ABRAMOVICH: It's Moscow or Siberia for his
Chelsea players...
ROMAN ABRAMOVICH made a promise to his Chelsea
players that they would end the season in Russia. And they are glad
it is Moscow because it could have been the icy wasteland of
Siberia if they had failed to make the Champions League
final!
Avram Grant’s No 2 Steve Clarke was asked if the Blues’
billionaire owner had lined up a special party for the group in his
home city. Clarke replied: “I’m just glad we are going to Moscow.
“Roman said before the semi-final ‘you are definitely going to
Russia, I just don’t know whether you are going to Siberia or
Moscow’.”
The glitz and the glamour of the new Chelsea is a far
cry from the club the Scot signed for just over 20 years ago.
Clarke, 44, is the last surviving link with the old days — a man
who bridges the generation gap between the bad old days and Roman’s
revolution.
And even though the training ground car park is now
filled with Ferarris and Range Rovers, Clarke’s feet remain firmly
planted on the ground. He said: “Certainly when I first signed for
this club 20 years ago you couldn’t imagine where we are now.
“I don’t think I earned very much — about 500 quid a
week. “I think we were below QPR in the league, we were nowhere,
just another London club with some good players but always
mid-table with the chance of a cup run. “A lot of people have made
big decisions over the years and pushed the club forward.”
Ahead of Wednesday’s showdown against Manchester
United, Clarke added: “It will be a great season for the club if we
win the last trophy that is up for grabs. Obviously we are
disappointed that we haven’t won any of the three previous
trophies.
“You can’t say we didn’t make a big effort in all of
them but unfortunately we came up short.
