We’re back with another season of football set to begin at Category One level and if the previous seasons are anything to go by it’ll be an intoxicating ten months with no shortage of drama and plenty of promise. Here at TheChels.net we’re taking a look at what to expect from the 2014-15 season and we begin by going through the various competitions Chelsea will be involved in. Barclays Under-21…
Under-18 Fixtures Announced As Format Changes Again
Chelsea’s Under-18 fixture list for the 2014-15 season has been confirmed today as the competition has once again undergone a few adjustments ahead of the big kick-off. Whilst things at Under-21 level have been split into two leagues of Category One teams based on performances last season the younger boys remain split by geography, with twelve teams in each of the Northern and Southern sections. However, there will be no…
Bastia announce loan agreement for Joao Rodriguez
French top flight club Bastia have this afternoon announced an agreement with Chelsea for the loan acquisition of Colombian forward Joao Rodriguez. The Corsican side, managed by former Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele, made the announcement on their official website this afternoon and the move is now subject to international clearance, although that should be a formality. Rodriguez agreed to join Chelsea back in 2012 after impressing for Deportes Quindío and…
The FA Chairman’s England Commission – Another Fine Mess
The FA Chairman’s England Commission Report was published in May amidst publicity and controversy. It had been a difficult birth. When it was set up, the Commission was accused of not being “diverse” enough, as it did not include any black players (Rio Ferdinand was subsequently invited to join the Commission), or women. The Premier League declined to participate completely. Copies of the report were provided to delegates at last…
More to come as Chelsea ramp up loan outgoings
It almost goes without saying that after a season in which more than thirty Chelsea players embarked on loan moves that we’re far from being done on that front this summer, but as we reach the one-week mark until the Football League (and Eredivisie) gets underway and we find ourselves two weeks out from the return of the Premier League, business is most definitely about to pick up. The Blues…
Picking Up Speed
We’re now heading towards the 2014/2015 football season with all the speed of Usain Bolt trying to get away from Glasgow. The summer’s main sporting occasions are behind us, and pre-season friendlies are beginning to dominate the sport pages. And at TheChels.Net, we’ve been keeping up with not just pre-season matches, but supporter-orientated events taking place. Pre-season Travels With The Chels There was a rare opportunity for supporters to attend…
Under-21s To Begin Title Defence Against Manchester City
Chelsea’s Under-21s will begin the defence of their Barclays Under-21 Premier League title at home to Manchester City. In a repeat of the first ever fixture played in the ‘new’ Under-21 league back in 2012, the Blues will take on the team they edged on penalties in the Semi Final stage of last year’s competition as they open up the new campaign with a marquee fixture. It will be played…
Branded
One of the biggest issues in football in recent years has been the emergence of the “brand”. Whether this applies to an individual, as in “Brand Beckham” (arguably the first brand of its kind), or a club, the brand, and potential damage thereto, is often cited at the first hint of trouble. When Luis Suarez was sent off for this third snack on an opponent, he was immediately dubbed “toxic”…
Youth Teams Kick Off Pre-Season Schedule
Chelsea’s first team may have to wait until Wednesday to get their pre-season schedule of fixtures underway but their junior counterparts at Cobham are well and truly back in the swing of things as the first Saturday of the new campaign brought about a return to action for the Under-18 and Under-21 teams. Both sides are under new management for 2014-15 with Adi Viveash stepping up to replace Dermot Drummy…
The 2014-15 Academy First-Year Scholars
It’s early July, which means it’s once again time to welcome a bunch of new faces into the Chelsea academy as the 2014-15 class of first-year scholars officially begin full-time work at the Cobham academy. How new they are to you however will be determined by how often you tuned into their FA Youth Cup winning campaign last season, and in reality, the full-time work has long since been a…