Kaka to Chelsea, Lampard to Inter and other rumours

I get the pleasure of being first response on the account that everyone else is either asleep or working...

Personally, I am already sick of the endless rumours so have turned off checking for latest updates any more than every 3rd day. I have much more interesting things to think about like my birthday, my partners birthday, my new car arriving next Friday and then going away to the Clare Valley for the weekend in my new car with my new girlfriend... maybe when I get back I will find that Lampard has decided to stay and accept the measily $140K for 4 years, Drogba is suddenly back in favour once he realises noone else wants to pay him the same as Chelsea and we have signed Robbie Keane in a swap deal for Anelka...!

So for now I will leave the rumour mill to those who know how to turn it and come back when the dust has settled and the friendlies are under way.

Maybe it is a sign but the 'funny code' I have to enter to post this comment is LEMEN... describes nicely some the rumours...

KTBFFH

Lol, I think there is a bug the counter for # Comments shows -1 !!!

Still silly season, and I guess we'll learn nothing player-wise from BPS today either.

According to todays Mirror "Scolari will allow Andriy Shevchenko, Florent Malouda, Claudio Pizarro, Steve Sidwell and Carlo Cudicini to leave Chelsea." Which isn't half bad, but I'd be worried about letting Cudicini go. I dont think Hilario would be my choice as a number 2, and unless Rhys Evans gets the chance, a new keeper could well be on the cards (but please Phil, not Ricardo).

Clive mentioned yesterday "As far as CFC goes it's all strangely silent, I think someone is beavering away quitely behind the scenes to probably produce some more quality signings."

I'd love to say I agree, but as I've said before, I can actually see it being very quiet on the players coming in front. A few of the players on the periphery will leave for sure, but I think it'll be a real struggle for us to attract top names this summer. Regardless of the size of the transfer pot Roman has so loving put to one side for Phil.

First of all, I'm happy that Drogba is staying quite. I would have expected more news /rumours about him but Adebawhatever seems to be of bigger interest for some clubs. That's good....he's not half as good as Drogba but some clubs are willing to splash out more than 20Mio......another sign that the fans are simply the best scouts.^^
Dunno about Kaka...I think it could actually happen. The fact that we got Scolari and Milan won't play in the CL next season could make him consider a move. On the other hand we already signed Deco for whatever reason(he just like Adebayor....overrated and shit when somethings on the line) and don't know what our midfield will look like if Lamps stays. Ballack definetely wants to win the CL...that's why he came to Chelsea but if we fail again to win it I could imagine him leaving us next year even when he's not really appreciated by many clubs because of his lack of titles due to unlucky defeats.

Anyway, what I have seen so far proves the cynical comment earlier.....Arsenal, Barca etc. sign players when they are fresh and still.....formable. We buy them when they are made man and got nothing to prove anymore.


We shud get: - another goalkeeper....preferably German ^^
- Samir Nasri.....but I guess we got Deco for this task -_-
- Huntelaar( get rid of Anelka and Pizarro)

Many more people to offload: Cudicini, Ben Haim, Deco ;-). Malouda, Makelele, Sidwell and the mentioned strikers. And....Sheva needs to stay!

It just wouldn't be summer without a Roberto Carlos to Chelsea rumour. Ten years running I reckon.

LINK

Morning all,

Hope Suffolk was good Pete... Loving the Roberto Carlos rumour - he really is ever hopeful, isn't he?

Looks like the transfer market is showing signs of starting to shift - always believed that there is an element of the domino effect about it. Imagine that LGF will be running the rule over the squad in the coming weeks and deciding what he wants to do (a degree of that may have happened already).

Lampard is a tricky one - be a big wrench for us to lose him, but a serious money 5 year deal at 30 years of age is far from ideal. No doubt this one will continue to run and run...

We need a good player + 1 more big name signing this summer. 2 players in total to add to our Sporting collection of Portugese. Who will those 2 players be? Lets wait and see. Kaka would be a dream come true. Robinho is SLIGHLY more realistic. Arshavin is easy to get and my personal favourites are Silva and Van der Vaart. The next 3 weeks ahead gonna rock with loads of transfer merry go rounds with Scolari being unveiled later on. Exciting days ahead...

@PETEW #5

You seem to have a fundemental misunderstanding of our recruitment policy. Until now Roberto Carlos has been too young and inexperienced.

However, he may now just have developed into the sort of player we are looking for.

"Chelsea Football Club can confirm it has received an official approach from Internazionale to discuss the possible transfer of Frank Lampard. Contrary to reports no financial offer was made.

Chelsea FC has informed Inter this morning (Tuesday, July 8) that we will not enter into any discussions regarding the transfer of Frank Lampard."

LINK

Oh Dear Rent-A-Quote Galliani is at it again trying to square his "astronomical" claim re Kaka with Leonardo's statement yesterday:

LINK

Can our readers with Italian connections tell us how this idiot is viewed domestically - he [almost]makes Kenyon seem like a genius to me...

I see we've issued an official refusal to discuss with Inter transfer for Lamps on the website too.....

According to the official site, "Chelsea FC has informed Inter this morning (Tuesday, July 8) that we will not enter into any discussions regarding the transfer of Frank Lampard."

Well. That was quick.

You are back from your hols Nick - getting the Frank link in there quickly - still doesn't say if he's signing a new contract or seeing out his last year before leaving. Perhaps LGF will reveal all at his press conference?

Interesting news on Lampard. Still not sure how Essien, Mikel, Ballack, Deco, Lampard are all going to fit into one system. We can now corner the market in centre midfielders as well as centre backs.

Suffolk was great. I saw a barn owl.

Personally, I kind of hope we do sign Roberto Carlos one day, just to make him happy. I've never seen a player so desperate to join one club for so long.

It was luck, blueboydave. ;-) I just happened to be perusing the official site at the right time.

I guess the club wants Lampard to make the decision - we certainly don't need the money and could keep him for the remaining year of his contract. The rules regarding buying out the final year of a contract still confuse me - Kenn wrote a lengthy post about it a couple of years ago and I haven't got time to read it again at the moment - I think he concluded that it's a pain in the arse. :-)

LINK

I read somewhere that Jose is expecting Lampard to join Inter next summer so I'm not expecting Lamps to sign a new contract any time soon.

The debate is on. Essien, Lampard, Mikel, Ballack and Deco. Who will play and how will they play? Its hindering the progress and growth of Obiwan. Im confused as everyone is. That leaves me with a question: Does Scolari knows what he is doing or he has something up his sleeves? I pray that its the latter.

I think the buying out of the contract thing is actually far more fraught with problems than it looks on paper - the Scottish chap (whose name escapes me) that was embroiled in it had an absolute nightmare from what I recall.

One way or another, it seems to be approaching the "sh*t or get off the pot" moment for all parties involved.

I've contacted OleOle regarding the latest bug in the numbering of comments. Also asked about the 'edit' functionality which went missing sometime last week.

OMG, this Blog follows the stock markets and it's now down -12 points!

Even the ChelseaBlog feels the credit crunch now! LOL!

@16 KaiserJonny_II - I think Webster is the name you're struggling for - and when I read the position some where recently - and the link to Kenn's article says the same - the player has to give notice of his intention to buy out his contract 2 weeks from the end of the previous season. Obviously we're way beyond that now so Lamps can either accept a new offer or see out his final year dreaming of TSO next season.

If Lamps wishes to join Inter, Chelsea should really let him go now rather than next season. Maybe Chlesea are just waiting for Kaka before letting Lamps go?

Scolari on Chelsea TV: "I met Frank Lampard and we spoke for 15 minutes, and after this, when we finished, I was very happy because I asked if he wants to stay and he said 'yes, I stay at Chelsea'"

Straight from the horse's mouth, as it were. Scolari's English is pretty good.

"Yes, I will stay at Chelsea"... provided Chelsea can offer him the deal he wanted. I'm not convinced until Frankie's signature is on that piece of paper!

Scolari's english is pretty good already. Made an amazing impression already compared to our last managerial unveiling.

Just watched Scolari's press conference - I'm already enamoured of him. Really, really excited for the new season.

Well, good news on the Lamps front, however I dont expect him to be here beyond next season - I guess he'll play less games as Phil tries to shoehorn 316 midfielders into 3, 4 or 5 positions.

Would have been a nice surprise for him to be unveiled as well as some surprise signings though.

when is chelsea gonna start buying for the future? why do we even have an academy? seems we have it for loans. chelsea buy for the now obviously, why are we never in the market for the young stars, why can't we land the Alexander Pato's or Sergio Aguerro's????? why do we buy so many central midfielders? and sell exellent wingers (ARJEN ROBBEN). I was one who was actually excited about molouda (sorry). big dissapointment to me. i am just tired of all the transfer hoo haa!!!!! keep our money and do it a bit better by PRODUCING STARS NOT BUYING THEM!!!!! push our academy if not then when? our players we bring in do not fetch the same price as we buy them for so we losing.....

Scolari said he's just the so-so one as a manger! LOL! We'll call him 'TSSO' - The So-So One then! :-)

Is every Chelsea manager for all of eternity going to be asked 'are you the Special One?' Let's do recent history.

1988-91 The Scouse One
1991-93 The Sozzled One
1993 The Car Dealer One
1994-96 The Weird One
1996-98 The Shexy One
1998-2000 The Bald One
2000-04 The Pretty Useless But Ultimately Rather Endearing One
2004-2007 TSO
2007 The Oh My God Thank God That's Finally Over What Was I Drinking Last Night One
2008-?? The So-So One

I thought LGF/TSSO was impressive in his press conference on SSN - and good to hear him so positive about Lamps and Drogs.

Is there a time warp in Cobham though - SSN had the "200% in my plans" comment about Drogba on the scrolling yellow banner a good 4 minutes before he actually said it "live"????

@PeteW - I admire how managers endure the banality of the questions they're asked in these press conferences. Most are like the worst job interview you could possibly imagine only ten times more cringeworthy.

@BlueBoyDave - LGF said the same things about Lampard and Drogba in his interview with Chelsea TV, so SSN jumped the gun somewhat.

Waiting for the press conference to start, I was reminded of just why I stopped watching SSN a few months ago.

More Lampard news from their website: "Massimo Moratti says Inter Milan have made a financial offer for Frank Lampard, despite Chelsea saying it was only an approach, rather than a firm bid. The Inter president is now considering his next move after Chelsea said they would not enter into negotiations."

Most are like the worst job interview you could possibly imagine only ten times more cringeworthy.

"Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?"

"On a beach, picking my arse and not answering stupid questions..."

So Big Phil did OK in the press conference then? That's scuppered the "thickie foreigner who can't even speaka da lingo" line from the hacks then.

I feel a bit, shock horror, *disappointed* that DD isn't going.

Dont get me wrong, he's been a great servant and is a great striker, but to me he has these 'niggles' that are increasingly becoming part of his game. I still can't forget what a Number 1 *expletive* he was in Moscow as well.

With the sort of ridiculous figures being banded about for Adebayor, surely we'd entertain the thought of letting him go for £30m-odd.

Not that Pizarro or Sheva would do anything near as good a job as him, and the chances of us signing anynone else appear slim.

I echo PeteW's sentiments as well. Is that the best the press can do? For ever and a day any new Chelsea manager will be asked "Are you a Special One" .....thinking about the goons who write for the tabs.....yep, thats about the summit of their intellectual capability. I'll see what the anti-Chelsea hacks like Patrick Barclay and Richard "Wanker" Williams have to say , but no doubt they'll tow the usual 'morally corrupt, obscenely rich, no class, no history, dubious Russian ownership, uncertain European club record' path they have so faithfully trodden since the RA turned up with his 'ruthlessly exploited innocent Russian proletariat' cash filled platinum juggernaut.

LGF has grown on me though, despite my early 'No to Scolari' propaganda. I like his style thus far, his no-nonsense, no bollocks approach to the media which I assume he has also shown to the players. He looks comfortable and unfazed and ready for the challenge, all criteria to which the unfortunate Uncle Avram looked a million miles from. A couple of good signings and the loss of some detritus and I can see the EPL title being a 2-horse race again.

@31 chelseablog - I wondered if he'd said the same thing in his Chelsea TV "exclusive" - but can't see it in the supposed transcript that's now available on the website, which is much less emphatic. Almost suggests PK/ a suitable flunkey was standing off-camera with cue cards to remind him of his script ;-)

Fifty - we apparently had him up at £24m but no one wanted to pay that for him. I guess at his age plus with the issues he has, people wanted more around the £18-20m mark.

I guess if you cant off load him tell him he is 200% in your plans and try to get the best from him.

However if he and eto'o were upfront A) that would scare the hell out of teams and B) imagine the monumental moaning !! Like two jimmy Floyds up there! :)

I wouldnt worry if chelsea gets some more forwards after letting drogba go but Lampard will b missed

I've been scrolling down looking for Jose Musumba's contribution -- surely the only way we could get to negative 12 in the number of comments is if he chipped in? (his were usually worth about minus 50).

I wasn't initially in favour of a Big Name appointment (let alone one whose first name is actually "Big"). But oh my Lord it's such a relief to have a proper manager again! What a weird season that last one was.

I must say that i was a little disappointed to see lampard stay. I'm aware of his huge contribution to the club over the past years, but i think his best years are behind him and the transfer fee he would demand would be immense. with the signing of deco the midfield is much too crowded. one of those big egos is going to be spending a lot of time on the bench. essien will play a lot as defensive midfielder or as a fullback again, which i believe is a huge waste of talent. as for drogba, lets hope he returns to his 06/07 form under a competant manager.
I think the best signings for chelsea on the transfer market are arshavin to play a supporting striker role, robinho(although his lack of size worries me), and david villa(if only to keep the torres/villa combination from ever happening). I'd like to see Le Sulk leave, and maybe Malouda will pull a Ballack and rediscover his form in the second year with us.

Ps, What does LGF stand for?

Drogs and Lamps staying would be a good move to appease the fans. But it looks like its gonna take quite sometime for more new players to come in. And he dint give a single clue on who he will sign before the window closes bloody hell.

39. chocolateleprechaun - LGF stands for "Le Grande Felipe". Scolari mentioned somewhere that he doesn't like to be called "Big Phil" so Tony came up with "Le Grande Felipe" in one of his comments and it stuck. :-)

Lampard could yet join Inter. His agent told Sky Sports News that the contract situation remains 'completely unresolved'. LINK

Agree that Essien's talent is wasted in the Makelele role and at right-back.

I too would love to see Arshavin at the Bridge. Today, his agent said that Arshavin is likely to come to England but only to play for one of the Champions League clubs - let's hope he doesn't end up at Anfield, Old Trafford, or the Emirates!

Isn't Steve Kutner a mispelling?

Although we're at comment 43 the counter on the previous page shows minus 12.

I guess this must be how Leeds felt last season ...

Chelsea seem to be very decisive this summer. Minutes after receiving a frankly pitiful £7.95m bid for Lamps, we've rejected it!

Well done Kenyon. Now tell them to shut the fuck up and don't waste our time with ridiculously low bids.

All these claims and counter-claims from Chelsea and Inter are just parts of the negotiation process. I still think Lamps is gonna move on to Inter this summer; it's the golden opportunity for him to play European football in Italy while Jose is there to look after him.

Either now or never!

I think Frank will stay. It sounds to me like what happened is that Frank went to see LGF and told him that he wants to see out his career here; LGF passed this on to the media in his press conference; then Frank's Mr. 10% saw the press conference and panicked, thinking that his negotiating position with Chelsea had gone belly up because his client had admitted to the club that he didn't want to leave, which means that it would be harder for Mr. 10% to demand a 200k-per-week contract, which means Mr. 10% will only be able to buy the one yacht instead of the two he was counting on.

I suspect at some stage Frank will tell his agent just to get it done.

But then I also thought the club was going to appoint Sparky manager, so I obviously know nothing (ergo about the same amount as assorted hacks, rumour-mongering websites and desperate 24-hr sports news channels).

OK, just watched this in full

LINK

I'm sold.

The So-So One is funny! :-)

LINK

I could get to like this guy .......... he has humour a bit akin to TSO. Of course, he also has nigh on the same surname as me so he IS special lolol

Am i hearing things? Scolari did pronounce Chelsea as Chelsia or something. He's adding some flair to the club's name already before he's doing it on the pitch.

Very impressive display by all accounts.

Reminds me of the charm offensive initially put on by Jose..... I wonder how long it will be before the Hacks turn on him and he spends all of his time trying to prove he isn't an irrational lunatic! My guess is the first piss-poor refereeing decision!

I like the cut of his gib though, his English is far better than we all expected, Clarkie has stayed, he wants to keep the backbone of the side, and he is probably strong enough to keep DD in line).

Far more positive that the 'Normal One'...... However, if his benchmark is to finish better than one kick away from winning the Champions League he is unlikely to have much security in his job.

Scolari wants to keep the spine of this team intact which is a very good thing. But what kind of players he adds around the Chelsea core remains to be seen. I get the feeling that his concept and perspective of the transfer market is pretty old. Before the 'obvious' targets snapped away, he better act fast. Hopfully in a weeks time as he said in his press conference that he needs to know the players better in training.

Scolari on the squad : “Now I have 32 players. But now is the time to change the team. One will come and one will go, three players might be wanted by other teams.

“I want to work with 23, 24, 25 players. If I have 30 players I can’t bring them in from the youth side. The players know this.

“When I spoke to them yesterday, I said, ‘There will be 23, 24 or 25 who will stay. That is the maximum I will need’.

“After this, is not my business. Contracts are not for me. That is for the players. After this happens, some players might say ‘No, the coach didn’t say this to me before’. But all the players know I want to work with no more than 25.”

That means 7 players must go, Im assuming these will be 1. Florent Malouda 2. Khalid Boulahrouz 3. Alcides 4. Steve Sidwell 5. Claudio Pizarro 6. Wayne Bridge (I would like to keep him but his best decision would proberbly be to go) 7. Claude Makelele or Carlo Cudicini (retirement)

It would appear from Soccernet that Sidwell will go to Aston Villa, which raises and important beef I have with the top clubs recruiting middle of the road players to fill the "stand-in" role for the clubs stars. It doesn't make sense both from a player perspective and club perspective to have players like Sidwell on the books to fill in when the stars need a rest when they would normally be playing a key role for the 2nd tier clubs in the league. It will always end up with these players getting bored and moving on in a year.

I would much prefer to see these understudy roles filled by up and coming youngsters from reserves and youth teams to promote an internal succession system where the junior players get their chance to learn from the senior players by filling in when the need arises. This would also slow down the need to loan these junior players out so they can get a look in playing first team football.

If I was Chelsea coach, then I would be looking to offload all these mid range players and replace them with our 'junior stars' thus offer the opportunity for our academy to genuinely develop the first teams stars of the future.

Thoughts....

KTBFFH

TSSO ... love it! Although LGF is pretty catchy too. The perennial roberto carlos bollocks made my day. Sounds like exciting times ahead... bring it on.

Chelsia!

Lampard agent: Chelsea future unresolved
tribalfooball.com - July 08, 2008

Frank Lampard's agent admits his future at Chelsea remains "unresolved".

Reacting to comments made by Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari that he wants Lampard to stay, Steve Kutner said: "I would just like to make the position clear. Felipe had a very amicable chat with Frank who told him he always envisaged ending his playing career at Chelsea Football Club.

"He also told him that unfortunately the terms for a new contract cannot be agreed with the board despite discussions having been ongoing for over two years.

"This, coupled with everything that happened to Frank at the end of last season, means his position remains completely unresolved."

Pretty funny video about the whole Lampard saga on Youtube: LINK it's got a lot of bad language but it's worth a look.

Sorry bad like from before, works now: LINK

Exactly how stupid to Inter think we are? We spent £10m bringing Deco from Barca, so why on Earth would we be willing to accept any less for Lampard?

I fear for all the 'he wants to stay' comments, and the supposed abger from Lamps that this has been said that he'll be off, but if thats the case at least make them pay for him.

I'm beginning to feel a bit nervous about the squad. If it needs to be trimmed to 25 then we'll lose a few players, but there wont really be holes that will be filled by new signings. We're so close to having the ideal squad, one or two World-class signings is all that's needed.

@ 61 - Fifty - hear hear. Accepting £7.95m for a player regularly knocking in 20+ goals per season whilst we happily dish out £10m for a player who doesn't would be bizarre and I hope we continue to tell Inter to fuck off. It seems that maybe we are learning to throw our weight around a bit and not have the piss taken anymore. The position to be in is one where the players want to come, rather than having to be persuaded by large carrots and stupid transfer fees.

If Frank wants a 5 year contract then why not just give it to him and if he becomes a shite player simply tear the thing up and let him go? Contracts in football, as we all know, are worth little more than toilet paper and mean as much as a "pro-green" or "pro-peace" statement from George Bush.

maybe Roman does want a Russian in the team, but it might not be the ones touted in the papers. if we are actually letting go of Cudicini, i think Igor Vladimirovich Akinfeev would be a gud buy, wot say?

@FIFTY

We bought Deco for only 7.95 million pounds(10 million euros). Inter offered the same price too for Lampard.

7 players to leave:

1) Boulahrouz
2) Ben Haim
3) Alcides
4) Sidwell
5) Pizarro
6) Wright-Phillips
7) Makalele(retirement)

And there got be more than just 7. Did the article said AT LEAST 7 players? Really hope Carlo stays. Just look at the number of centerbacks we have now. We need to ship out as many as possible. 4 will do. Not 7.

After Scolari's unveiling, all things Chelsea seem to have gone crazy:

1. Scolari appeared to inadvertantly call Lampard's bluff. By saying that Lamps wanted to stay for many years, he provoked Lampard to start a row with Kenyon, which is being reported in EVERY newspaper, and then he flushed out the truth which appears that Lamps wants to leave. His agent immediately came out saying that his future is still unresolved and it appears that Lamps has no intention of staying: LINK

2. Transfer rumours have gone into overdrive with a MASS EXODUS of the rubbish: LINK

Going from 33 to 23 means 10 out: Boulahrouz, Belletti, TBH, Maka, Sidwell, SWP, Malouda, Pizarro, Sheva and for the last player out... LAMPS! I hate to say it but he looks to be a gonner.

3. Scolari wants to promote our best youth players into the 23 man squad: LINK

5. The press seem to love us again: LINK

On a side note... Rafa thinks that despite being skint he will be able to win the league with Gareth Barry, and that he could actually get David Villa!!!! He must be smoking the same stuff Carragher's on, when they say that they'll win something!

@62 ChelseaTony - agree entirely. On reflection I think LGF [or are we switching to TSSO?] was very shrewd in his comments on Lamps and Drogba yesterday.

He made it very clear he wants Frank and Frank said he'd like to stay for years - so it was up to the suits [and Frank's agent] to sort out the contract details which is not his responsibility. It seems incredible that we'll happily chuck mega-millions at new wonder signings who may well join our long list of miserable expensive failures while quibbling over a few grand a week and/or an extra year on the contract of our 20 goals-a-season midfielder who gets lots of assists too.

Equally on Drogs he made an unequivocal if exaggerated statement that he'd like him in the team next season - so if Didier decides he's still in I-want-to-leave mode then we can rightly demand a decent price from interested clubs.

Good to see he is keen to give youth players a chance too - perhaps not entirely stuck on short-term after all then?

In conclusion we appear to be losing Lamps, whilst Didier will only leave if we can get a replacement. The newspapers think that if we don't get Eto'o or David Villa, Didier will stay. We'll be left with a much younger and smaller squad, just like Jose had when he swooped in 4 years ago. The only DEFINITES so far are:

Cech
Bosingwa/Paulo - Ricky/Ivanovic - JT/Alex - Cole/Bridge
Mikel/Essien - Ballack/Deco
J Cole/Kalou
Di Santo

We can't be sure if it'll be Carlo or Rhys Taylor. Will Lamps stay? (NO - despite me wishing he'll stay for ever and ever!) Maka and Sidwell look to be out. Malouda and SWP should leave. And who knows how many of Sheva, Pizarro, Anelka and Drogba will stay? And after Scolari said that he likes to promote from the academy, who'll get in the first team? Sinclair, Kakuta, Woods...

Before we leave for Asia, we should see 10 outs and after naming only 16 DEFINITES, we should see 8 ins. This could count as youth promotions, new contracts for the likes of Lamps and Didier or star signings like Robinho and David Villa. It'll certainly be another crazy summer at Chelsea, as always.

I wonder how the propoganda machine that is ChelseaTV will react to Lamps apparent determination to leave? They'll deny everything and say that after rejecting an £8m offer, he'll stay. Their policy of burying their heads in the sand when there's a controversial story will be enforced, yet again tonight. And where was Greenberg. Do we have a new press officer?

Well PS did look rather cool, and yet tough yesterday in the media spotlight, I was certainly impressed with his approach to all things football.
And on a side note, the more I see of him the more he looks like Gene Hackman, so we could win an Oscar this year!

DOGbar n Frank aint Really loyal to the club that made them who they are, to make it even worse it seems that they cant be their OWN men .it happens they have their "MASTER"(interbased) who happens CALLS THE SHOTS for them to start barking alot . If ROM AND us the fans feed LUMPS ..the guy gets fat to his head to the extent he cant think !!
we really showed him loyalty during his funeral
we have never booed him while he is playing for ENGLAND
i dont think he can be loved anywhere mo than chelsea ....
FRANK SHOULD JUST BE FRANK TO HIMSELF
DROGBAR SHOULD ACT HIS AGE CESC LOOKS MORE MATURE THAN HIM WRT DESICION MAKING

Afternoon,

The official Aston Villa site says they have agreed to sign Steve Sidwell, subject to a medical. The deal should be concluded within the next 24 hours. LINK

One down, several to go.

I see comment numbering still hasn't been fixed, looks like I'll have to email OleOle again. Bah!

As much as I love Frank I feel a 5 year contract at his age is outrageous and we need to draw the line. In 3-4 years he may not be up to the Premier League yet we'll still have him on our payroll. The number of players we've had on our books that are either over the hill or simply don't want to play for us is excessive - Veron, Crespo, Sheva etc.

Players are taking the piss and what with rising fuel costs, food bills and tumbling house prices they need a reality check.

@65 haberdashers - I'm confused where this current first team squad of 33 [32 was the quote I saw] comes from unless you count the 4 reserve players we registered for CL purposes only who've scarcely got a first-team appearance between them [ Taylor/Cummings/Hutchinson/Sawyer] - so the cull isn't quite as massive as suggested.

Set your bullshit detectors to stun level boys and girls - a Peter Kenyon interview is promised on the official website at 1pm today while Bruce Buck is talking to ChelseaTV tonight!!

@Mark (71)

Have to say I agree - big risk to take and if he isn't cutting the mustard in 2 years time, no-one else in football will take on his salary. In theory he's one of the very few players we should consider giving any kind of longer term deal at 30 years of age, but 4-5 years at that money just seems crazy to me.

Don't blame the bloke for wanting the best deal for what is most likely to be his last contract - just not sure it should be us that pays the money he's after. Set the precedent and plenty more will want the same when their contracts are up for renewal.

Aside of anything else, Scolari has just taken on one of the biggest roles in world football, has just over a month to prepare for the new season and will need to know one way or another who is staying and who is going sooner rather than later. We can't go into August with this hanging over us - as I've said before, Frank is rapidly approaching the "sh*t or get off the pot" moment; take the (very lucrative) deal that is apparently on offer, or book the flight to Milan and see what they have to say.

And it has to be said, let's get away from the per week nonsense when talking about salaries; 130k a week for 4 years is £27 million.

In amongst all the smoke and mirrors around the "15 minutes of Frank" is TSSO (LGF) showing real political ability and stamping his authority on the club already?

The cock up theory of history is right more often than not but it would be nice to think that cuddly uncle Phil has arrived, looked at the stand off between Lampard's people and the CFC suits and thought "Not on my watch you don't".

This has been going on too long. Yes Frank is a great player, yes there's still plenty in the tank. If he feels Chelsea owe him something above and beyond what a player of his age and standing is being offered (4 years at £130K FFS) then tell us why. Can he really feel let down by that offer?

What is so key about the 5th year? Every year players sign deals for x years and a year later sign an extension. Why not take what's on the table if you're committed to the club and see where you are in years time? If you want out then Chelsea get money and you get your wish.

Yes these contract matters are complex but there comes a point where plans for next season are being affected by the uncertainty. The 5 year requirement smacks to me of setting the bar where it can't be reached.

TSSO looks to be a very cute operator if yesterday was all about flushing out the real intentions. "Lets all have a tear up and sort it out now" seems to be where we are heading with this. Then he can hold his hands up and say "I'd only just arrived, my English is not so good etc. etc.

The last thing he wants is a season with FL playing but speculation every other day about going or staying.

BlueBayou (75)

The 5 year requirement smacks to me of setting the bar where it can't be reached.

I think you may well have nailed it in one sentence.

@BlueBayou - Hear, hear. As much as I love Lampard he's rapidly becoming the villain in this saga. He obviously doesn't want the fans thinking he's being greedy or disloyal but at the same time, if reports are to be believed, he has been offered a four-year, £27m contract (at 30 years of age). Can anyone see Inter giving him five years? I can't. His agent says Lampard's now in an "untenable position" because Scolari told the world that he wants to stay. Untenable?! Do me a favour. Either accept what's being offered or eff off to Inter. (I'm feeling grouchy today.)

I'm in agreement about Lamps.

I'm all for him staying, but to reject a 4 year deal when you want 5 is taking the pee. In 4 years I'm sure the MLS will be calling with 'one final pay day'. ( As if the £140,000 a week over 4 years weren't enough).

Sorry Frank, I almost bought your commitment to club and desire to finish playing here, but if you're haggling over that extra year, then you're in it for the money and nothing else.

The San Siro awaits.

I've always believed that if a player wants out then let him go. If the reports are to be taken as gospel then Frank is doing himself no favours with the fans or football in genreral. If he can get a 5 year deal and 150k a week in Italy then thanks for the memories Frank, enjoy the pizza and pasta.

While we're discussing contract lengths one of the few bits of the PK interview on the website today that woke me from a deepening stupour was his statement that rather than the 4-year deal mentioned by the papers when he took the job apparently LGF/TSSO has a "2 year+1 option" at his request so:

if Average Grant given a 4-year deal was sacked inside 6 months does that mean LGF/TSSO will be gone by Xmas ;-)

I've said it before and i'll say it again, Frank wants to join Jose! simple as that. Ronaldo wants to join Real, Arshavin wants barcelona, Adebayor wants AC Milan and Drogs wants anywhere!!! All players just as all of us as employees want new challenges in life. it is not about the money or anything else, just a new challenge so let Lampard go and wish him well for all that he has done. Sure, if Jm was still here this would probably not happen but if slimey kenyon and Roman wanted to fuck it all up they've certainly done a good job of it the last two seasons.! And why has Kenyon come out in the media this afternoon as of 2.15pm and in public given Lampard and ultimatum? How utterly crass and god knows how this guy has reached his position. By trying to get Scholari to do his work for him before the press conference which back fired specatacularly with Lampard telling him in the canteen what he thought of him, now he comes out in the press and negotiating in public!! What a snake this guy is! he buggered everything up and now is squirming! I wish he went back to man-u the arshole!! And by the way, Lampard has not only has FIFA rules on his side but also legal employment European law on the movement of trade. If Kenyon had any sense he would have known when JM leaving the club would struggle for a while and hey ho! we won NOTHING last year and some of our best players want to leave well what a surprise!!! Just get new blood in, say thanks and goodbye to good servants and get on with it!! What a waste of space keyon, Hill et all are! We should be planning with new young blood for the future as many have voiced on this blog already! it is clear this board are effing useless, can you imagine them running your company?

Throughout this ongoing Lampard nonsense, I am still amazed that Drogba has been so quiet. During the season, the only thing we heard from Lampard is "I want to finish my career at Chelsea" while Drogba continued to spout off lines such as, "Something is broken at Chelsea". Now the transfer period is here, and Drogba hasn't uttered a peep, while "loyal" Lampard is competing with Ronaldo for the most aggrivating transfer saga of the season. If Drogba stays, our first priorty should be Arshavin, IMHO. If Drogba leaves, we should be looking to Villa. The only thing Lampard is affecting at the moment is the Robinho situation, although I think could be coming to Chelsea regardless.

I am overwhelemd with sadness at this Lampard business and as in times of trouble a song has come to mind out of almost nowhere. Its years since I heard it last.

Ladies and Gemtlemen, I'm taking you back to the Eurovision Song Contest of 1974.
(yes I am that bleedin' old)

I give you the fragrent and inestimable Gigliola Cinquetti and her never to be forgotten performance of "Go, go before you break my heart"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7NKVuoUkNQ

Listen, friends and weep quietly

The original disc had the B side in Italian.

Perhaps we can get a copy on e-bay. Frank and Jose can listen to its heartbreaking strains as they sit on a terrace overlooking Lago Di Como and talk about old times down at the Bridge.

If you can't access the link try and find it from somewhere else its worth it.

If Lamps doesnt get a new deal then Kenyon deserves to be shot

Ahh... the Eurovision song contest, which really has nothing to do with music and has taught me that my Geography lessons in school where no more than propoganda, Europe actually covers half the known world. It did though teach me the sublte art of partisan and tactical voting.

Perhaps Frank really is a "Puppet or even Muppet on a String"

@Clive #85

Oh so cynical. But I hark back to 1974 when the old Euro Song Contest was made up of free Europe huddled around the black and white set seeking some respite from the rigours of the Cold War. Tactical voting was unheard of and indeed the voting was a minor part of the show.

Ah simpler times.....

Sing to me Gigliola sing to me.......

Lampard can leave.

we can now have a squad like this:

---------------cech-----------------
----------riccy------JT-------------
Jose'---------------------------cole
-------------Mikel------------------
----------deco-----essien-----------
-------------Ze German--------------
--------------------(???)-----------
------------Drogs(if he stays)------

For those out there who care about such matters (and less face it if you've only got one hand and no feet let after a nasty sawmill accident that'll be enough to count them), my research team inform me that Eurovision '74 took place in Brighton.

The winner was Abba with "Waterloo"

The rest as they say is history

Mike, You would drop Joe Cole? I want Lamps to stay but IF we were to lose him then I think this would be our strongest line-up

--------------Cech-------------
Jose------JT-----Riccy-----Ash-
------------Essien-------------
-----------------Deco----------
-Joey-----------------??????---
--------------Ballack----------
---------Sheva-----------------

Subs : Kalou, Ivanovic, Mikel, Sinclair, Hilario

Anyone here reckons who is that next big super signing we are going to make in the next few weeks? It better be a decent winger...

Read an article on goal.com about Valencia's financial situation. If we are sincere, im sure we can negotiate a deal for 1 of the 2 Davids(Villa and Silva). Their weakness in the finance department is there for us to exploit. What more we have the money! But buying Silva seems more realstic than Villa. This should solve our problems on the wings and upfront.

LINK

@BB - thanks for introducing a lyrical note into this discussion. I don't want to pick at your fond memories of Eurovision 1974 but the Google link I found for the song which actually worked had a long tedious discussion by a bunch of anoraks underneath it about an Italian referendum/ Government paranoia/ and alleged jiggery-pokery on voting - the memories are always better than reality, aren't they?

I'm interested by the increasing consensus above that the club should stand firm against Frank's outrageous demands and realise that until very recently I would be right with you all.

I think the crucial moment for me was when I read in one of the papers that Deco's purchase brought our spending on transfer fees since the January 2008 window opened to over £50 million and thought that must be rubbish until I checked back on the alleged reported fees and found they were right - and that 2 of the January purchases hadn't even got to warm the first team subs bench yet!

That's when I finally gave up on the forlorn hope that we will ever get close to any pretence at real world financial operations in the RA era - and that mythical break-even target must be somewhere around the year 2100 by now.

Of course you could argue the Lampard stand and actually making a profit on the sale of a player for possibly the first time since the Millennium, assuming the Sidwell deal goes through this time, marks the beginning of a new realistic era, in which case watch out for those flying pigs.....

Fingers crossed we get Silva or at least Robinho for the left wing. I honestly think that the team will be complete for next season after that. Next 2-3 weeks will be crucial. Cant wait for the new arrivals if Kenyon is to be believed.

13JOE13

No, i wouldn't, he could be a super sub OR Play behind the striker(like we all know he can). Besides, do really think everyone will be un-injured? I don't...

And do you really want to hamper Mikel's Progress any longer?Again, I don't...

@ BB - fond memories of 70's Eurovision indeed. Sir Cliff, in his pre Sir Cliff days singing the former Soviet Proletarian Mineworkers song 'Power to all our Friends' finishing 3rd to the Might of Luxembourg and the cruelly oppressed peasant regime of Spain.

Of course for me, personally the highlight was one night in 1972 aged 11, being on the settee (a 2 seater wooden one with 2 cushions of course fully reflecting the abject poverty/nouveau wealth of the working class, delete as appropriate), with my Dad puffing on his Navy Cut in front of a Robinson Willey gas fire with faux logs and real flame effect. We sat underneath a flickering standard lamp powered by a 3-pin round plug with flex cord, watching the Eurovision spectacle on our Reddifusion black and white TV, being broadcast from Edinburgh. I remember being struck by just how apt the winning song title might be in relation to my fledgling 2 year old love for Chelsea. The song was "Apres Toi" or 'en Anglais' known as 'Come What May' sung by a raven haired, olive skinned beauty who captured my pre-pubescent heart. I believe the line following the chorus was

'I will love you forever, and forever my heart belongs to you' -

Step forward my lost and possibly first love, Vicky Leandros.....

LINK

Oddly enough, despite being Greek she sung the song representing...the Mighty Luxembourg. Of course pre-Blatter 'ringers were allowed.

Bluebayou, you have stirred something deep and dormant within me. A resurrected memory of more innocent and less pressured times and a warm glow. Well done mate.

*CT sighs loudly about the cruelty of being born too late*

@BBD #92

Of course you are right. Just looked up the '74 Eurovision. France didn't enter because President Pompidou had died, the Italian entry I quoted was actually called Si and the repetition of the word was thought to possibly influence voting in the upcoming elections, Malta withdrew for reasons no-one knew and the Portuguese entry was a coded signal to start the anti junta coup that set Portugal on the road back to democracy.

Interesting times..

CT Stop we'll all be in tears at this rate.

@Jang - "Anyone here reckons who is that next big super signing we are going to make in the next few weeks? It better be a decent winger..."

There are still lots of rumours that Robinho will be the "super signing". Apparently Wagner Ribeiro, Robinho's agent, is in London for further talks with Frank Arnesen.

Guillem Balague, Sky Sports' Spanish football reporter and co-host of The Times' 'The Game' podcast, says that Real Madrid attempted to secure €65 million in capital from two banks to finance a bid for Cristiano Ronaldo but were refused on both occasions. LINK

I quote: "This means that, in order to sign Ronaldo, Madrid will need to raise funds through the sale of Robinho, Saviola, Soldado and Baptista. The greater sum of that money will come from the sale of Robinho, and with Chelsea keen on signing the Brazilian, it may well be that Roman Abramovich’s money will determine where Cristiano Ronaldo ends up playing football next season."

Lamps used to be the fans favourite, possessing fierce loyalty to the club and saying that he would retire at the club one day. Now all the words just seem nothing more than lies. How did it come to this?

Super Frank, as he WAS known, wants a 5 year deal. Why is that? We're offering him a 4 year deal at £130k/wk and he, or his agent, simply ignores it, saying his loyalty deserves an extra year! And the offer from Inter is £120k/wk for 4 years with an extra year if they win the CL! In my mind, that's worse than our deal. He gets less money and will only get the extra year if Jose wins the CL. If Lamps does leave, i hope Rafa and Liverpool can beat Jose AGAIN and show Lamps how much he's fucked up his career. Lamps calls himself the most intelligent player at the club, yet it appears that he can't make a logical decision. If he was at Arsenal he would have only got 1 year, so to demand 5 is plainly ridiculous.

He could have easily accepted the 4 year deal and i'm sure Chelsea would give him an extension like Maka, if he performs. Yet demanding 5 was always an impossible target, and in the end, the club and the fans have realised that he NEVER wanted the new deal.

Lamps never wanted to stay and by saying that it was the club who were forcing him out by not offering him 5 years, he was trying to save his reputation and not have the fans turn against him. I love Lamps as a Chelsea great and his loyalty and passion for the club convinced me he would stay. But now his agent or maybe just himself has turned him into an arrogant c***. If you want to leave, just say it, don't give us lie after lie, trying to make you look like the victim. He used to be a hero of mine and he still will be if he signs the contract, but now he just seems like an arrogant, greedy star who's now up himself. I hope the club have the nerve to hold him to another year. By then Inter will have a younger replacement and maybe we'll be his only option left. Then we can tell him to fuck off!!!

Hey Guys (and Girls).. I think you are getting a bit carried away with the comments on Frank which are based on media stories. Through out all this we have not heard from the man himself (unless I missed that media story). We have only heard third hand sound bites. Let Frank and his agent sort it out with the club and lets not add our own opinions based on iffy news stories.

Bottom line is Frank has never been anything but a first rate professional for the club. He has hardly been injured, scored buckets of goals (more than any other 'genuine' midfielder for many seasons) and has always conducted himself with absolute dignity. We should not be questioning his character in this way after the way he has served the club and fans...

I sure all he wants is to ensure he gets the best deal possible for what will be his last long term contract at a main stream club. Nothing wrong with that after all WE would ALL do the same ! All this talk of loyatly is crap.. football is both a passion and a business. Guys like Frank and JT play their football with real passion as well as wanted to be paid well and clubs and players agents are in it for the money.

What ever happens I will always say thanks Frank for the memories and the passion and commitment you showed when playing for Chelsea. If he wants to finish his playing days in the warmer climate of Italy with a coach he clearly respects and wants to play for, then he should go with our thanks and none of these 'opinions'.

The little I know about the man from watching him play and listening to his press conferences, I strongly believe he is not driven by the money or the length of contract. I believe that is the agent talking to make sure he gets the best commission possible.

Now I can put the soap box away for a while.

I love Frank for what he's done for the club. He's worn the shirt with pride, passion and loyalty and he's already a Chelsea legend. He's a hero amongst the fans and his goal scoring record is ridiculous. Whilst Didier looks like a one-season-wonder, Frank has given us 100 goals... from MIDFIELD. He's my favourite Chelsea player in the Roman era and is irreplaceable. He's part of the english core of the side, the only true no. 8 in the country, our vice captain and the best goal scoring midfielder in the world. Watching ChelseaTV, you see how influential he is and over the last 7 years has become part of the Chelsea furniture. To lose him would ruin the side for years.

HOWEVER, whether it's him Kutner, this contract saga has ruined his once perfect reputation. Why have a row with Kenyon after Scolari had given the news all chelsea fans has been waiting for, that he's going to stay? Why not just sign on for 4 more years at the club who've made you a world class midfielder? I sincerely hope that it's just his agent being a twat, wanting a larger slice of any new deal, because i can't bare to lose Frank.

I was angry in Post 96 because i won't know how the Chelsea side will run without Frank. Many say loyalty has left the game now, but i always thought that JT and Lamps were different. JT will retire a blue, and i believed Frank would. I still hope he will, but everything's pointing towards his exit. Frank won't be the same player at Inter and i think he'll regret leaving. He may get an extra few quid, but what's that worth when you're leaving the Chelsea family for a pay cheque?

He'll always be a fan's favourite but if he doesn't sign on then his status as a hero may be badly damaged. I remember watching Eidur's interview on ChelseaTV when he left for Barca. He said that he has and always will love evrything about Chelsea and that he was only leaving for a new challenge and not for the money.

I hope Frank's big enough to come out and say the same one day.

@ Habs...

I've posted before saying losing Frank would not be such a big loss as it would have been a few years ago. Both Ballack and Essien are similar midfielders and will fill the gap. Mikel has potential and with Deco and possibly Robinho to come in to the midfield I don't believe we shall really miss Franks considerable contribution. I also doubt whether Frank will stay so injury free in the next few years as he has so far. I fancy we have seen the best years from him and the next 3-4 years he will not be able to maintain the intensity he has shown so far.

Having said that, as a model professional he will be missed in the dressing room should he decide to go. Whatever his decision and his reasons for the decision he will remain a Chelsea great for what he achieved in his time at the Blues. Who can forget that penalty against Liverpool...

If anything I would like the club to sell him this summer and get a transfer fee rather than see him play out his contract and leave for free next year. If he wants to go then better he goes now. The club can reallocate his wages to other players and maybe look to bring on some of the younger upcoming midfielders from the juniors as understudys to the current first team players.

What ever happens the club will still do well next year and I for one am very excited about the season to come. The more I watch TSSO's news conference the more I feel we shall see the sort of exciting football we have all craved to see as well as winning titles. Most importantly the club has a coach that commands respect both with the players and the media. THAT has to be a major step forward for next season !

KTBFFH

I have to agree with Peter Habs mate. Frank is a very good player and will be missed, but he's not irreplacable, we do have other very good midfielders. It's between the club, Frank and his agent to sort it out, we don't know what negotiations are going on behind the scenes, or what the real terms are.

I suppose we should be grateful that Septic Bladder isn't sticking his nose in like he's doing with Ronaldo and Utd in a recent TV interview. If anyone needs to be transferred it's him over to a totally different sport, any suggestions where guys???

Seb Blatter for the new global tiddleywinks tsar

That story about Real being refused the funds from two banks is interesting, and while I'd certainly welcome Robinho to the bridge, I've always rated Saviola. He'd be available a fraction of the price that most players are being banded about - well worth a punt in my opinion.

I see that Liverpool have 'been priced out' of a move for Villa. £32m hey. Get the cheque book ready Roman. Surely he represents better value than Adebayor who is being touted at a similar price.

Best wishes to Steve Sidwell should he complete his move to Villa today. Gave us no trouble last season, never moaned in the press about not playing etc. Good luck to him, I can see him being very important to Villa next season.

On that note, am I missing something about Gareth Barry ??? Sure, he's performed for England in the last few games against weak opposition, and if they're going to play Stevie Me and a holding midfielder, surely Hargreaves is a better option. Barry's good. But nothing more.

Credit to Villa for mugging the Scousers. Give 'em a taste of their own medicine eh?

@ Clive... let me think ... mmmm... yes... synchronised diving... or how about boxing or even wrestling. He should feel right at home in these sports.

@93 ChelseaTony - have to admit my earliest memories of Eurovision are a decade even earlier than you, huddled round the orange-crate like black and white TV watching a string of stalwarts of the British light entertainment industry as it was quaintly referred to at the time [Ronnie Carroll, Matt Munro and Kathy Kirby] having their manifest superiority ignored by a bunch of ungrateful foreigners - and then slightly later we had the then not Sir Cliff having his moment of glory in the sun with "Congratulations" denied only by that nasty fascist Franco jiggering the vote, as we discovered only recently.

We could adopt one of Ronnie Carroll's efforts as an attempt to get the suits and Frank to reconcile - all together now:

"Say Wonderful Things to Me... I Think You're Wonderful Too....."

I've even found it on YouTube - suddenly I feel very, very old.......

LINK

This from the BBC gossip section, Damn there goes, he's blown our transfer budget!!

"Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has splashed out £250m on the world's most expensive house. The Russian billionaire paid the record price for a hilltop villa overlooking the French Riviera." (Daily Star)

Haberdashers getting emotional on Frankie is understandable but the issue is not just money. The negotiation was started 2 years ago, and Frank continued to perform to prove his worth. He wants 5 years contract as a reward but he's given just 4, so naturally Frank would think his employer does not really value him at Chelsea.

If I were Roman, I would give Supa Frank a contact for life!

An article in Guardian today even suggests Lamps may just walk out on his current contract (It's too late to buy out his contract) rather than just staying at Chelsea for the final year.

Give him 5 years or let the man go, for goodness sake!

Mr Lampard, please come out and clear the bloody air. I cannot take all this nonsense from the papers anymore. COME OUT AND ADDRESS THE FANS!

Oh. Dear.

Just read this :

LINK

FC Twente have signed Slobodan Rajkovic from us on loan for the season. Not a problem you may think. After all "Rajkovic is rated as one of the most promising young defenders in Europe.." so a year out on loan for the 19 year old should be good for his development.

Until you realise who he's spending that year under the tutelage of. Yep, step forward new FC Twente coach, and slayer of millions of English football fans dreams, Steve 'The Destroyer' McClaren.

@ 97. PETERTHEGREAT

Absolutely spot on, very well said. Give yourself a round of applause.

I firmly believe Frank isn't going anywhere. He's been loyal to us and is one of our top scorers. Without him, we wouldn't be where we are in the Prem. So come on people..get off his case!!! Leave him alone.

Lolli's back from her hols... delete all the anti Lampard posts Nick, you know the saying, Hell hath no fury etc etc...

Are you suntanned Lolli and do we get pics of the white bits? ;)

@Clive - Not enough time. ;-)

@Lolli - My advice is to prepare for the worst.

I think we can all agree that Frank is a great player and has given us the best seven years of his career. So if he wants to leave now, let him. He'll have my best wishes. Holding him to the final year of his contract won't do either party any good. And he's certainly not indispensable.

I stand by my belief that he will leave because he wants to not because of any contract/wages issue - if he comes out and says so I'm sure the majority of fans will respect his decision. The current bickering is alienating supporters.

Some good news: Man City want to take Tal Ben Haim of our hands. Amen!

One is tempted to presume we are in the endgame and it’s all about jockeying for the best PR, trying to make the other party the one at fault.

As usual we are left with public statements from people with a history of being more economical with the truth than Larry the Lying Bastard when he was bidding to become the world's greatest lying bastard.

I want Frank to stay. In an ideal world he would get paid what he wants and all would be well in Dingly Dell.

However the accursed Chelsea pay structure is, I believe coming around to hit us on the back of the head.

Lampard has previously sought parity with Terry, Terry has (or did have) a clause that said he will always get paid more than anyone, Sheva and Ballack came in on eye-watering amounts while other valuable players looked on.

Now they decide to draw a line in the sand with one of the teams's best, longest serving and most popular players.

In a dressing room, the contractual equivalent of "Lets all slap 'em on the table and see whose is nearest the ships biscuit" will always go on. It’s got to be managed.

The start of TSSO's reign is now to be overshadowed by a bitter wrangle that will damage the image of both Frank and the club and possibly destabilise the dressing room.

Interestingly, the immediate contradiction of TSSO's statement by Frnak’s agent handed the club a chance to look like the sinned against party. Then PK appears the following day and waves the big stick saying FL will see out his contract no matter what. We always seem to play hard ball at the wrong time.

Whatever the facts of the matter, a part of the press will always spin against CFC. But our PR is shocking. The club is once again left with a ringing sensation in the ears, the smell of cordite in the nostrils, a smoking barrel in our hands and a bloody mess where the expensive shoe used to be.

Oh dear.

Man City want to take Tal Ben Haim of our hands.

Alright, what's the catch?!

Nick, could you fix the edit function please.

107 correction:

If I were Roman, I would give Supa Frank a contract for life!

@ Lolli

You can always watch Frankie in action on Channel 4 Football Italia! ;-)

Man City want to take Tal Ben Haim of our hands.

Alright, what's the catch?!


Perhaps it's a special offer JD... buy one get one free.

@SimonT - OleOle is aware that we want the edit function to return. It's my understanding that it was the edit functionality causing the slow page loads etc. so the web people disabled it and currently are looking at ways to improve it.

We'll just have to put up with typos for now - I missed out an 'f' in my previous comment. :-O "Man City want to take Tal Ben Haim of[f] our hands. Amen!"

Hopefully they'll fix the comment numbering bug first.

@JD - The catch? Maybe he comes free with an SWP?

@ Clive

This is BOGOF offer from Chelsea: ManCity can buy Tal Ben Haim's right leg, and his left leg is free. :-)

Richards? Dunne? Onuoha? Corluka? Ball?

Christ, I'd have them all before TBH. They'd probably be better playing Mpenza or Bianchi at centre-back.

Admittedly TBH is good for comedy value. I mean, his accurate portrayal of the turning circle of a tug-boat at Anfield last season was worthy of a BAFTA.

It's still horribly eerie on the players coming in front. It's a worry.

Re: Peter Kenyon's and Bruce Buck's statements on Lampard

I can see the sinister intention behind the broad's insistence on Lampard to see out his contract. I think they're trying to force Lamps to jump ship so the fans would blame it all on Lampard. These businessmen are so ruthless; if they can't have him, they wanna destroy him!

Thinking about it, some people wanted Mark Hughes as our next manager. Looks like we got off lightly, he might have made TBH first choice centre back ;-)

I think it's a good decision by Kenyon to get an extra year out of Lamps. He can help us win something, and hopefully the fans' support for him may turn his head from moving to Inter. Just like the Scousers were able to persuade Stevie G to stay at Anfield, TWICE, instead of moving to us, maybe a season of cheering will persuade Lamps to stay. By then Inter would have signed another midfielder, meaning that next summer, Jose may not want him, forcing Lamps to stay here. So the least we can hope for is for Lamps to stay at least 1 more year.

Blatter's comments are hilarious. Any ploy to upset Fergie should be welcomed, and pushing Ronaldo closer to the door is great for us.

It's also great to see that we'll make a PROFIT on TBH. His impression of a cruise liner trying to do a u-turn against Torres will never be forgotten but £5m for him and £5m for Sidwell seems like a great return on our 'investment'. All we need now is for someone to stup up £5m for Pizarro and we'll be laughing. Why not flog him to Pompey. Harry seems to accept any old randomer if he can get the right slice of any signing on fee.

@ HABS "

Harry seems to accept any old randomer if he can get the right slice of any signing on fee"

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe you just said that about Uncle 'arry!!! :-)

re Lamps, I can not believe the board's way of handling the situation. No reason to force him to stay if he does not want to. Either give him the deal he wants as he fully deserves it or send him on his way with club's best wishes, end of!

We let the likes of Crespo do whatever the hell they wanted while under contract and yet when it comes to a fantastic servant of the club as Lamps is we are not giving an inch. It is simply stupid particularly after giving such astronomical deals to the likes of Sheva and Ballack!

Frank has been the perfect professional and done his very best for us at all times and we need to treat im with respect. This is the wrong time to draw the line in the sand. BlueBayou said it best above 114.

Are you suntanned Lolli and do we get pics of the white bits? ;)
@ CLIVE

Yes i am..and no you don't!!!!

@ 117. SIMONT

No need to hunnybunch, i'll just go to the Bridge and drool..sorry..watch him there!!

@Lolli - welcome back - just how do you think the two sides are going to shift from what seem increasingly entrenched positions in a way that ends up with Frank staying?

Doesn't it highlight the stupidity of the situation that the profit we look like making on Sidwell/Ben Haim [and I almost had to write that twice to make sure I believe it] would more than fund an extra year at even the highest of the reported amounts Frank is currently being offered.

Yes i am..and no you don't!!!!


What am I thinking this is Lolli, you probably don't have any white bits ;-)

@ BLUEBOYDAVE

Yes, you are right. Give the guy what he wants i say. At the end of the day, if Chelsea want to stay in the top 4, then we HAVE to secure deals with our best players and in MY opinion, Lampard is our best player. As some of us have said, he's guaranteed to get us 20plus goals a season. All of this stalling over giving him what will be his final contract really grates on my nerves.

They were quick to make sure Sheva was going nowhere, keep HIM happy..but stall on Lamps..

Baffling and very annoying..

@ 129. CLIVE

Go away!!

@117 SimonT - did you go into a possibly James Richardson inspired timewarp re "Channel 4 Football Italia" - or have I missed an announcement on who has acquired next season's rights now Channel 5 have dumped Serie A coverage?

Lolli's right (I dont mean about telling Clive to go away) on the Lamps situation.

Why were we so concerned in telling AC that Sheva wasn't for sale when, lets face it, most of us would drive him all the way to Milan yet we're not prepared to embark on a little bit of give-and-take over that extra year for Frank.

I've read today that Inter have / will offer him 4 years guaranteed, with a fifth if they win the Champs League. Why not offer the same ???

To most of us, yeah it's a bit rich that he's asking for another 52 lots of £140,000, and if Inter or whoever would only go to 4 years then I'd hazard a guess that he'd sign. As they are prepared to go that bit further to secure an exceptional footballer, surely we can AT LEAST match them to ensure we dont lose him, with the guarantee if he goes it'll come back to bite us in the arse in the Champs League in a year or two.

There are so many completely, ridiculously over-paid players out there, and whilst I 100% agree that £140,000 a week is absurd, and there aren't many players that are deserving to be earning that much, he has proved beyond doubt he's worthy of it. Just give him the extra year.

Lolli's right (I dont mean about telling Clive to go away) on the Lamps situation.

Perhaps there is an underlying current to to drive me out of town like Musumba.
I'll get my horse!

@ CLIVE

Your horse is already saddled up and waiting....:)

@Lolli
I'll leave at my own pace perhaps a horse might be too quick, I think Muffin the Mule would be better.

@Lolli/Fifty - which brings us back to Roman - presumably the source of the "Hands off Sheva" attitude and who I read somewhere this morning allegedly intervened personally to block any discussions with Inter re Frank.

If this is true doesn't he need to knock the suits' heads together and insist they concoct some sort of "4 years + 1" option, or trigger clause for review of contract terms that can let both sides save face and claim to have "won" and get this saga sorted now?

@Clive - I'm surprised Musumba's not come back to have his say on the Lampard Situation.

I think the club will stand firm, and I have to say I agree with them - a four year, £140,000 a week deal at 30 is more than enough. *ties up horse and runs into a saloon for cover*

Please, no Muffin the Mule jokes! ;-)

@ A whole lot of the posts above
I dont think looking at the fees paid for Sheva and Ballack should justify the club's position on Lampard. I think most people at the club recognize that those transfers were exorbitant, and while one has appeared to pay off in Ballack, it pains me to think Chelsea dropped 30mil for Sheva. Just because we have paid too much for players in the past doesnt justify paying too much for them now. Chelsea have offered lampard a big enough contract as it is, and whether its him or his agent that want the extra year, i think Kenyon(or whoever) should stand firm. Am I crazy for wanting to use a little bit of Wenger's strategy on transfers? Adebayor is a perfect example. Hes good, but I dont think hes 30 million pounds good. If AC take the bait, Arsenal should have enough money to make a couple transfers, paired with the sale of Hleb to Barca. I think lampard could demand at least 15 mil in a transfer to Inter, and that money could be used on Robinho, Villa, or Silva. Also, Lamps is 30 and I think we should be grateful that Chelsea got to enjoy the best years he will have as a footballer. If Inter want to pull a Chelsea and pay way too much for a 30+ player, I say let em do it.

Now, on to something completely different, should we seriously be fearing a fan funded transfer for Drobga? LINK

@ BLUEBOYDAVE

I also heard RA intervened regarding Inter...Uncle Phil has expressed that Lamps is a big part of his Chelsea plans and Deco has also stated that he wants himto stay..
Frank loves Chelsea and i consider the fact that they're f****ng about on a new contract for him very insulting!
Besides...my new Chelsea shirt arrived this morning and it's gawjus! (Lampard 8..naturally!) How am i supposed to wear that if he isn't even with us next season?!

He'll stay....
No panic whatsoever...

@ 137. NICK

Yes...you can run, but you can't hide!!!!

@Clive - I'm surprised Musumba's not come back to have his say on the Lampard Situation.

Nick I bet you Musumba is behind the whole will he won't he transfer saga, I sure he's trolling the blog anyway, and with enough provocation he'll come out of hiding. :-)

@136. BBD

I remember I watched Football Italia... in 2003! :-p

@ 124. Haberdashers

The broad is just trying to get a higher bid from Inter with their tough stance on current Lamps' contract. Would Chelsea give away Lamps as a freebie in 2009? Bloody unlikely!

I admit to being dosed up with man-flu remedies, but I appear to have stumbled upon a site dedicated to muffin.

I shall return when clarity is restored.

(I'm actually off to get rained upon a lot in the Lake District - I don't think computers have been invented up there yet, so I'll see you all in a week or so).

Lampard out...

(to get himself a bigger contract, and who can blame him, really?)

I think that Lamps is just waiting for the new season and if it goes well then he will proberbly have his heart set on staying. All the Inter crap is ridiculous. The facts are simple 1. Lamps has 1 year left of contract and 2. JM likes him alot and would definetly take him at Inter. Its not like Mourinho would ask him to buy out his contract. He said he will only buy if we sell and we surely wont. Im confident that he will stay, Its very frustrating for us all because its never ending speculation. And we just have to deal with it just like when he was linked with Barca loads last year. We shouldnt believe anything on this situation unless it comes from Franks mouth.

By the way, JT has also been linked with Inter. lol

@ 145. 13J13

Give the man 5 years contract then he'll stay, it's that simple!

144. JD

I think I've read a report saying monsoon-like weather is reaching North West of England... Wish you enjoy the rain! :-)

I agree with all who say "Goodbye SuperFrank, Thanks for the memories!"

Besides that, the following should stay:

Cech, Riccy, JT, Jose',Cole, Alex, Ivanovic, Paulo, Bridge, Drogba, Kalou, Sheva, Ballack, Essien, Mikel, Deco, Carlo, Hilario, Sinclair,Joey

All the rest can go. Next up, we need to bring in 3 Youth players.

And the rest can be Transfered in.

Sorry Frank( and Lollie!) see you(Frank) around!

Its stupid that they cant agree a deal, I would take a 4 year deal. Its not like they will release him after that. They should just sit down and sort it out once and for all. It shouldnt be so difficult

Joe

I agree.

Lampard hasnt said a word on this so why are you all seem resigned to losing him?
And this season aswell? Mourinho has said that he wont buy unless we sell and Kenyon has already declined at least 2 bids. He is staying at least for now

@ Lolli...

My pleasure .. I could not let Frank get canned in this way given the dignity and professionalism he has shown all these years. Yes I want him to stay but only if he wants to stay... no point in having a player who wants to be somewhere else... not fair on either party. I do have an issue with the way the club has responded to the situation. TSSO did the right thing now it is up to PK to sort it out with Frank IN PRIVATE and us fans need to be patient and wait for the official announcement.

I thought the sound bite on Drogba was funny... how would you feel if your only offer was from the fans from your old club chipping in 5 euros each to buy you to come back to France !!! I don't think Drogba will be going anywhere and under TSSO will pull his head in and perform like the beast he is...

@ 149: So you would like to drop Boswinga before he plays a game for us? But keep Ivanovic?

I am a certified retard please disregard my previous post and this one.

Apparently I can't read.

@ Lolli... you might find this story heart warming about Lampard...

LINK

@ 156

Great link, Peter. I was very moved by the stories.

Hi all!, does anybody out there know the best online site where you can watch the prem every sat and other leages even if you need to pay something? i am not necessarily after free stuff, prefer to pay for quality transmission with no problems rather than freebies stuff where connection, quality is so so. Trawled through the net but there are so many offering something I'm not sure whihc one/ones are the nbest to trust.
Thanks All. Dio

@142 SimonT - my recollection is that in the final years of Channel 4's coverage of Serie A the football got duller and duller as James Richardson's presentation got more and more flamboyant and bizarre- all those huge desserts on his cafe table gradually disappearing, etc.

Channel 5's presentation last season was excruciatingly stilted and dull with only the occasional appearance by Gabriel Marcotti providing any intelligent comment - but I thought the football was much faster and more open than when I'd last seen it on Channel 4.

You'd think TSO going to Inter[with or without Frank,Drogs,Riccy] would spark more interest in England in watching again so hopefully someone will pick up the rights.

recently released figures show that Mourinho's signing has provoked a massive upsurge in season ticket demands, merchandise etc and have overtaken AC Milan in fans registered for the next season. If Channel 4 still have the rights, waht a coup they have now got. I am sure the advertising in the UK will be ramped up over the next few weeks for the stsart of Serie A. Expect to see Mourinho being advertised on the TV ahead of every serie A game. This is another loss to CFC in worldwide interest and attracting new fans and making us a bigger club. It does make you think if Kenyon really wants us to attract more fans why he thought it was a good business decision to allow JM to leave. Quite baffling really as a business strategy. And I dont subscribe to the talk about negative PR because of Jose's fighting the world. What did man-U care about becoming the most hated club officially in the UK?

LINK

They're going to need a giant sheet for this unveiling

£30m rumoured for Adebayor? FFS!
£18m for Gareth Barry? WTF?
£11m paid for Crouch? OMG!
Ronaldo considers himself a 'slave'...WTF?

£8m offered for Lampard?

Is it just me or has everything gone to cock?

@ 156. PETERTHEGREAT

Thanks for that, it was VERY heartwarming..

What can i say?
The boy has good taste!!!! ;))

@ 159/160

Jose + Frank at Inter would certainly pull many fans including myself. I've paid my TV license so I'd demand Her Majesty to let me watch Frankie in Italy (if he goes there) on terrestrial TV!

@ Lolli

Sorry, darling... I didn't know you were here but you mustn't read my post 164. ;-)

Why are we getting Frank fit for Inter Milan?
A lot of people are saying that because Frank hasn't said anything he's staying,the reverse also applies.
All he has to do is say either he's off or he's staying,sounds simple doesn't it.
I hate to say it but if he doesn't think £140,000 a week isn't good enough,it's probably better he goes.I think he knows his demands are too high and is using that as a reason to leave.
Although he's been a terrific player for us,does he really want to leave on bad terms and sour his Chelsea memories?That's why the board will get the blame for not relenting and him eventually joing Jose at Inter.This has been dragging on far too long.
C'mon Frank put us out of our misery and be honest and tell us what you're going to do.

158. @Dio - I watched quite a few matches last season via SopCast (LINK). It's free video streaming P2P software developed by clever Chinese people (I think).

During the season you can find links to SopCast streams on this website (LINK) and also here (LINK

Unlike traditional streaming which can't cope with high viewer numbers, apps like SopCast only get better as more people use it, because, like BitTorrent, it shares its video stream with other viewers. Obviously picture quality isn't great but it's pretty good for free. I rarely had any problems once the initial buffering was completed, which can take several minutes.

I don't recommend using one of the increasingly numerous sites that charge for access to streaming links - I've yet to find one that lived up to its promises. Most are a rip-off.

162. @Tony - Everything has definitely gone to cock. The Silly Season gets sillier every year.

The comment system effed up the links:

SopCast LINK
LiveFooty LINK
MyP2P LINK

@ 165. SIMONT

Sorry mate..already read it!!!
You're testing our friendship...;)

So any news o SuperFrank?

Sorry, on SF

More to the point, any news on anything ?

It's quieter than a sponsored silence in a library. I may be forced into doing some work.

Surely we've been linked with a stupid money move for someone / anyone (although I note the Independent have suggested Robinho and Villa are on the cards).

Watch out for our boys Sinclair and Cork (who's been named captain) in the UEFA U19 Chapionships starting Monday. Some football on TV at last, Mrs Fifty will be so happy......

@Mike - He's looking at houses in Milan. Lampard's agent says, "Chelsea's meagre contract offer of four years at £140,000 a week is an insult - I... uh... I mean Frank will not stand for it. Have you seen the price of a new Bentley Brooklands?"*

*Complete bollocks of course - but it's probably as accurate as 90% of the reporting on this issue.

@ 173. NICK

Excellent, made me smile..:)
I agree with FIFTY, The silence is unbearable!!!

It's quieter than a sponsored silence in a library.
@ 172. FIFTY

LOL..:D

THANKS CHELSEABLOG!!

@ Fifty - have you noticec the Rumour Mill section on the snazzy, new improved official website now trying to out do Goal for publishing links to lots of crap rumours about us. This one caught my eye today:

"Panathinaikos [new Head Coach Henk Ten Cate] move for Chelsea's Pizarro" - it is from Tribal Football - but we can live in hope for now it could be 3rd crap clear-out done....

@BBD,

I had noticed that section but, for obvious reasons, have decided to refrain from even looking at it.

The Pizarro story is laughable. Come on, unless he fits into the patented pose of holding a pen upon signing a contract or kissing / eating the badge on his new club shirt, we should ignore the rumour.

I for one hope the Pizarro story is true..get rid of the dead wood and all that..

On a side note, i've just been trolling through "fan profiles" on ole ole...why is it that everyone from America is a Man U fan??!!!

Is it the Becks connection or what?

Why couldn't the board use the money from Sidwell's transfer to supplement Frank's contract,after all we had Sidwell on a free.I just get the feeling that this is going the same way as Gallas's transfer,really hope I'm wrong.
I hope this farce ends before long for everyone's sake.

Everyone thinks it's gone quiet at CFC.... but they've been busy changing days and times of our first five games, as they're all being televised.

Never a dull moment eh!

So if Pizarro is going+ Steve Sidwell= 2 pieces of deadwood GONE!!!

Season tickets arrive today!

Another quick observation on the fixtures that Sky have put out, there doesn't appear to be any contrived "Grand Slam Sundays"
How much of a blessing is that?

@ Clive

Another quick observation on the fixtures that Sky have put out, there doesn't appear to be any contrived "Grand Slam Sundays"

Yet!

178. @Lolli - Highlights just how much work Kenyon's got to do to make us "The Biggest Club in the World".

I often wonder why there are so many Arsenal sites on the web - is it simply because they have more fans, in which case there should be more Man United blogs etc. than there are - or are they all trying to be the new Arseblog? Are Arsenal fans traditionally younger and therefore more technically minded? Any other suggestions?

183. @Clive - I found one! Sunday November 30 @ 1.30pm - Manchester City v Manchester United; Sunday November 30 @ 4pm - Chelsea v Arsenal. Surely that's a "Super Sunday"? I'll probably get threatened by lawyer types for reproducing those fixtures. ;-)

@ 185. NICK

Good point. I've wondered why there are so many blogs dedicated to Arsenal as well. Why doesn't Ole Ole condense them all down to one collaborative site? Surely it would help with the slowness that everyone is experiencing..?

I mean, they all talk the same crap, don't they? :S

I found one! Sunday November 30 @ 1.30pm - Manchester City v Manchester United; Sunday November 30 @ 4pm - Chelsea v Arsenal. Surely that's a "Super Sunday"? I'll probably get threatened by lawyer types for reproducing those fixtures. ;-)

@Nick
Do you realise you've upset the Feral Scousers, they'll be taking up arms and marching on your house.

@Tony
Yes you're probably right, the second half of the season TV fixtures are not published, perhaps I was tempting fate.

Steve Kutner is really a c*nt. Its obvious that he's influencing Lampard's decision.

Jang

I totally agree. They should call him Steve C*ntner...

At the end of the day Frank Snr should have more influence on his son than the bloody agent, wouldn't you say?

I wonder how Manure are going to cope with the loss of Queiroz next season.
LINK

LINK

That is what sheva Can REALLY do...

@ MIKE

He has been asked to play like Diouf or Kevin Davies for 2 seasons long. Lets hope Scolari will help us find the real Sheva back.

Those clips remind us of what Sheva can do with the right service. He may have less pace than Makelele but as a finisher and a chelsea player, i would still pick him over Anelka. At least Sheva tries when he's on the pitch and if we stop using him like a Ukrainian Didier Drogba, then we may see the Milan of old. He'll never work in a 4-3-3 because lumping long balls up to him and relying on his 'pace' to run in behind defences is not his game. Watching more clips of Sheva on youtube, it's clear that in a 4-4-1-1 with a no.10 like Kaka to feed him, is when Sheva can show everyone how good a finisher he is. He's a bit like Michael Owen now. Neither of them have their pace of old but put them in front of goal with the right service and they'll score. So if Didier leaves we'll need a replacement like Villa but if it were a choice between keeping 1 of Pizarro, Sheva and Anelka then Roman's favourite would get my vote every time.

If Lampard leaves or even if he doesnt then I think we should use Joe Cole in the #10 role. I agree that Sheva much like Crespo is useless up front on his own.
This may end up with us using a 4-3-2-1 like AC Milan

------------------Cech----------------
Jose------Terry(c)---Riccy--------Ash-
---------------Essien-----------------
------Lampard/Deco---------Mikel------
--------------------------------------
-------Joey------------Ze German------
--------------Sheva-------------------

Subs : Cudicini, Ivanovic, Sinclair, Makelele, Di Santo

What do you all think of that formation? Yes it means no wingers but BPS could take off Mikel or Essien and bring on a wide man and have Cole drift out to the right.

@195
13Joe this formation looks really good :-) and I mean it.

It very good exchange for lampard out and Kaka In.
But Lampard is Blue for years and of course, the fans wish him to stay for another year, or more.

#195

Essien would be wasted in that position. Pirlo occupies that spot as a deep lying playmaker. Its essential to make this Christmas Tree system tick. Put Deco in there and let Essien do the running higher up abit. Or we can try Mikel as the deep lying playmaker.

JANG, I agree abou Essien. Perhaps try having Deco/Lampson the left side of the midfield trio whilst shifting Essien to the right. I thik Essien would do well there. I remember his goals against Cit-Eh and Valencia were from that position

I do still think that there is 1 more signing still to come.

Deco will be #19 next season, So the squad is something like this. Scolari said he wants 25 players to fit in some young reserves. So does he mean 25 players + reserves? Im confused.

Sorry about the "something like this" part, I was going to post our likely squad but deleted it.

#201

19 looks like an ugly number for him. Prefer him to swap with Ferreira. Im superstitous so i hope Deco wears no.20. Perhaps Ferreira can wear 22 which he wore in Porto. Ben Haim will freeup that number very soon. Is it confirmed that Deco is wearing no.19? Or it just happned to be the next avaliable number on the training kits as the rest are taken up. Pizarro's no.14 is going to be up for grasp real soon.

My Ma just sent me an e-mail,

Latest bulls**t story concerning Lamps is in today's NOTW..
They reckon he's so desperate to leave us for Inter, that he's willing to sign a pre-contract agreement with them on New Year's Day and he will then walk out on us next summer..
A "source" claims that he's "finally made his mind up once and for all" and he's become angry at RA not giving him a further year on his contract..so angry that "he's willing to leave Chelsea on bad terms".

What a complaete load of bollo**s!!!!
If he's made his mind up "once and for all", surely CFC know about it?? Why has there been no confirmation on the website or TV AND from neither Lamps or the Club?
Instead, we keep on hearing sh*tspreading from a "source" close to him..

My arse!!..
Sorry for the rant, i just get sick to death of hearing it..

The latest desperate bid by Inter to prise Lamps away:

LINK

That's exactly what a world class side needs. To lose the best scoring midfielder in the world in exchange for some spare change and a fat, mentally instable, slow striker who no-one else wants! That deal sounds hugely enticing! Why don't they just throw Crespo and Luis Figo into the deal? Inter obviously think that the term 'Chelsea Pensioners' applies to the playing side not just those at the Royal Hospital. As for those rumours that Lamps 'can't wait' for Jan 1 so he can sign a pre-contract deal. I agree with Lolli. Absolute Bollocks. That's exactly what Lamps wants. To sign a deal in January and then have evry fan turn against him for the next 6 months!

Still pretty quiet on the transfer front. Hopefully we're just concentrating on making space in the squad for new arrivals and youth players. If we can make £12m profit from Sidwell, TBH and Pizarro whilst selling Malouda, SWP, Maka and Anelka then we'll have room for Robinho and Villa. Can't wait to see the new side unleashed against the mighty Chengdu Blades! Although thanks to Avram's shitty season there'll be no Charity Shield for the first time in ages.

The professional smoker and drinker who happens to play football once in a while called Wayne Rooney has turned into a fat shit over pre-season as seen against Aberdeen. Fatter than Pizarro? Nah, that's impossible as Pizarro is clinically obese!

@ 205. HABS

Completely with you there regarding Lamps. He wouldn't risk playing at Chelsea until next summer with EVERY Chelsea fan in the world knowing he's "desperate" to leave us and is counting down the days until he finally walks out of the gates at Stamford Bridge..
God! Imagine the reception he'd get at every game? Not only that, what about when he plays for England?! He already gets boos that aren't deserved (although they have cooled off as of late) but if the stories/rumours do turn out to be true true that he wants to leave because of money issues, then God help him...the boos from club and country fans would be fully justified.

Even i wouldn't defend him on that one...

Come on Frank..tell us what's going on FFS!! I can't bear it for much longer! :0

@ LOLLI

Agree with you that it's time all the mind games stopped,Frank needs to end his silence and be honest with the fans.
If he loves the club as much as he keeps telling us,it's time that he proved it.
C'mon Frank stop kissing the badge,stand up and be a man and tell us what's really going on,you owe us that at least.

It seems like we will buy a 'superstar' this summer, although i won't be too upset if we don't.

Of the 'superstars' out there, kaka seems the only realistic option. Ronaldo, Torres, Messi are all unavailable, but the sale of Kaka will clear Milans debt in one go.

Although sceptical it will, i would be delighted with this deal. Kaka is a great player, and a true gent. He would flourish in a team that is better than Milans, and i am sure he would adapt to English football (he's THAT good that it's not even an issue.

Signing Kaka will mean i won't miss Lampard one bit!

@ 208. FBM

Do you reckon the superstar we'll be buying will be from the money we get from flogging Sheva?
According to the Sun today, PK flew to Milan yesterday to meet up with Vice -President Galliani to discuss a move, after Uncle Phil has expressed Shev's not part of his plans for the future..

The tabloids are spinning Chelsea stories/lies right, left and centre today...it's difficult to keep up with them all!!

@ Lolli - my favourite Chelsea story of the weekend was buried in one of the Crouch Signs for Portsmouth articles where 'Arry claims that Average Grant told him months ago before his demise that Crouch would be one of his summer signing targets - see, if only we'd given Avram another season we could have had Crouch as new contender for The Robert Fleck/Chris Sutton Donkey of the Year award.......

The Silence of the Lamps continues...

Maybe we should send Lolli as FBI agent to investigate...

@ 210. BLUEBOYDAVE

It certainly brightens up an otherwise boring Sunday morning, doesn't it?

@ 211. SIMONT

OOOOOO!!!!! Yes, pretty please!! :)))

@ 208

I don't think Kaka is that realistic, to be honest. Milan's debt isn't that large, I think they're more worried about keeping a balance than paying it off immediately. They've been super cautious in the transfer market and look like they're about to lowball the hell out of Barcelona for Ronaldinho [plus they've even convinced him to take a pay cut]; their wage bill won't get that much bigger anytime soon; and Kaka is their most marketable player. This probably wouldn't be a smart time to let him go.

Plus, I think it's safe to say we have all the midfielders we need right now.

Well if they want a striker so much. Why dont we give them Sheva and Drogba for Kaka?

kaka boleh pergi ke chelsea tapi lampard jangan lah kamu scolari jangan nak mengada ngada nak jual lampard