Chelsea announce Ballack capture

[Mac 10 †]

Chelsea announce Ballack capture

Chelsea have unveiled Germany captain Michael Ballack as their first signing of the summer.
 
The 29-year-old midfielder has arrived on a free transfer following the expiry of his contract with Bayern Munich.

Ballack was also coveted by Manchester United but chose to join Chelsea and has signed a three-year-deal.

He said: "I asked some players about England - Robert Huth, Jens Lehmann - and they told me good things about this country and I am happy to be here."

Ballack helped Bayern Munich to three league titles during his four years at the club.

But he rejected the offer of a new deal to stay with Bayern and was jeered by fans in his final appearance for the club against Borussia Dortmund.

His arrival will increase the competition in Chelsea's central midfield - where Frank Lampard, Claude Makelele and Michael Essien have been regulars this season.

Lampard has reiterated his desire to stay at Chelsea, despite apparent interest from Barcelona, and manager Jose Mourinho also eased any fears the England international may have had over his place.

"How can Michael's arrival affect Lampard and the team?" asked Mourinho.

"It will affect it a lot because Lampard wants top players to play with him and the team want good players to improve the team.

"I look forward to working with them and look forward to playing both together."

Ballack began his career with Chemnitz and had spells at Kaiserslautern and Bayer Leverkusen before moving to Bayern Munich.

He was crowned German footballer of the year in 2002, 2003 and 2005.

Mourinho added: "Chelsea is very happy and we think English football should be very happy Ballack plays for Chelsea and plays in the Premiership.

"We have a team of champions and to improve a team of champions we need champions.

"A champion is coming here to help follow our target for next year."

The club have also been linked with AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko as they attempt to bolster their attack.

And Mourinho said: "Is Ballack the first of many? No. He is the first of a few because we don't need a lot of players, just two or three very good players.

"We have now been champions for two consecutive years and we want to be more than that.

"We have already the team, now we need two or three world-class players to join the special team we have to make it even better than that."

[Javier]

Fucking crazy.  Will Chelsea get both Shevchenko and Tevez too?  Or just one of those two forwards?

[Mac 10 †]

Fucking crazy.  Will Chelsea get both Shevshenko and Tevez too?  Or just one of those two forwards?

they WILL have one of them by next season

shevchenko says he wants to move to england "for his family" and tevez is a greedy bastard

they both have their reasons to sign

[7even]

fuck chelsea

this should be forbidden

soccer needs a salary cap like the NBA

[ABN]

if Roman decides to sell Chelsea in the near future iŽll feel sorry for all Chelsea fans coz aint too many people gonna be able to keep those wages up.

[Sweet & Tender Hooligan]

if Roman decides to sell Chelsea in the near future iŽll feel sorry for all Chelsea fans coz aint too many people gonna be able to keep those wages up.

Good point. You think Chelski are makin Roman money?.....As i said in another topic Chelsea with Shevchenko and Ballack = unfucinstoppable.

[ABN]

if Roman decides to sell Chelsea in the near future iŽll feel sorry for all Chelsea fans coz aint too many people gonna be able to keep those wages up.

Good point. You think Chelski are makin Roman money?.....As i said in another topic Chelsea with Shevchenko and Ballack = unfucinstoppable.

i think Roman lost over 100 million last year alone so their not making him any money.

[Mac 10 †]

if Roman decides to sell Chelsea in the near future iŽll feel sorry for all Chelsea fans coz aint too many people gonna be able to keep those wages up.

Good point. You think Chelski are makin Roman money?.....As i said in another topic Chelsea with Shevchenko and Ballack = unfucinstoppable.

i think Roman lost over 100 million last year alone so their not making him any money.

that is fixed costs at the start tho.  every time they advance (and win) competitions they will make more and more money.

plus with all the chelsea fans coming out the woodwork im sure merchandise sales have sky-rocketed.

[ABN]

if Roman decides to sell Chelsea in the near future iŽll feel sorry for all Chelsea fans coz aint too many people gonna be able to keep those wages up.

Good point. You think Chelski are makin Roman money?.....As i said in another topic Chelsea with Shevchenko and Ballack = unfucinstoppable.

i think Roman lost over 100 million last year alone so their not making him any money.

that is fixed costs at the start tho.  every time they advance (and win) competitions they will make more and more money.

plus with all the chelsea fans coming out the woodwork im sure merchandise sales have sky-rocketed.

of course they will but if youŽre signing up players left and right youŽll make very little money. 300-400 million might not be a whole lot for Roman but when he decides to sell Chelsea(and he will)then ChelseaŽs gonna have an extremely hard time to maintain. heŽll run Chelsea into the ground and when heŽs bored and the results stop coming in you think heŽll still spend a shitload for nothing? hell naw, heŽll sell the club in a hurry and find something else thatŽll keep him occupied for awhile.

[Mac 10 †]

why would the results stop coming in?

[KURUPTION-81]

My hope is that some of the players he buys ruins the balance of the team. I remember when united got veron, an amazing player but he just didnt fit into the side and we dropped points because of it.

[Mac 10 †]

My hope is that some of the players he buys ruins the balance of the team. I remember when united got veron, an amazing player but he just didnt fit into the side and we dropped points because of it.

i don't remember him being that bad but obv u would have seen them in more detail and remembered a lot more so i'll take ure word for it.

[Sweet & Tender Hooligan]

if Roman decides to sell Chelsea in the near future iŽll feel sorry for all Chelsea fans coz aint too many people gonna be able to keep those wages up.

Good point. You think Chelski are makin Roman money?.....As i said in another topic Chelsea with Shevchenko and Ballack = unfucinstoppable.

i think Roman lost over 100 million last year alone so their not making him any money.

that is fixed costs at the start tho.  every time they advance (and win) competitions they will make more and more money.

plus with all the chelsea fans coming out the woodwork im sure merchandise sales have sky-rocketed.

of course they will but if youŽre signing up players left and right youŽll make very little money. 300-400 million might not be a whole lot for Roman but when he decides to sell Chelsea(and he will)then ChelseaŽs gonna have an extremely hard time to maintain. heŽll run Chelsea into the ground and when heŽs bored and the results stop coming in you think heŽll still spend a shitload for nothing? hell naw, heŽll sell the club in a hurry and find something else thatŽll keep him occupied for awhile.

It comes in cycles. Look at Leeds United.

[Mac 10 †]

It comes in cycles. Look at Leeds United.

there difference was they finished like 3rd, 4th, 4th, 3rd.  and decided they should be doing better. got rid of o'leary and then it happened.

[KURUPTION-81]

My hope is that some of the players he buys ruins the balance of the team. I remember when united got veron, an amazing player but he just didnt fit into the side and we dropped points because of it.

i don't remember him being that bad but obv u would have seen them in more detail and remembered a lot more so i'll take ure word for it.

it wasnt that he was bad it was just the fact we changed formations to accomidate him, we had always played 2 up front but then we started to play just one up front with either veron or scholes behind. The balance of the team was lost.