- American owner an unpopular figure
- Chelsea in 11th place in Premier League
- But Twellman says it's ridiculous to blame home country
WHAT HAPPENED? Former U.S. soccer player Twellman, now working as a pundit, stopped short of defending Boehly but said it "makes no sense" to use him to cast all owners from the U.S. in a negative light.
Twellman responded to a YouTube creator who wrote on Twitter: "We have confirmation of our fears. Todd hasn’t got a clue how an elite football team should function. Spending money comes with knowing what you’re spending on. Not just spending for the sake of high value. This isn’t the USA. He does not seem to realise the impact a top manager has on a squad too…if he did he wouldn’t ask this question."
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WHAT THEY SAID: "'This isn’t the USA' makes no sense," wrote Twellman. "Our sports leagues are all about 'spending wisely' this has nothing to do with our sports leagues that have taxes, caps, etc to protect an owner from doing this type of thing."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Casting Americans as inherently incompetent owners is not a new perspective in the UK. Earlier this season, former Manchester United star Gary Neville said that "U.S. investment into English football is a clear and present danger to the pyramid and fabric of the game. They just don’t get it and think differently. They also don’t stop till they get what they want!"
Boehly is one of several high-profile American owners in the Premier League, along with investors such as Stan Kroenke (Arsenal), Wesley Edens (Aston Villa) and John Henry (Liverpool), plus the Glazer family (Manchester United).
IN TWO PHOTOS:
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WHAT NEXT FOR BOEHLY? After firing Graham Potter - his second sacking of a manager this season - Boehly will help select a permanent replacement this summer.
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