payee-en-rothko/ Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:51:14 +0000 Pierrick Moritz http://artwithoutskin.com/2009/10/31/affaire-madoff-une-provision-de-299-millions-payee-en-rothko/ http://rheasport.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/it-is-great-to-be-roman-abramovich/ Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:24:43 +0000 Rhea http://rheasport.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/it-is-great-to-be-roman-abramovich/

Reasons why its great to be Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea:

Who wouldn’t want to be rich, cute and own a football club? We all know Roman has a fleet of luxury  yachts (are there any other kind?) , beautiful houses, diamonds, paintings, butlers and well, all sorts of stuff! But while its good to be the rich and successful Roman Abramovich, here is why  it’s great to be Roman Abramovich, simply the owner of Chelsea FC.

6. You get to have Stamford the Lion, as your very own pet. Isn’t he the cutest mascot ever?

He furry, he’s cute, he’s cuddly, he dances  and he is not  at all ferocious. Who wouldn’t love such a pet lion? No wonder John Terry always pats Stamford the Lion’s head when the team comes on the pitch.

5. You have your very own Stadium in Stamford Bridge!

If one day Roman got up with the itch to become a rock star, he could invite 42,055 of his friends over, close the exits and sing his heart out.

4. You inherit with the club it’s 50,000 supporters and growing.

Roman from the day he acquired the club (and spent, spent, spent) got himself more than  50,000 people (yep, we don’t come cheap) plus Bryan Adams (the Canadian singer and Chelsea fan) who adore him.

3. You get to hang with Terry and Lampard whenever you feel like it:

A dream come true for any football fan or a female hot footballer stalker!  To be able to meet and talk to his footballing heroes is stuff most football fans dream about and there is no better (or better-looking) defender than JT and no one as talented as Frankie Lampard. Oh and you get the added bonus of hanging with Michael Ballack … he’s just cooool!

2.You get to have the power to bring and then sack Jose Mourinho.

Money makes the world go round baby. And if you own Chelsea FC and your name is Roman Abramovich, you got plenty of dough. This gives you the ultimate power to rule your very own little kingdom, yikes!. I remember being pretty upset when the Special one was sacked (or as the Portuguese manager stressed,  arrived at a mutual decision), but you got to admit, it must have been fun to be able to sack him.

And the no 1. reason why its great to be Roman Abramovich:

Your team gives you the most unique, unmatchable, wonderful birthday gift ever. They win 5-0! Yep, that is what Chelsea did today against Blackburn Rovers and if we’d been a little lucky we would have scored a few more. The team played fabulously with a goal and a penalty from Lampard. Boy, am I glad he scored, because the dry spell in the league seems to be frustrating him . Frankie Lampard relax, your role has changed since Ancelotti’s diamond and everyone in the press who is saying  that you are losing your touch is a buffoon of the highest degree. We see how much you contribute to the game most of the time. ‘Michael-dynamite-Essien’ was also on the score sheet with a superb strike which I am sure Roman loved. Drogba got us the penalty and forced an own goal and also headed one in off a Ballack corner kick. Joe Cole who was back from his 9-month injury was in incredibly good form. I wonder how he managed that, maybe played a lot of  FIFA 10?  It was a sheer pleasure watching him.

All in all, Chelsea were magnificent.  Top of the table, 5 goals, clean sheet, super play… wow! Roman could you tell them your next birthday is on November 8 when we meet Manchester United?

Happy Birthday Roman Abramovich. ktbffh

Roman Abramovich's 525 ft. 'Eclipse' ... "It is the biggest private yacht in existence and comes with a missile-detection system, two helipads, a luxury spa, swimming pool and a miniature submarine."

The subject of money is a complex one.  Don’t you agree that there is nothing quite like the subject of money, that evokes strong feelings and reactions in people? Except perhaps, sex and religion?  That is because, as Abraham-Hicks says;

“…it touches most of you in one way or another, hundreds or even thousands of times in every day, it is a large factor in your vibrational make up and in your personal point of attraction… Because such a high percentage of your thoughts in any given day reside around the topic of money and financial success, as soon as you are able to deliberately guide your thoughts, not only it is certain that your financial success must improve, but the evidence of that success will then prepare you for deliberate improvement in every aspect of your life experience…”

It may be hard for someone who struggles to pay the bills every month, to sympathize with someone at the opposite end of the spectrum who has his own painful issues with money.

But it is true; money is an emotional button, a contentious issue.  But I am not here to debate the pros and cons of dosh.  I just want to tell a different story about money, because the one that I have been telling hasn’t worked for me.

“…abundance cannot find us unless we offer a vibration of abundance… even in the absence of something we want, we must find a way of feeling the essence of it, or it cannot come… when you ask for the manifestation prior to the vibration, you ask the impossible.  When you are willing to offer the vibration before the manifestation, all things are possible…”

I have found a great tool to help me feel comfortable about money.  It is a book called The Official Filthy Rich Handbook by Christopher Tennant.

Before doing the filthy rich handbook therapy, I used to raise my eyebrows at the filthy rich excesses.

“One could end world hunger with what they spend on a birthday party,” I used to say.

Not anymore!  Two weeks of sitting on the toilet first thing in the morning with a latte macchiato in one hand, and the filthy rich handbook in the other, has worked like a charm.   I’ve had a change of heart.  I’ve come to see that the many ways these people can come up with, to spend their money, is brilliant.  No, I really mean it.  You want to try sitting there every day, as I do, with a checkbook in your hands panicking that you can’t think of a single thing to buy.  Seriously!  You see, in Ask and It Is Given, Abraham suggests the following exercise to help us pinpoint our energy: write yourself a check every day and spend it on the same day.  Starting with $1,000 on the first day, $2,000 on the second and so on.  It is also suggested that one should be as descriptive as possible on the memo.  I have to tell you, I am stumped.  When I finally figure out what to spend the money on, I sigh with relief.  Then I worry about thinking of something to buy the following day.

Pathetic, pathetic, PATHETIC!  Now do you see why I think the filthy rich are geniuses when it comes to spending money? Did you know that one of them bought a plot on the moon, for God’s sake!?

“How big is 525 feet,” I asked my son after reading that Roman Abramovich’s Yacht, Eclipse, is 525 feet long. “Is it as big as the QE2?”

“No, the QE2 is bigger,” he said.

“Well then, what’s all the fuss? It can’t be that big.”

“Yes but,” he explained.  ” A 525 ft yacht is big enough to block out the sun, and The QE2 carried thousands of people.”

I see the point, and it increases my admiration for the-larger-than-life-sense of self these people have!  Truth be told, they deserve some sort of public recognition.

Take Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich again, he paid $282 million for a house in London.  Do you know something? I’m rethinking my position about being on a Real Estate sabbatical.  In fact, if the likes of Abramovich, Rupert Murdoch, Bruce Kovner, Larry Ellison, Paul Allen and Bill Gates want to buy a house, I’ll be happy to make an exception for anyone of them, anytime.  Just fly, sail, drive on over in one of your custom built cars, and I’ll postpone writing a chapter until after I sell you a house.  I’ll even include you in one of the chapters.  Oh, please don’t be upset if you didn’t see your name on the list.  Anyone on Forbes 400 is welcome.

Feel better?  Good.

Now, jokes apart (who’s joking? Not me), money is a great thing. And I want to say a big thank you to Patty Stonesifer and the Bill and Melinda Gate’s foundation for their generous grant to help save babies from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.  Also to Jeffrey Lewis, Chief of Staff to Teresa Heinz and President and Chief Operating Officer for the Heinz Family Philanthropies for his support of First Candle national Kicks Count! campaign.  None would be possible without money.

And last but not least, thank you to my elder son who brought the Filthy Rich Handbook home, and left it lying around in the bathroom.

See you tomorrow

Your friend,

Success

Dopo la doppietta al Debrecen, un’altra buona notizia per Adrian Mutu. Il Tribunale federale svizzero, infatti, ha sospeso fino a fine dell’anno la sentenza del Tas, che obbligava l’attaccante viola a versare 17 milioni di euro al Chelsea come risarcimento dopo il licenziamento per la positività alla cocaina. Il tribunale, scrive la stampa elvetica, ha accolto l’effetto sospensivo del ricorso presentato dal romeno e così la multa è stata sospesa. La decisione era già stata annunciata qualche settimana fa dall’agente del giocatore della Fiorentina, Victor Becali.

Il tecnico Carlo Ancelotti trova piu semplice essere alla guida del Chelsea che non condurre un’automobile per le strade di Londra. Alla vigilia del match di Champions League che vedrà i “Blues” impegnati in casa contro l’Atletico Madrid, l’allenatore emiliano ha voluto così sdrammatizzare la sconfitta patita dai suoi sul terreno dell’Aston Villa, raccontando sulle pagine del “Daily Mirror” le sue prime esperienze inglesi al volante dopo tre mesi in cui ha beneficiato di un autista:

“Per me condurre una maccchina a Londra è più difficile che essere alla guida del Chelsea – ha ammesso Ancelotti – trovo molto complicato controllare l’auto sul lato sinistro. Sono fortunato ad avere il cambio automatico perché altrimenti sarebbe pure peggio. In Italia quando voglio guardare lo specchietto retrovisore so di averlo alla mia destra, ma qui non è nella stessa posizione. E’ molto dura, ma sto rispettando la legge e non sono stato ancora multato”.

Grant: Back in the big-time

I’ll admit it, whilst trying to think of something witty to open an article about Baron Silas Greenback’s (aka Avram Grant) return to English football, I got a bit lost in the statistics of the Danger Mouse villain’s record as manager at Chelsea. This is why we’ve ended up with a) a rubbish title to the article, and b) an opening paragraph explaining why it isn’t making you laugh. I can only apologise for this.

The thing is though, after trawling through various statistics about wins, losses, draws and other stuff that people with no interest in football would rather burn their eyeballs than bare witness to, it appears that Greenback wasn’t actually a bad gaffer. In fact, he was quite good.

In the 32 Premier League games which Abramovich allowed him to sit in the hot-seat (whilst stroking his fluffy white caterpillar, and trying to find the exact post-box on Baker Street that his arch-nemesis had set up camp in) his record was as follows; 23 wins, 7 draws, and only 2 losses. That translates as 76 Premier League points, which is certainly a very good haul to ask your evil crow-henchman to gather up and put in your dungeon.

In fact, if you take his average points per game (at this point I’m aware that I will have lost a few of you who don’t care much for statistics. I expected this, which is why I put a picture on the right to distract you), and multiply it by the 38 games that he would’ve had at his disposal, had Chelsea decided to fire Mourinho before the start of the season, The Blues would’ve collected over 90 points that season.

Manchester United won the league with 87 points so, yes, I am essientially saying that The Baron would’ve won the Premier League at his first attempt. Factor in a Carling Cup Final (stop sarcastically saying “ooooooh!” back there!), and being a penalty-competent centre-half’s width away from winning his Russian owner’s very own holy grail, the Champions League, and future historians will be scratching their heads as to why this man was given his P45. Especially when he’s been balancing football management with world domintation. It’s a tough juggling act to one minute have to send tins of exploding custard to every address on the planet, and then the next have to face the media after a 1-1 draw with Birmingham. Very tough indeed.

Greenback: Hell-bent on world domination

That was the problem with Greenback though. Like most evil super-villians, he was media shy, and he also looked like a super-villain should look. All toady and green, with a wheezy little laugh. Those very same historians will soon understand the reason for his dismissal when they see a picture of him. They’ll realise that he never stood a chance because Joe Public is never going to want an evil toad-creature as manager of his club.

Evil toad-creatures are simply not cool or funny enough when interviewed by Garth Crooks on Match Of The Day. As a result, these fans will put completely unrealistic performace expectations onto the manager’s shoulders. So will his chairman. Expectations so high, that all of the achievements stated above will simply not be good enough. If Greenback had been a man with nicely combed hair, who answered every question from Garth with a witty quip about a man walking into a bar, I’m sure those acheivements would at least have earnt him another season at the helm.

His demise was inevitable though, and is probably what drove him to steal a growth serum to create giant chickens that could take over the world. Probably.

Thankfully though, The Baron will have to reign in all that harebrained plotting now, as yesterday afternoon he accepted the Director Of Football job at Portsmouth. Just like his last job, this appears to be an interim position. On this occasion, however, it’s an interim position in the boardroom, and it looks very much like it’ll be Paul Hart who will end up biting the bullet. This should pave the way for Greenback, ironically for a super-villain, to step in and save the day.

Pompey fans, if it does happen, and you switch on the TV to see Greenback stroking his caterpillar whilst giving monosyllabic answers to Geoff Shreeves, in a press conference that he has rigged to interrupt every channel in the world, don’t dispair. He may not be pretty, and may occasionally be side-tracked by plans to destroy all the world’s signposts, but you can’t argue with his record during his last stint in the Premier League.

Plus, he looks like a cartoon character. So just think of all the songs you could make up.

A New Kind of Business School Opens in Moscow

First, China had a massive party to celebrate National Day for the whole world to watch and then Brazil wins the bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics.  Now, Russia is looking to combat its infamous business environment full of bribes, red tape and an uncooperative government by creating a Master of Business Administration that does not shy away from discussing and attacking those very issues.  As a BRIC nation, Russia, like all her peers suffers from corruption and this new, full-time, 16-month M.B.A. program will tackle the issues related to doing business in emerging markets.  Russian business figures who fully support the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo have tap the former director of the doctoral program at the Insead business school in France to lead the school.  Financial backers include Troika Dialog, Credit Suisse and Severstal – not too shabby!

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