Seven years ago Chelsea lifted the Champions League trophy after a stunning win in Munich. Playing with a scratch team with several players on the pitch carrying injuries, under a caretaker manager who just happened to be a ‘97 FA cup winner. This anecdote feels relevant as with the (somewhat surprising) departure of Luiz we…
My manager’s better than yours…
So we’re in limbo. We’ve got a manager, a successful manager, but he’s the proverbial condemned man (although nine million quid is a lot better than a noose). Maybe it’s time for a bit of a post-mortem on Conte’s time at Chelsea. One of the themes that constantly reoccurs when it comes to discussing Conte…
The Cult of the Manager (and ‘Head Coaches’)
Managers and players come and go, fans remain. However I’ve always had a sense as a Chelsea fan that we are somehow more sentimental and attached to our former beaus than other clubs. Sure, Liverpool have their ‘istoree, Tottenham their tradition of stylish football (and limited success). Arsenal have the invincibles and an uncanny knack…
Empty vessels – The loan system in English football
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” – Plutarch What has that got to do with preening, posing, designer clobber-wearing, convertible Mercedes-driving, young footballers you may ask? It’s not a perfect analogy, but it works well enough for my purpose. It’s got everything to do with young…
Mysterious item found in Etihad changing rooms.
A strange item was discovered by kit staff at Manchester City Football Club after their 2-1 victory over Arsenal this weekend. A member of staff, who wished to remain nameless, said he found a strange looking object in the away changing room. “It was left lying right in the middle of the floor in the away…
My hometown club is being ruined by a fool.
When BlueTinted was relaunched, we wanted to broaden our horizons. What originally started off as a Chelsea only site has now developed into a site that can concern all football fans. Finding which team to support usually stems on one of two things. What club is considered your ‘family team’? Also, where are you from?…
The day we’ve all been waiting for.
Sunday October 23rd at 4pm. This is the day when whatever remaining love for former CFC boss Jose Mourinho will be thrust aside as he brings his new love to The Bridge. So to start off, I was one of the few Chelsea fans during last season that called for Jose to get the sack. His…
Money Talks, Nike Signs.
Yesterday, Chelsea officially announced the biggest shirt rights deal in their history, tying Nike down for £60m a year, £900m over the next fifteen seasons. It’s been public knowledge since May of this year that Chelsea were going to pull out of their £30m deal with Adidas SIX YEARS EARLY! A bold move for a…
The predictable consequences of good management: lessons from the past and present
I’m not in the business of comparing miseries with other Chelsea supporters. Plenty know the reality of the sort of dross that a mid 90s footballing maturity insulated me from. For me though the 2015-16 season wasn’t so much a spell in the depths as a fracking trip into the depths of Chelsea misery. It…
The perennial centre back question……….
As I write this, we’re less than 36 hours from the transfer window closing (the caveat to end all caveats). The rumour mill is a-buzz with the usual click bait and ITKs. The latest is Marcos Alonso, a left back, cum wing back, cum centre back from Fiorentina. A squad player with the potential to…
Just how good a manager is Antonio Conte?
In the immediate afterglow of Antonio Conte’s heroics at Euro 2016, this article takes an unscientific but hopefully intriguing look at what kind of manager Chelsea fans can expect. How does his statistical track record compare to his contemporaries and what does it tell us? To begin, let me pose a question or two for…
BlueTinted is back! Sort of…
So BlueTinted is back. Or at least it isn’t. Bit confused? Let’s just say some of us are a bit fatter and all of us are a bit grayer and a bit balder, but then who isn’t after this season? Since BlueTinted.com shuffled off this mortal coil, there’s been changes. A baby (and another one…
BlueTinted Reborn 