Chelsea Co-Owner Todd Boehly Fires Back at English Media Criticism in Candid New Interview

Todd Boehly Pushes Back as Chelsea Boss Responds to British Press Scrutiny

When Todd Boehly speaks publicly, it tends to generate headlines — sometimes for what he says, other times for how he says it. And in a new interview, the Chelsea co-owner didn’t hold back. After two turbulent, chaotic, expensive, and occasionally triumphant years in west London, Boehly has grown used to being the lightning rod of English football debate. This time, though, he decided to push back, taking aim at the British press and the increasingly personal tone of the criticism directed at him since he took control of Chelsea in 2022.

“The English papers remind me every day how smart they are and how stupid I am,” Boehly joked — or half-joked — during his latest sit-down with the Australian Financial Review. It was a punchline, yes, but one wrapped in obvious irritation. And maybe, after all the turbulence of the early Boehly era, he earned the right to say it.

The Rollercoaster Beginning of the Todd Boehly Era at Chelsea

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Before diving into his comments, it’s worth remembering how dramatic the circumstances were when Boehly first entered the picture. Roman Abramovich, who had owned the club for nearly two decades, was sanctioned in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. His assets were frozen by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government due to his ties to Vladimir Putin, and the club’s future hung in the balance.

In 2019, Boehly had tried — and failed — to buy Chelsea with a $3 billion bid. But when the club was forced onto the market three years later, his consortium returned with a winning offer worth £4.25 billion, eventually approved by the government and completed on May 30, 2022. Just like that, the Abramovich era was over, and a very different Chelsea project began.

But nothing about the transition was smooth. Within months of arriving, Boehly dismissed Thomas Tuchel — a Champions League winner and beloved figure among fans. He backed Graham Potter, then sacked him. Frank Lampard returned on an interim basis. Mauricio Pochettino came next and departed just as quickly. At times, it felt like Chelsea were reinventing themselves every 90 days.

And when a club of Chelsea’s stature sits 12th in the Premier League, or looks tactically confused, or racks up wild spending totals, criticism isn’t far behind.

Todd Boehly Says He Takes Criticism Better Than His Family Does

In the interview, Boehly reflected on the sheer volume of criticism he faces — not just from fans, but from pundits and journalists who often treat him as a symbol of everything wrong with modern football ownership.

“Sometimes my wife and my family take it differently than I take it,” he said. “I just find it’s one more person that doesn’t know what they’re talking about.”

It wasn’t angry, exactly. More weary than anything. Because Boehly isn’t new to pressure. He co-owns the LA Dodgers and has stakes in the LA Lakers, two of the most scrutinized sports franchises in the United States. He’s accustomed to being evaluated, argued about, second-guessed. But the British press — he suggests — are a different breed.

In some ways, his comment about being told he’s “stupid” was a glimpse into what it feels like to be an American owner in English football. Every decision is amplified. Every misstep is a moral failure. Every quote becomes a meme.

And yet, despite the storms, he’s clearly not lacking confidence in the long-term project he is trying to build at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea Turning a Corner Under Enzo Maresca

If Todd Boehly has been waiting for results to silence his critics, Enzo Maresca has at least given him a fighting chance.

Maresca’s arrival last season brought stability, a clear tactical identity, and — crucially — trophies. He guided Chelsea back into the Champions League in his first year, won the UEFA Conference League, and lifted the Club World Cup, giving supporters a taste of the winning culture they feared was disappearing.

More importantly, Chelsea are not just scraping by. They’re climbing again. After years of inconsistency, erratic form, and a revolving door of managers, the Blues now look like a side with a long-term plan. They finished sixth in 2023-24 and then cracked the top four last season. As of now — 11 games into the new campaign — Chelsea sit third, six points behind Arsenal, following a comfortable 3–0 win over Wolves.

For a club as restless as Chelsea, stability is a relative term, but the signs under Maresca suggest the project is maturing.

Boehly Excited About Chelsea’s Future: “You’re Going to Watch This Team Grow”

Far from being beaten down by criticism, Boehly insisted he remains energized and optimistic about where Chelsea are headed.

“You’re going to continue to watch our team evolve and grow,” he said. “We’ve got them together for a long time. I’m pretty excited about what the future looks like.”

This is a nod to one of his most controversial strategies: signing young players to unusually long contracts — eight years, nine years, sometimes more. Critics called it a loophole exploitation. Others called it reckless. But the idea behind it is simple: secure a young core and let them develop together.

If Maresca is the right manager to bring continuity to that group, the plan might not be as wild as it once seemed.

The Mission to Grow Chelsea’s Global Fan Base

One theme Boehly returned to often was global expansion. For him, football ownership isn’t just about matchdays — it’s about reach, branding, and building a worldwide community.

“We’re trying to grow a global fan base,” he said. “If your fan base is continuing to grow all around the world, that should lead to your revenue continuing to grow.”

Chelsea already have one of the largest global audiences in football — a surge that began under Abramovich and continued as the club became a European powerhouse. Between 2003 and 2022, they won the Premier League five times, the Champions League twice, and multiple domestic and European trophies.

As of February 2024, Chelsea boasted 136.7 million social media followers across platforms, an enormous number that places them among the world’s biggest sporting brands.

Boehly’s plan, unsurprisingly, is to expand that footprint even further.

A Complicated Legacy: Funds From Abramovich Sale Still Frozen

While Boehly moves the club into a new era, a portion of the old one remains stuck in legal limbo. The £2.5 billion from the club’s forced sale — money Abramovich insisted should be used to help “all victims of war” — remains frozen in a UK account.

The UK government maintains that the funds can only be used for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine. Negotiations with Abramovich’s representatives are ongoing, and nearly three years later, there’s still no clear resolution.

A spokesperson from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office reiterated the government’s stance:

“This government is working hard to ensure the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine as quickly as possible. The proceeds are currently frozen while a new independent foundation is established to manage and distribute the money.”

Despite a change in government following last year’s election, the policy remains unchanged.

Final Thoughts: Todd Boehly Isn’t Backing Down Anytime Soon

Through all the highs and lows of the last two-and-a-half years, one thing is clear: Todd Boehly is not intimidated by criticism. Not from supporters, not from pundits, and certainly not from the English press.

He’s made bold decisions — some unpopular, some risky, some undeniably successful — and he insists there’s a bigger picture unfolding at Chelsea.

And while his style may never be universally admired, it’s hard to argue with the recent results: stability, trophies, and a team steadily climbing its way back toward the top of English football.

Whether people love or dislike the new Chelsea era, Boehly doesn’t seem bothered.

After all, as he put it himself:

It’s just “one more person that doesn’t know what they’re talking about.”